Weekend papers and shorts.

Charles Solomon talks with Carlos Grangel, "a Spanish artist whose designs are coming to define the cutting edge of big-studio animation," about his work on Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. In an audio slide show, Grangel himself comments on the film's character designs.

Also in the New York Times:

• "'The world would be a better place if it was directed by Terry Gilliam,' a crew member said to me in complete sincerity. Charles McGrath visits the set of Tideland and retraces Gilliam's career, placing emphasis on troubled relationship between Gilliam and Hollywood. And Bob Weinstein.

• Terrence Rafferty previews the Film Forum's "Samurai Summer" series: "I suspect, the revelation of the four-week extravaganza, which starts Friday, will be the fiercely beautiful work of Masaki Kobayashi."

• We all know we're going to be massively Konged this holiday season. Dinitia Smith warms up with a phone call to Mark Cotta, author of Living Dangerously: The Adventures of Merian C Cooper, Creator of King Kong.

• Ned Martel on the "strange and sultry melodrama," The Rising.

Sean Chapman sounds an alarm: "Filmmaking is a hi-tech industry being run in the UK as a jumble sale. The Bafta denizens who've made fortunes out of their executive posts while presiding over the collapse of the industry must invest available funds not in luncheons but in training, connecting film students with writers, actors and experienced producers, immediately."

Also in the Guardian:

• Alistair McKay has a long talk with Robert Carlyle: "Looking back now... Carlyle accepts that if he is remembered for anything, it is for Trainspotting. It is, he thinks, a seminal film, defining a time in people's lives."

• Andrew Pulver's adaptation of the week: The Ipcress File.

• Since so few of the summer's blockbusters are busting blocks, John Patterson suggests doubling their tired punches a la Alien vs Predator.

"We live in fear of being boring and afraid of being creative, so the answer is hit people over the head with the soundtrack and then give them 24 quick shots," David Cronenberg tells the Los Angeles Times's Mary McNamara.

At Think Secret, Ryan Katz tells the story of an expensive falling out between Errol Morris and Apple. Via Movie City Indie.

Filmmaker's Matthew Ross: "Grizzly Man is the best film to be released this year and one of the best non-fiction films ever made.... Yes, it's a masterpiece."

Online listening tips. NPR. Bob Saget talks about The Aristocrats and David Edelstein considers Junebug.

Online viewing tip. Samuel Bayer's video for Green Day's "Wake Me Up When September Ends," with Evan Rachel Wood and Jamie Bell. It starts a bit schmaltzy (well, a lot schmaltzy), but stick with it. At Crooks and Liars, via Screenhead.

Posted by dwhudson at August 13, 2005 7:15 AM