{{link http://www.animationmagazine.net/article.php?article_id=1806 Animation Magazine}} has the scoop on why DreamWorks’ \\Sinbad: Legend Of The Seven Seas\\ was not on the list of films eligible for the Best Animated Feature Film Oscar. Ann Daly, head of feature animation at DreamWorks, told Animation Magazine Online, “In light of the fact that \\Sinbad\\ was clearly a commercial disappointment, […]

{{link http://www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/2003/03.11.19.a.html The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences}} has released the names of the eleven films that will compete for the Best Animated Feature Film Oscar in the next Academy Awards competition. The films that will compete for the three nominations are: \\Brother Bear\\, \\Finding Nemo\\, \\Jester Till (Till Eulenspiegel)\\, \\The Jungle Book […]

{{link http://www.tiscali.co.za/tiscali/entertainment/entertainment_story.jsp?content=109769 Tiscali Entertainment}} has interviewed Samuel L. Jackson, who discussed his role in the upcoming Pixar movie \\The Incredibles\\. He reveals that he does not play a bad guy, as some thought, but Mr. Incredible’s best friend Frozon. “I’ve got superpowers, man! – I can make things freeze… Yeah, it was cool, spent about […]

{{link http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/popcandy/2003-11-18-pop-candy_x.htm USA Today}} asks “Enough of the mouse – what about the cat?” The writer takes an interesting and fun look at the world’s first animated star, Felix the Cat. Brush up on your Felix trivia with nuggets like: “the first television images transmitted were of a Felix the Cat doll” – 75 years […]

{{link http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/film/brief_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=2031147 The Hollywood Reporter}} is reporting that The American Film Institute will “honor the songs of Hollywood in its ongoing celebration of 100 years of American movies with \\AFI’s 100 Years … 100 Songs: America’s Greatest Music in the Movies\\. The three-hour special, airing in June 2004 on CBS, will count down the 100 […]

Cartoon Network will air a new hour long Powerpuff Girls Christmas special this holiday season according to {{link http://news.awn.com/index.php3?ltype=top&newsitem_no=9637 AWN}}. In \\’Twas the Fight Before Christmas\\, which will debut December 12 at 9pm, “the girls are shocked to find themselves on Santa’s naughty list”. This is the same episode that was released on DVD in […]

To celebrate the 75th birthday of Mickey Mouse {{link http://www.animationmagazine.net/article.php?article_id=1805 Animation Magazine}} is collecting messages from readers. They ask that readers write about “how you feel about Walt’s world famous creation – how Mickey influenced your career, how he brought you together (or continues to bring you together) with friends and family, and basically makes […]

{{link http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hp&cf=prev&id=1808403007&intl=us Greg’s Previews}} reports that the U.S. release date for \\Kaena: The Prophecy\\ has been set for June 4th, 2004. The film will debut in New York and Los Angeles on that day before opening in wider release on a later date.

The California Supreme Court will review a lower court ruling that holds Disneyland “to the same passenger safety requirements as operators of buses, trains, taxi cabs, escalators and ski lifts” according to {{link http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-disney18nov18235631,1,4057455.story The L.A. Times}}. Disney believes the higher standard should not apply since amusement park rides are entertainment not public transportation. If […]

Monkees drummer Micky Dolenz will take over the role of Zoser in Disney Theatricals’ \\Aida\\ on January 6, according to {{link http://www.broadway.com/template_1.asp?CI=32162&CT=38 Broadway.com}}

\\{{link http://www.latimes.com/la-et-horn16nov16,1,3968503.story The L.A. Times}}\\ takes a look at how cost-cutting at Hollywood studios doesn’t apply to their efforts to win awards. “Disney has pink-slipped scores of animators in Paris, Tokyo and Orlando, Fla. It’s penny-pinching time across Hollywood – except when it comes to awards-season campaigning, where there’s still plenty of room for $5,000-a-day […]

\\Finding Nemo\\ has been nominated for a European Film Award for best non-European film of 2003, according to {{link http://forum.bcdb.com/gforum.cgi?post=14428 The Big Cartoon Database}}. The winners will be announced by the European Film Academy December 6 at their awards ceremony in Berlin.

{{link http://www.animationmagazine.net/article.php?article_id=1768 Animation Magazine}} has a report on the upcoming Disney Channel animated series \\Dave the Barbarian\\, set to debut in January 2004. “Disney’s \\Dave the Barbarian\\ follows the title character’s comedic adventures with his offbeat family as they protect themselves and their kingdom from a world of odd foes. Complicating matters is brawny Dave’s […]

{{link http://www.animationblast.com/ Animation Blast}} notes that Pixar animator Bobby Podesta has created a new comic strip called \\Six Foot Six Year Old\\ published online every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Podesta, who worked previously on \\A Bug’s Life\\, \\Toy Story 2\\, \\Monster’s Inc\\., and \\Finding Nemo\\, is currently working on the upcoming film \\Cars\\. His new […]

{{link http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/television/brief_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=2024137 The Hollywood Reporter}} notes that \\Curious George\\ may soon be headed to televison with a new series. “Universal Home Entertainment Prods. said Thursday that the division, in conjunction with Imagine and PBS affiliate WBGH Boston, is developing an animated preschool television series based on the \\Curious George\\ character”. A motion picture version, with […]

‘Thomas’ posted on the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=81 Animated News Forum}} that the video of Phil Collins’ single \\Look Through My Eyes\\ is online at the {{link http://disney.go.com/disneyrecords/soundtracks/brotherbear/ \\Brother Bear\\ Original Soundtrack page}}. The video is available is Quicktime, Windows Media, and RealPlayer versions.

DreamWorks SKG Fansite – Animation alerts us to two bits of news about upcoming projects from Katzenberg and Co. First up is a {{link http://animation.dreamworksfansite.com/sharktale rumor about \\Shark Tale\\}}. They report that “according to a source close to the project, DreamWorks \\Shark Tale\\ teaser trailer is expected to premiere in theatres late November or early […]

DreamWorks SKG Fansite – Animation also has {{link http://animation.dreamworksfansite.com/shrek2/ news on \\Shrek 2\\}}. Antonio Banderas, voice of Puss-in-Boots, talked to {{link http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2003-11-09-banderas-shrek_x.htm USA Today}} about his role in the upcoming film. “He tries to break up the relationship between the two guys,” says the actor, who drew upon his own three cats for inspiration. “Shrek […]

Animation historian Jerry Beck has posted reviews of two upcoming animated features at his wonderful site, {{link http://www.cartoonresearch.com/ Cartoon Research}}. \\Looney Tunes: Back In Action\\ is “way better than \\The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle\\” and “100 times better than \\Space Jam\\”. Beck says \\The Triplets Of Belleville\\ is “so close to being pure genius, […]

\\Elf\\, which opened a strong #2 behind \\The Matrix: Revolutions\\, pays tribute to the popular holiday specials of Arthur Rankin and Jules Bass (\\Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer\\, \\Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town\\) by using stop-motion animation instead of computer generated effects, according to {{link http://www.animationmagazine.net/article.php?article_id=1762 Animation Magazine}}. When Will Ferrell converses with a stop-motion […]

A beauty contest dubbed “Miss Digital World” will begin in Italy next week according to {{link http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/11/07/digital.diva.reut/index.html CNN}}. “Digital artists, advertising agencies and video game programmers from around the world have been asked to send a computer design of their perfect woman to {{link http://www.missdigitalworld.com www.missdigitalworld.com}}, complete with date of birth and body measurements”. The […]

{{link http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hp&cf=prev&id=1808518975 Greg’s Previews}} reports that Sony Pictures Classics has moved the LA/NY premiere of \\The Triplets of Belleville\\ from November 21 to November 26, the day before Thanksgiving. The film will expand to other cities at later dates.

\\Variety\\ reports (via \\{{link http://www.playbill.com/news/article/82562.html Playbill}}\\) that a 28 minute musical adaptation of \\Snow White\\ will premiere Feb. 22 at Disneyland’s Fantasyland Theater on February 22, 2004. The show, called \\Disney’s Snow White – An Enchanting Musical\\. The executive vice-president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Creative Entertainment says that “In creating this production, we […]

{{link http://www.thedigitalbits.com/#ultdis The Digital Bits}} has good news for those of you wanting to complete your Walt Disney Treasures Collection. “Costco is apparently selling The Ultimate Disney Treasure Chest for $125, containing all seven of the previous titles, including \\Mickey Mouse in Living Color\\, \\Silly Symphonies\\, \\Davy Crockett\\, \\Disneyland USA\\, \\Mickey Mouse in Black & […]

\\Billboard\\ November 15, 2003 chart: 5 – \\The Lion King\\ (Platinum Edition) 10 – \\George of the Jungle 2\\

\\Billboard\\ November 15, 2003 chart: 1 – \\George of the Jungle 2\\ 3 – \\The Lion King\\ (Platinum Edition) 4 – \\Barbie of Swan Lake\\ 8 – \\Scooby-Doo and the Monster of Mexico\\ 9 – \\Stitch! The Movie\\ 10 – \\Strawberry Shortcake – Berry, Merry Christmas\\

{{link http://www.comingsoon.net/news.php?id=2224 ComingSoon.net}} has the \\{{link http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=upsell_article&articleID=VR1117895270&categoryID=13&cs=1 Variety}}\\ report that \\Scary Movie 3\\ screenwriter Craig Mazin has been tapped to write the screenplay for \\Opus\\ based on {{link http://www.berkeleybreathed.com/ Berkeley Breathed’s}} Pulitzer Prize-winning comic strip \\Bloom County\\.

{{link http://www.cgnetworks.com CGNetworks’}} theme this month is “Women in CG”. All this month they will feature artwork, articles, and interviews with women in the digial artwork field. “Kicking off our November focus on Women in CG, Leigh van der Byl has written an article on females working in the CG industry. Leigh interviews prominent female […]

Pixar {{link http://corporate.pixar.com/news/20031106-121926.cfm announced}} financial results for its fiscal third quarter. They “earned $13.2 million or $0.23 per diluted share on revenues of $30.2 million. These results were largely driven by the continuing box office results of \\Finding Nemo\\, which achieved a worldwide box office gross of $424 million by the end of the third […]

A recent internet poll of “the most admired Americans” placed Homer Simpson at the top, outdistancing such figures as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan. What does that say about the United States of America? Find out as Steven Keslowitz explores the world of \\The Simpsons\\ in \\The Simpsons and Society: An Analysis of […]