Sparky: Grimm news from Terry Gilliam

Director Terry Gilliam and Aya Ueto, dressed as Little Red Riding Hood, arrive at Roppongi Hills Sunday for the screening of "The Brothers Grimm" at the Tokyo International Film Festival. Gilliam said he was happy to see that Japan had grown up.

By Chris Betros

Terry Gilliam clowns around with Aya Ueto, dressed as Little Red Riding Hood.

TOKYO — This week, during his third visit to Japan and his first in 10 years, director Terry Gilliam stood beside 20-year-old celebrity Aya Ueto, dressed as Little Red Riding Hood, and remarked that he was pleased to see that Japan had at last grown up.

It's hard to tell what he meant, but then it is often hard to tell what Gilliam's movies mean, also. "The Brothers Grimm" is another bizarre effort from the man who gave us such absurdist humor as "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" and "Jabberwocky."

Combining elements of comedy, horror, science fiction, fantasy and suspense, Gilliam crafts a story about Wilhelm and Jakob Grimm (Matt Damon and Heath Ledger), two traveling conmen who make a career out of fleecing superstitious villagers. But when they are ordered to investigate a haunted forest where several girls have disappeared, their skills are put to the test by all sorts of adversaries, including wolves, walking trees and a sorceress (Monica Bellucci). The movie is a visual orgy with numerous references to Grimm fairytales such as "Hansel and Gretel" and "Little Red Riding Hood."

"I'm not sure what the Grimm brothers would think of this movie," admitted the 64-year-old director. "Luckily, they've been dead for 150 years. It's not supposed to be a biography, but a fantasy that puts them into their own fairytale world."

Gilliam recalls the Grimm fairytales being the first stories that were ever read to him as a child, although they are not his all-time favorite — that honor goes to Hans Christian Andersen's "The Emperor's New Clothes."

"I found the Grimm tales so extraordinary. They created the pattern through which I view life. I guess I've never really grown out of that pattern, and I thought now would be a good time to remind audiences how beautiful and terrifying their stories are."

Born in Minnesota, Gilliam was an animator and illustrator for a while (including a stint at Mad magazine). He emigrated to England in 1967 and has lived there ever since. The "Monty Python" series was his ticket to fame in the 1970s and he went on to direct such films as "Time Bandits" (1981), "Brazil" (1985), "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" (1988), "The Fisher King" (1991), "Twelve Monkeys" (1995) and "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" (1998).

Most audiences have a love-hate relationship with Gilliam's films, as do studio heads, which is one reason why he makes films so infrequently. Author JK Rowling, for example, reportedly wanted Gilliam to direct the first "Harry Potter" film, but Warner Bros resolutely refused, according to the grapevine. His last film, "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote," fell through a week after production started in 2000 due to sickness, accidents, weather disasters and NATO target practice (all of which were the subject of the documentary "Lost in La Mancha").

He seems more amenable to big studios these days. "After 'Don Quixote' collapsed, I worked on three or four projects and tried to get financing, but for various reasons, I was unsuccessful. When I got offered 'The Brothers Grimm,' I was just relieved to have a job again," he said. "It's much easier to make movies that the studios want to make rather than trying to develop your own projects."

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Aya Ueto

Aya Ueto (?? ? Ueto Aya, born September 14, 1985 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese actress, idol, and singer.

Profile

In 1997, Aya Ueto participated in the 7th All-Japan National Young Beauty contest, where she received a special award from the judges. Her discovery led to many TV commercial deals, which would eventually start her acting career.

In 1999, she formed the J-pop band Z-1 with Mami Nejiki, Mai Fujiya, and Manami Nishiwaki. They released five singles before breaking up, but Aya went on to start a solo career when she signed with Pony Canyon two years later. She released her first single, "Pureness," in 2002. Since then, she has released several more singles and three albums.

Meanwhile, Aya began her acting career in 2000 with a role in Namida wo Fuite. In 2001, she played a part in 3 Nen B Gumi Kinpachi Sensei, and her performance greatly boosted her popularity. She starred in several later dramas, including Koukou Kyoushi 2003, Hitonatsu no Papa e, and Aim for the Ace!. She also starred in Ryuhei Kitamura's blockbuster Azumi and in its sequel, Azumi 2: Death or Love.

She is often said to physically resemble Japanese star Momoe Yamaguchi. As of 2005, she remains ubiquitous in Japan, appearing constantly on magazines and in commercials.

Discography

Singles

• Pureness (2002)
• kizuna (2002)
• Hello (2003)
• MESSAGE/PERSONAL (2003)
• Kanshou/MERMAID (2003)
• Binetsu (2003)
• Ai no tameni. (2004)
• Kaze/Okuru kotoba (2004)
• Afuresou na ai, daite/Namida wo fuite (2004)
• Usotsuki (2004)
• Yume no chikara (2005)
• Kaze wo ukete (2005)

Albums

• AYAUETO (2003)
• MESSAGE (2004)
• Re. (2004)
• UETOAYAMIX (2005)

Filmography

Dramas

• Namida wo Fuite (2000)
• Yome wa mitsuboshi(2001)
• 3 Nen B Gumi Kinpachi Sensei (2001)
• Wataru seken wa oni bakari (2002)
• My Little Chef (2002)
• Koukou Kyoushi 2003 (2003)
• Hitonatsu no Papa e (2003)
• Satoukibi bakate no uta (2003)
• Aim for the Ace! (2004)
• Yoshitsune (2005)
• Attack No.1 (2005)
• Nada sousou~kono ai ni ikite~ (2005)

Movies

• The Killers of Paraiso (1999) – as Hikari, leading character
• Peter Pan 2: Neverland no himitsu (2002) – as Jane's voice actress
• Azumi (2003) – as Azumi, leading character
• Install (2004) – as Asako Nozawa, leading character
• Azumi 2: Death or Love (2005) – as Azumi, leading character
• Ashita Genki ni na~re! (2005) – as Kayoko's voice actress

Games

• Rogue Galaxy (2005) – Voice actress

External links

• Official site
• KIZUNA - Fansite
• Ueto Aya info at jdorama.com
• Aya Ueto at the Internet Movie Database
• Info in JMDb (in Japanese)

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And that is your Friday beauty - and Terry has her. Suffer! - Sparks