Laurie Sparham

The Golden Compass
A Polar Express

WHY THIS If your idea of a cool polar bear is that Coke-swilling cartoon, then clearly you haven't met Iorek, the grizzled warrior king of this December's The Golden Compass. Creating a polar bear with a heroic heart and vicious temper hasn't been easy.

BEAR NECESSITIES On the set, performers wearing polar bear fur gave the actors something to react to, while an army of CG animators started working on the 400-plus polar bear shots. ''Fortunately,'' says director Chris Weitz (About a Boy), ''I've surrounded myself with people who are much smarter than me.''