Serious expert input wanted - side scroller technical crap

[Fastrak]

Is there a iPhone stud in the house???????

What I know
==========

you can make a UIView with an array of images to create a single
animated image (like a fountain)

you can attach this as a subview to your main view but not locate it
outside the window UNLESS it is attached directly to the main view

you can make a layer extend beyond the window BUT cannot attach a
subview to it directly

you can resize the rootlayer (under your main view) to extend beyond
the screen and scroll it so that the animated image appears and
disappears

you cannot draw an animated image directly on a layer.


What I am trying to figure out
====================

If you were going to make a side scroller (think Mario Bros.), how
would you approach the scrolling background?

If you wanted animated images on the scrolling background, what
approach might you take?

[Fastrak]

My thought is to use a wide subView of the main view and move it
across the screen.

Anyone else have an idea?