
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 8, 1994                    TAG: 9406080576 
SECTION: DAILY BREAK                     PAGE: B1    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: Craig Shapiro 
DATELINE: 940608                                 LENGTH: Medium

VIDEOMATICS TOP 100 VIDEOS

{LEAD} DON'T BE MISLED by the shiny, happy mug shot that runs each week with the Videomatic column. My needs are simple: to be entertained and to be left alone. When you think about it, which I have, that goes a long way toward explaining the appeal of writing about video.

On the social interaction scale, being a video columnist falls just short of the wild life of Mayberry's Ernest T. Bass. See the beauty of it?

{REST} So when Entertainment Weekly ran an ad last month giving readers a crack at winning the Top 100 videos of all time, I bit.

The Top 100?

Says who?

Says me, today.

Here's the premise: I'm marooned on a desert island, an unmarked speck of land tucked away in an unfathomable corner of the ocean. That gets me halfway there. I'm ALONE. How will I be ENTERTAINED?

With the Videomatic Desert Island 100 and direct current.

The list is totally arbitrary. It's top-heavy with favorite directors and titles that got a rise out of me - ``Halloween,'' ``The Three Musketeers'' - because I'm out here by myself after all and don't want to think about my sad situation. Others titles, ``Pinocchio,'' ``A Clockwork Orange,'' ``The Producers,'' would top a short list.

And if you don't like it because it's short on Hitchcock or something, try and do better.

Which is the point. Call the Infoline Videomatic Mailbox at 640-5555, category 2827 (2VCR), and leave your Top 5 desert island videos. You've got two weeks, until June 22. We'll compile the votes, rank 'em, then run the results June 29.

Sound good? Then chop-chop.

Here's wishing you clear skies and white beaches.

And a Beta machine.

Kidding.

MAIL CALL: Rich Reese wants early John Waters. The Naro Expanded Video, 802 Spotswood Ave. in Norfolk, has 'em: ``Mondo Trasho,'' ``Multiple Maniacs,'' ``Female Trouble,'' ``Desperate Living,'' ``Polyester'' and the one that put Waters on the map - ``Pink Flamingos.''

Purchase? Most are in litigation because of soundtrack rights, but Columbia TriStar does list ``Desperate Living'' and ``Polyester.'' They're $19.95 each and can be ordered through any video store.

Rich called the Infoline Videomatic Mailbox at 640-5555, category 2827 (2VCR). You can, too.

TOP TAPES (in this week's Billboard):

Sales: ``Mrs. Doubtfire,'' ``The Return of Jafar,'' ``Batman: Mask of the Phantasm,'' ``Playboy: 1994 Playmate of the Year,'' ``The Fugitive''

Rentals: ``Mrs. Doubtfire,'' ``A Perfect World,'' ``Carlito's Way,'' ``Malice,'' ``Cool Runnings''

The Couch Report

``Wayne's World 2'' (1993, Paramount). The humor's a tad forced and the story is a stretch - the ghost of Jim Morrison tells Wayne the meaning of life is in putting on a big concert. Still, the sequel doesn't deserve all the flak it got. Mike Myers and Dana Carvey give the guys all kinds of goofy appeal, and when the film's frequent jabs at pop culture connect, they're on the mark. Hey, you want Shakespeare, rent Olivier.

(CAST: Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Christopher Walken, Tia Carrere. Rated PG-13 for mild language and situations)

``My Life'' (1993, Columbia TriStar). Yes, it's manipulative, but Bruce Joel Rubin's drama about a terminal cancer patient coming to terms with his past, and thus ensuring his legacy to his newborn son, is powerfully moving. Michael Keaton shows again that he is a fine dramatic actor. The ultimately uplifting message, that rebirth is possible even at the darkest times, rings true.

(CAST: Michael Keaton, Nicole Kidman. RATED: PG-13 for themes and language)

Tuesday: ``Ace Ventura: Pet Detective''

Next Wednesday: ``The Pelican Brief,'' ``The Getaway,'' ``The Air Up There,'' ``Iron Will,'' ``Man's Best Friend,'' ``Dangerous Game,'' ``State of Emergency.''

by CNB