THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 28, 1994 TAG: 9409280032
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Craig Shapiro
LENGTH: Long : 127 lines
THINK OF IT like one of those Ali-Frazier boxing classics. Or Rock-em Sock-em Robots. Video heavyweights Buena Vista and MCA/Universal going toe-to-toe: at stake, the 1994 holiday sales title belt.
Buena Vista throws the first jab Friday with the release of ``Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas.'' MCA/Universal comes back Tuesday with a roundhouse: Steven Spielberg's ``Jurassic Park.''
Bing!
Round 2 opens Oct. 28 when The House That Walt Built finally brings out the much-loved ``Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.'' This one's a haymaker, folks. Early reports are it's going like crazy and may top the studio's own ``Aladdin'' as the best-selling tape ever. MCA/Universal counters Nov. 8 with its recent hit, ``The Flintstones.''
What's it all mean? Serious competition for your gift-giving bucks. All will be priced at $20-$25 - cheaper yet with rebates and tie-ins and such.
This just in: About the time the dust settles, Fox is stepping in with ``Speed,'' the summer action hit starring Keanu Reeves. It arrives Nov. 15 and will be priced to move fast at $19.98.
Stay tuned.
STARGAZING II: A few weeks back, the occasion being ``Silk Degrees,'' a new video starring Deborah Shelton of Norfolk, Videomatic ran a list of locals who have made it big. An incomplete list - because despite impressive powers of recall, there was no way I'd know EVERYONE. Readers were asked to call the Infoline mailbox (640-5555, category 2827) and fill in the blanks. You did:
Brandon de Wilde, Norfolk. ``Shane'' with Alan Ladd was his big film; others included ``In Harm's Way,'' ``Hud'' and ``The Member of the Wedding.''
Gene Vincent, Norfolk. The legendary rocker had a speaking part in ``Hot Rod Gang'' for American International. (In Europe, it was called ``Fury Unleashed.'') This from Blue Cap Tommy Facenda, who was in it, too. Facenda is looking for a copy. If you can help, call the Videomatic Infoline Mailbox.
Stacey Moseley, Chesapeake. She had a small role in ``Born on the Fourth of July'' and a significant part in an episode last season of TV's ``Law and Order.'' She also was in the syndicated teen soap ``Swan's Crossing.''
Sue Hyatt, Virginia Beach. ``Texasville,'' the ``Last Picture Show'' sequel.
Joyce Ingalls, Norfolk. ``Paradise Alley'' with Sly Stallone.
Randall Bowers, Chesapeake. Bruce Willis' body double in ``Die Hard 2: Die Harder.''
Davey Davison, Norfolk. She did ``The Strangler'' and a few other movies, and, on TV, ``Hazel,'' ``Bonanza'' and ``The FBI.'' She's married to Craig Huebing, who played Dr. Peter Taylor on ``General Hospital.''
As for the Shelton watch, you can catch her again Oct. 26 in ``Plughead Rewired: Circuitry Man II.''
MAIL CALL: How about that? It only took a week.
John, Portsmouth. ``Three the Hard Way,'' Xenon, $39.95
Scott, Chesapeake. ``Midnight Madness,'' Buena Vista Home Video, no price listed
Joann, Norfolk. ``Three Coins in the Fountain,'' CBS/Fox, $59.98
Eileen, Elizabeth City, N.C. ``Supertramp: The Story So Far,'' Music Video Distributors, no price listed, (800) 888-0486
CLASS ACT: Audrey Hepburn created so many memorable roles, but it's hard to top Holly Golightly in ``Breakfast at Tiffany's.'' Paramount comes out today with a $59.95 collector's edition that includes a remastered, letter-box version of the 1961 romance movie, a copy of Hepburn's original annotated script, a CD soundtrack and publicity stills.
TOP TAPES (in this week's Billboard):
Sales: ``Beethoven's 2nd,'' ``The 3 Tenors in Concert 1994,'' ``D2: The Mighty Ducks,'' ``Thumbelina,'' ``Playboy Celebrity Centerfold: LaToya Jackson''
Rentals: ``Schindler's List,'' ``Four Weddings and a Funeral,'' ``The Ref,'' ``Philadelphia,'' ``On Deadly Ground'' THE COUCH REPORT
``Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas'' (1993, Touchstone). Those who chastised Tim Burton for putting this fable's spectacular stop-action FX before the narrative didn't pay attention. Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King who is smitten with Christmas, longs to be part of a world that won't have him - the kind of loner who defines every Burton film from ``Beetlejuice'' to ``Batman'' to ``Edward Scissorhands.'' One of 1993's best. And shame on the Oscar keepers for not nominating Danny Elfman's score (due Friday).
(VOICES of Chris Sarandon, Danny Elfman, Catherine O'Hara. RATED: PG for some intensity)
``Being Human'' (1994, Warner). Bill Forsyth's quirky comedy-drama won't sit well with everyone, but it's an engaging and thoughtful tale nonetheless. Robin Williams plays the same character, all named Hector, in five vignettes tracing the true ties that have bound since man lived in caves. It's a subdued, sweet performance. Good intentions forgive a story line that at times rambles.
(CAST: Robin Williams, John Turturro, Lorraine Bracco. RATED: PG-13)
``China Moon'' (1994, Orion). Ed Harris and Madeleine Stowe create some real chemistry in this thriller about murder and double dealing. Better than that, the mystery delivers on its film noir pretenses. The plot not only plays fair but it also keeps you guessing right up until the end.
(CAST: Ed Harris, Madeleine Stowe, Benicio Del Toro. RATED: R for violence, nudity, situations, language)
``Two Small Bodies'' (1994, Fox Lorber). This absorbing drama has Suzy Amis as a mother suspected of killing her children and Fred Ward as the detective obsessed with her. It's a tough assignment: They are the only characters in the film and together create a psycho-sexual tension that is real.
(CAST: Fred Ward, Suzy Amis. UNRATED, some language and adult themes)
``Surviving the Game'' (1994, New Line). A hybrid of ``The Naked Prey'' and ``Hard Target,'' with a group of hunters tracking Ice-T through the wilds. Ice is showing more range, but everyone here is such a caricature you don't need Western Union to figure it out.
(CAST: Ice-T, Rutger Hauer, Gary Busey. RATED: R for violence, language)
``The Who's Tommy, the Amazing Journey'' (1994, Buena Vista). What might have been a plug for the Broadway hit is an insightful documentary about the rock-opera's place in pop history. It's spiced with interviews with the surviving Who and other players, plus vintage footage fans will love (due Friday).
Also: ``Bad Girls,'' the Drew Barrymore-Andie MacDowell-Madeleine Stowe Western (R); two thrillers: ``Past Tense'' with Scott Glenn and Lara Flynn Boyle (R), and ``Dancing With Danger'' with Cheryl Ladd and Ed Marinaro (not rated); ``The Wedding Banquet,'' the acclaimed comedy about a marriage of inconvenience (R); Daryl Hannah in the HBO remake ``Attack of the 50-Foot Woman'' (R); and ``Trading Mom,'' a fantasy that has Sissy Spacek in three roles (not rated).
Tuesday: ``Jurassic Park''
Next Wednesday: ``Above the Rim,'' ``Camera Buff,'' ``La Salamandre,'' ``Luna Park,'' ``The Accompanist'' by CNB