THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, October 18, 1994 TAG: 9410180040
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CRAIG A. SHAPIRO, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 125 lines
KINDLY KERMIT the shoemaker needs a miracle. Late one night, he gets it - a trio of elves who make enough shoes to save his shop. Only, these elves have jet-black pompadours and mumble, ``Thankyaverymuch.'' And the shoes? Blue suede. Kermit is so grateful, he makes a sequined jumpsuit for each elf. You didn't think ``Muppet Classic Theater'' (Jim Henson Video) would play it straight? Kermit and Co. star in six fairy tales in this new direct-to-video project. Like ``The Muppet Show,'' it'll play to all audiences for the same reasons: Fast laughs, loose rules, classy production. (Oct. 28, $19.95)
On the other hand, ``The Legend of Sleepy Hollow'' (Rabbit Ears) sticks to Washington Irving's familiar storyline.The illustrations by Robert Van Nutt look like they came from the Hudson River School, and the Rabbit Ears folks line up an impressive list of famous folks to read the stories. Here, Glenn Close breathes life into Ichabod
Crane, Brom Bones and Katrina Van Tassel. ($9.98)
Walt Disney adapted ``The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,'' too, setting it to song and turning the show over to the inimitable Bing Crosby. This reissue is classic Disney; the Headless Horseman still delivers the shivers. And Der Bingle is in top form: ``With a hip-hip and a clippity-clop / He's out looking for a head to swap.'' Great stuff that ranks up there with Roy Rogers' telling of the legend of Pecos Bill. ($12.99)
Buena Vista has released/repriced other seasonal treats: ``Boo-Busters,'' ``Monster Bash'' and ``Witcheroo'' (episodes of ``Goof Troop,'' ``Chip `n' Dale's Rescue Rangers'' and ``Darkwing Duck''), ``Donald's Scary Tales'' and ``Halloween Haunts'' (cartoons from the Disney vaults), Alvin and the Chipmunks in ``Nightmare on Seville Street'' and ``Batmunk'' (all $12.99 each), and Bette Midler in ``Hocus-Pocus,'' Andrew Lowery in ``My Boyfriend's Back'' and ``The Dark Crystal,'' the underrated Jim Henson adventure. ($14.99 each)
Can't beat a monkey for ``aw, shucks'' value. Even though little Dodger comes up big in ``Monkey Trouble'' (New Line, PG), this charming comedy offers more. A young girl (Thora Birch) learns about responsibility, her parents learn about trust, and even Dodger learns it's OK to steal the scenes - but nothing else. Harvey Keitel is a hoot as a crooked gypsy. (Wednesday)
Flip side: ``White Fang 2: Myth of the White Wolf'' (Walt Disney, PG) could use more wolf. The sequel bogs down in spirit talk, and the leads are weak; they look like J. Crew models. Still, there are messages about respect for nature and the value of tradition as a young miner helps a tribe of nomadic Haida Indians. Set in 1906 Alaska, the scenery is spectacular. (Wednesday)
Young PBSers know about ``Kino's Storytime'' (Video Treasures). Kino is a puppet who hangs at the library, and each day celebs drop by to read to him and real kids. It works. Rubber-faced John Goodman had his audience enthralled. Another story is read by Mark Ritts - Lester the Rat on ``Beakman's World.'' Cool. The illustrations are enlivened by inventive camera work. Afterward, everyone talks about the story. As an intro to reading, it's tough to beat. (Two tapes, $12.98 each)
You know you've been around when the Golden Books we read as kids go high-tech. Even so, ``Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel'' and ``Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day'' (Golden Book Video) have the same timeless appeal. The stories - gentle tales with clear lessons - and simple animation are a winning combo. Proof? My 5-year-old, who can name each Power Ranger, has watched ``Mike Mulligan'' four times. ($12.95 each). Also out: ``Whatever Happened to the Dinosaurs?'' ($9.95)
The cartoons collected in ``Fright Fest'' (Sony Wonder) are good examples of how Nickelodeon is setting the pace for fanciers of all ages and tastes. The Rugrats redefine Halloween in ``Candy Bar Creep Show''; good-hearted Doug (the best cartoon on the air) conquers his fears to help Roger(!) in ``Halloween Adventure,'' and Ren & Stimpy are at their most twisted in ``Haunted House.'' A visit from the Bloody Head Fairy? Love it. ($12.98)
``Tales From the Cryptkeeper'' (Sony Wonder), the toned-down spinoff from HBO's ``Tales From the Crypt,'' is still too intense for real little kids. But big brothers and sisters will get a rise out of them - and a laugh from the host's incredibly bad puns. Two tapes include two cartoons from the ABC series. The animation is like those EC Comics sprung to life. ($12.98 each)
Little kids, however, won't get nightmares from ``Castle of Doom'' (F.H.E.), which has the Norfin Trolls entering a mysterious castle to find a magic gem. It's a simple story of good over evil. And I liked this: When one troll is frightened by a knock at the door, he's told, ``It's certainly not a monster, but always know who it is before opening the door.'' ($12.98)
F.H.E. also has ``Will Vinton's Claymation Comedy of Horrors,'' ``The Great Bear Scare,'' ``Lumpkin the Pumpkin,'' ``Teen Wolf: Wolf of My Dreams,'' ``Follow That Goblin'' and ``The Canterville Ghost.'' ($9.98 each)
Kyle, my aforementioned 5-year-old, noticed one thing about ``Crunch Smash Trash! Monster Machines That Recycle'' (In-Sites Productions): how much garbage we produce. ``Boy, that's a lot,'' he said. If other kids pick up on that, too, that's cool. The video runs through the entire recycling process, setting it to the music of the masters: Tchaikovsky, Bach, Beethoven and more. It also comes with a 20-page teaching guide. ($16.95, plus $3 S&H from In-Sites Productions, Box 11135, Chicago, Ill. 60611; (800) 322-2107)
National Geographic has repriced a half-dozen titles that make good family fare: ``Born of Fire,'' ``The Sharks,'' ``Elephant,'' ``The Invisible World,'' ``Africa: The Wilds of Madagascar'' and ``Egypt: Quest for Eternity.'' Careful, though, you might learn something. ($14.95 each)
Some people might be put off by the ``biblical values'' advertised in ``The Last Chance Detectives'' (Focus on the Family/Tyndale). Don't. There's nothing wrong with a passage about friendship shared between grandfather and grandson. On top of that, this is a good mystery. Four kids figure out what's behind some strange desert lights and bust a smuggling ring. It's the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew for the video age - with production values (it was shot in 35mm) that rival anything on TV. ($19.99)
Two more to look for later this month: ``George Balanchine's The Nutcracker'' (Warner), with Macaulay Culkin joining members of the New York City Ballet (Oct. 26, $19.99), and the first crown jewel of Disney animation - and the last one to be released on video - ``Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'' (Oct. 28, $24.99) ILLUSTRATION: Color photos
JIM HENSON PRODUCTIONS
Kermit in the role of King Midas in one of six fairy tales presented
in the new ``Muppet Classic Theater'' video.
Photos
``Fright Fest'' has scary cartoons featuring Ren & Stimpy, Doug and
the Rugrats.
The Cryptkeeper's bad puns enliven ``Tales From the Cryptkeeper.''
Disney's reissue of ``The Legend of Sleepy Hollow'' features Bing
Crosby.
by CNB