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‘PASSION, POETRY, POWER’ OF THE DOORS ON TAPE

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Times Staff Writer

When the Doors’ wild, rebellious lead singer Jim Morrison died in Paris on July 3, 1971, he became an instant legend. There’s still significant interest in Morrison, the prototype of the ‘60s rock star, and in the band’s acidic hard rock.

Since fans continue to buy the band’s albums, there should be a market for a Doors videocassette. That’s why MCA is putting out “Doors: Dance on Fire: Classic Performances and Greatest Hits” ($39.95).

The creative director of the project is Doors member Ray Manzarek. What was he looking for when editing four to five hours of film down to one? “Passion, poetry and power,” he replied. “That’s what Jim was all about. That’s what Doors’ music was all about.”

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This package of filmed songs includes “People Are Strange,” “L.A. Woman,” “Riders on the Storm” and, of course, the band’s most famous song, “Light My Fire.” Some of the clips are from old TV variety shows hosted by Ed Sullivan, Jonathan Winters and the Smothers Brothers.

Manzarek observed: “When you look at these old clips, you’re struck by the social consciousness in the music and in the video concepts. Groups don’t do things that way anymore. There was some meaning in what we did and what other bands were doing back then; it wasn’t just entertainment. Now all you get is entertainment.”

Looking at these clips inspired another observation. “It hit me that none of us are immortal,” he said. “Back then we thought we were immortal--the young people, that is. We thought we’d live forever; we thought we’d change the world. That’s a laugh, isn’t it?”

NEW RELEASES: In mid-May a movie from last Christmas, “City Heat,” starring Burt Reynolds and Clint Eastwood, will be out on videocassette (Warner: $79.95). It did OK at the box office ($37-million gross) but not nearly as well as expected. . . . Another prominent May release: “Falling in Love,” from last fall, featuring Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep (Paramount: $79.95). . . . One of the big June releases will be “The River” (MCA: $79.95), starring Sissy Spacek and Mel Gibson.

This news should have Fred Astaire fans dancing with joy: RKO Home Video is releasing six of his old movies this month, at $34.95 each. The movies are “Swing Time,” “Follow the Fleet,” “Damsel in Distress,” “The Sky’s the Limit,” “Carefree” and “Shall We Dance?”. . . . In keeping with the resurgence of wrestling, the biggest and baddest of the current crop clobber each other in “Pro Wrestling Illustrated” (Vestron: $59.95).

This year’s big Oscar winner, “Amadeus,” won’t be available in videocassette form until late this year. “The Killing Fields,” which won several Oscars, will also be out in the fall. . . . There will be a massive promo campaign to sell “Elton John--Night and Day--the Nighttime Concert,” a June release (Vestron: $29.95). It features songs--about 13--taped last June at Wembley Stadium in London.

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SNIPPETS: THE VCR explosion continues. The machines are selling 75% faster than last year. That’s much quicker than predicted. According to earlier projections, the pace was going to be 20% to 30% more than last year’s pace. At the current rate, 12 million to 13 million will be sold this year. . . . According to a report emerging from a recent International Tape/Disc Assn. seminar, there should be a severe shortage of blank tapes later this year. The problem is simply that demand is exceeding supply.

Everybody is getting into the video rental market. With all those VCRs out there--about 15.5 million--customers want to rent and buy tapes. So places like supermarkets, variety stores, liquor stores, gas stations and bookstores have been cashing in on the craze. But some highly unlikely companies--such as a truck rental firm--have crashed the market. According to a USA Today story, U-Haul International, which rents trucks and trailers at 1,100 locations, now also offers videocassettes for rent in all its stores.

There’s no end to the glut of exercise videos. You’ll be able to grunt and groan along with muscleman-actor Lou Ferrigno and boxer Ray (Boom Boom) Mancini. Their instructional cassettes are on USA Home Video’s fall release schedule.

CHARTS: “Gone With the Wind” knocked “Star Trek III” out of the No. 1 spot on the Billboard magazine sales chart. No other recently charted videocassettes seem to have Top 10 potential. It’s too early to tell about “Bachelor Party,” which debuted at No. 21.

In the rental market, however, “Bachelor Party” is the leader of the pack. . . . “The Little Drummer Girl” (No. 9) is the hot newcomer, with “The Razor’s Edge,” the super-serious Bill Murray movie, not far behind at No. 13. . . . Rental chart debuts: “Country” (No. 16), “Razorback” (No. 21) and “Irreconcilable Differences” (No. 22).

TOP VIDEOCASSETTES, SALES

1. “Gone With the Wind” (MGM/UA).

2. “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” (Paramount).

3. “Jane Fonda’s Workout” (Karl Video).

4. “Purple Rain” (Warner Bros.).

5. “Lionel Richie All Night Long” (Brockman).

6. “Prime Time” (Karl Video).

7. “Tina Turner Private Dancer” (Sony).

8. “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” (Paramount).

9. “Raquel Total Beauty and Fitness” (Thorn/EMI).

10. “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (Paramount).

TOP VIDEOCASSETTES, RENTALS

1. “Bachelor Party” (CBS-Fox).

2. “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” (Paramount).

3. “Red Dawn” (MGM/UA).

4. “Revenge of the Nerds” (CBS-Fox).

5. “Police Academy” (Ladd/Warner).

6. “The Woman in Red” (Vestron).

7. “All of Me” (Thorn/EMI).

8. “Gone With the Wind” (MGM/UA).

9. “The Little Drummer Girl” (Warner Bros.).

10. “Once Upon a Time in America” (Ladd/Warner Video).

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