FIRST OFF . . .

The ongoing battle between Home Box Office Inc. and Vestron Inc. for the video rights to “Platoon” and “Hoosiers” moves back into the courtroom this week. In an unusual ruling, the same San Francisco appellate court that nixed HBO’s plans for distributing the two films earlier this month now will re-hear the matter Thursday. HBO and Hemdale Film Corp., producer of the films, made the request of the three-judge panel. Vestron, which sought the injunction, alleged that Hemdale reneged on its original agreement with Vestron, made before the films were released. When they became hits, Vestron claims, Hemdale sold the video rights to HBO for a larger sum.