Video News : New Releases

Movies

The pickings are slim this week for cinematic connoisseurs, unless they’re schlock fans too. The third time is no charm for “Poltergeist III” (MGM/UA, $89.95, PG-13), in which Carol Anne (Heather O’Rourke, who died soon after production) is pursued by the evil Rev. Kane. Also creeping into the stores this weekend: “Nightfall” (MGM/UA, $79.95, PG-13), a sci-fi film based on an Isaac Asimov story; “The Deceivers” (Warner, $89.95, R), a Nicholas Meyer thriller about a murderous, 19th-Century Indian cult, starring Pierce Brosnan; “Sins” (New World, $79.95, two cassettes), the Joan Collins miniseries about the Paris fashion world.

Nothing there schlocky enough? OK, how about “Redneck Zombies” (TWE, $79.95, R), in which backwoods citizens mistake toxic waste for home brew (some taste buds) and turn into flesh-eatin’ monsters.

No, the video companies haven’t run out of classy product. Take heart: Next week we get “A Fish Called Wanda,” “Dear America: Letters From Vietnam,” “Marty,” “Horsefeathers,” “Passion of Beatrice,” “Midnight Run” and “Married to the Mob.”

Other Videos

Pop music fans who’ve already worn out the welcome of the recent Bruce Springsteen and Michael Jackson videocassettes can choose from these new deliveries: “Jane’s Addiction: The Fans’ Video--Soul Kiss” (Warner Reprise, $9.98), 24 minutes of the L.A. band’s antics; “Scorpions: To Russia with Love and Other Savage Amusements” (PMV, $19.95), 45 minutes of concert/documentary footage from the hard-rock group’s May ’88 trip to the Soviet Union; “Bananarama: The Greatest Hits Collection” (PMV, $19.95), thirteen MTV clips from the fluffy British female trio; “Rush: A Show of Hands” (PMV, $24.95), a 90-minute concert tape of the Canadian progressive-rock band’s 1987-88 tour; “Frehley’s Comet” (Atlantic, $19.98), an hour mixing clips and concert footage featuring the ex-Kiss member; and “The California Raisins: Meet the Raisins” (Atlantic, $14.98), a 27-minute tape that’s basically the CBS special from last fall plus a little new material of the tasty Claymation group.

“Remembering Marilyn” (Vestron, $29.98) is a 48-minute documentary about Marilyn Monroe, narrated by Lee Remick. It features the usual clips, some allegedly never-before-released footage on her marriages, and interviews with personalities ranging from Robert Mitchum to Gloria Steinem. For those who’d rather watch the parents of stars than the stars themselves, “Silver Foxes II” (JCI, $19.95) is an hour of exercise for over-50s, featuring Dustin’s dad Harry Hoffman, Robin’s mom Laurie Williams, Sly’s mom Jackie Stallone and Al’s dad Sal Pacino.