A Well-Rounded Look at Cubism

If you love art and have an extra $20, dial 1-800-PM-CUBISM.

That’s the number to order the video of the recent “Picasso and Braque: Pioneering Cubism” exhibition at New York’s Museum of Modern Art at a special price of $19.95.

The hourlong video “New Ways of Seeing: Picasso, Braque and the Cubist Revolution” (Home Vision) includes more than 150 works illustrating the collaboration of Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque and the development of Cubism from 1907 to 1914. The articulate narration is by William Rubin, director emeritus of the museum’s department of painting and sculpture and curator of the exhibit.

If you order the tape before April 1, it’s $19.95. After that, it will be available at book and video retail outlets, museum and specialty shops or from Home Vision for $29.95.

It’s a fine piece of work, but a warning to militant nonsmokers. The original exhibition was sponsored by Philip Morris, and the video is co-produced by Philip Morris Cos. Inc. Stephanie French, director of cultural and contributions programs for Philip Morris Cos., points out that the exhibit was only seen in New York for about four months and the video offers a chance for millions more to enjoy the exhibit.

One advantage of the home video version is smokers can enjoy a few puffs while watching the exhibit- and not anger nonsmoking art lovers.

HOME VIDEO McTURKEYS

You might remember the ad campaign. McDonald’s offered family videos for $5.99 with the purchase of a burger, fries, shake or Chicken McNuggets. The films were bona fide hits such as “Hoosiers,” “Mr. Mom” and “Puff the Magic Dragon.”

But something went wrong. The fast-food chain is now stuck with 700,000 surplus copies of the films that no one wanted.

That’s surprising because a Wall Street Journal survey says America’s favorite form of entertainment is watching a movie on videocassette. Nielsen Media Research, the company responsible for those TV ratings, is now measuring nationwide TV viewing of prerecorded videotapes. A company spokesperson said that one of its teet households screened “The Wizard of Oz” 32 times in 10 weeks.

BASKETBALL MAGIC

If you’re bored with professional basketball because nothing seems to matter until the final minutes of play, then “Awesome Endings: Greatest Moments in the NBAS is the tape you’ve been waiting for (CBS/Fox, 45 minutes, $14.98).

This is one basketball collection that lives up to its title-the memorable made-it-at-the-buzzer finishes are awesome to watch, especially when the ball somehow gets into the basket after being heaved in the air from midcourt.

Much of what makes the NBA fun to watch is included in this tape: Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers fighting Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in his prime; the 1970 Knicks’ upset of the Lakers, with Willis Reed playing with a damaged knee; the 1976 Celtics’ victory over the Phoenix Suns in triple overtime, and John Havlicek’s memorable steal of a Philadelphia 76er in-bounds pass to save the game and the conference championship.

It’s the kind of compilation that gives the genre a good name-most compilations are dreadful affairs with too much good left out and too much filler left in. “Awesome Moments” lives up to its name. This is one of the best bargain tapes on the market.