Disney Releases ’53 ‘Peter Pan’

THIS WEEK’S MOVIES

Today, Peter Pan flies into video stores for the second time in recent weeks--along with Wendy, Tinker Bell, Captain Hook and the whole gang. This “Peter Pan” (Walt Disney, $24.99, G) is the animated movie first released in 1953 and reissued last year. It follows the Aug. 28 release of the Mary Martin TV version. The feature-length cartoon is a delight in every way--one of the greatest glories to ever emerge from the Disney studios.

Speaking of glories: Denzel Washington won an Oscar as best supporting actor for “Glory” (RCA/Columbia, 1989, priced for rental, R), a compelling drama about the experiences of an all-black Civil War regiment. A success with critics and audiences, the film also stars Matthew Broderick and Morgan Freeman.

“A Shock to the System” (HBO, 1990, $89.99, R) also earned some enthused reviews for its darkly comic story about a man who decides to bump off the annoying people in his life. The terrific cast includes Michael Caine, Elizabeth McGovern, Peter Riegert and Swoosie Kurtz.

Considerably less popular with the critics was “Spaced Invaders” (Touchstone, 1990, $89.95, PG), a comedy about goofy Martians on Earth starring Douglas Barr and Royal Dano.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

“Peter Pan” won’t be the only big movie available as a bargain-priced tape this fall. Many video fans will also be able to own rather than just rent three 1990 blockbusters: “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie” (Oct. 4, $24.99), “Pretty Woman” (Oct. 19, $19.99) and “Total Recall” (Nov. 1, $24.99). Then there’s non-blockbuster “Jetsons: The Movie” (Oct. 25, $22.95).

Also on the way, though “priced for rental” (about $90) rather than as potential stocking stuffers are: “Loose Cannons” (Oct. 3), “The First Power” (Oct. 11), “Stanley and Iris,” “I Love You to Death,” “The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover” (all Oct. 17), “The Hunt for Red October” (Oct. 25), “Wild Orchid” (Oct. 31), “Chattahoochee” (Nov. 7), “Back to the Future III,” “Bird on a Wire,” “Prancer” (all Nov. 8), “Cinema Paradiso” (Nov. 14), “Cadillac Man,” “Camille Claudel,” “Mystery Train” (all Nov. 15), and “RoboCop II” (Dec. 20).

Among the coming treats for owners of Laserdisc players will be a disc version of Akira Kurosawa’s “The Seven Samurai” letterboxed with audio commentary (CLV, $59.95; CAV, $124.95) from Voyager’s Criterion Collection on Oct. 10.