‘RoboCop 2,’ ‘Tie Me Up!’ in Release

THIS WEEK’S MOVIES

There are only two notable feature-film releases this week--one domestic, one foreign--but maybe the list of “coming attractions” will cheer you up.

What does “RoboCop 2” (Orion, $94.98, R) have in common with the second “Star Wars” movie, “The Empire Strikes Back”? Both pictures were directed by Irvin Kershner after the star directors of the original films (Paul Verhoeven and George Lucas, respectively) chose not to steer the sequels.

Of course, 1990’s “RoboCop 2” also has a lot of things in common with 1987’s “RoboCop”--among them the title character, a mechanized crime-fighter played by Peter Weller, and a violently told plot (this time pitting our hero against not only drugs but also a supposedly improved cyborg-cop). Unfortunately, two aspects “2” doesn’t share with the original are quality and humor.

“Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!” (RCA/Columbia, $89.95, NC-17), also a 1990 release, certainly isn’t lacking in humor--of Spanish director Pedro Almodovar’s quirky sort. But fans of Almodovar’s often brilliant previous works (notably “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown”) may be uneasy with the way this film--about a released male mental patient who kidnaps and imprisons a female porn star--promotes the ugly male-domination idea that to capture the love of someone you simply (and literally) capture her.

Other recent films (sorry, no oldies-but-goodies were released this week): “Amityville IV” (Vidmark, $89.95, R), “Midnight Cabaret” (Warner, $79.95, R), “Torn Apart” (Warner, $89.95, R), “Honeymoon Academy” (HBO, $89.99, PG-13).

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Wednesday: “Dick Tracy.” Dec. 26: “Longtime Companion.” Jan. 16: “Orpheus Descending” (the excellent Peter Hall version of Tennessee Williams’ play shown on TNT cable), “What Price Hollywood?” (1932, the inspiration for “A Star Is Born”). Jan. 17: Spike Lee’s “Mo’ Better Blues.” Jan. 22: “The Freshman.” Jan. 30: Motor-track fans’ delight!--”Le Mans” (1971) and “The Racers” (1955). Jan. 31: “Die Hard 2,” “Navy Seals,” “Problem Child.” Feb. 7: More racing--”Days of Thunder.” Feb. 21: “Air America.” Feb. 28: “State of Grace.” March 6: David Lynch’s “Wild at Heart.”

OTHER NEW VIDEOS

From PBS Home Video (distributed by Pacific Arts, $19.95 each): “15 Years With MacNeil/Lehrer,” “American Patchwork: Cajun Country,” “This Old House: Creating a New Kitchen, Part II” and two “Nature” episodes (“Rainforest,” “Hawaii”). Also, with no list price (but selling for about $250), “The Civil War.” The episodes are not being sold separately, but not to worry--if you don’t have a spare $250, Ken Burns’ outstanding series will be repeated on PBS next year.