A Bounty of Choices for the Holidays
With the holiday shopping season moving into high gear, many consumers are considering giving videos as gifts. Here are some recent releases that might fit some shopping lists:
Among the music videos, there are “INXS: Live Baby Live” (A Vision, $19.98), one of the most expensive concert videos ever, starring the Australian rock band, and “Two Rooms” (PolyGram, $19.95), a star-studded, 90-minute salute to Elton John and his songwriter partner Bernie Taupin.
Jazz lovers may go for “Vintage Getz--Volumes I and II,” featuring the late jazz saxophonist performing some of his best-known pieces (A Vision, $19.98 each or $29.98 for a boxed set).
For more middle-of-the-road tastes, there is Barry Manilow’s “Because It’s Christmas” (6 West, $14.98), the video version of his hit holiday album from last year. Beatles fans will appreciate “Lennon: A Tribute” (SMV, $19.98), featuring such stars as Natalie Cole and Randy Travis singing Beatles songs, in addition to footage of Lennon and the Beatles.
The big sports video this Christmas will certainly be “Magic Johnson: Always Showtime” (CBS-Fox, $19.98), a celebration of his life and career. The company announced that 30,000 cassettes were ordered in the two days after he made his announcement about being infected with the virus that causes AIDS.
PHoenix’s tape of the acclaimed World Series battle between the Atlanta Braves and the Minnesota Twins, “The 1991 World Series,” was just released. It’s available, at $19.95, at Blockbuster stores only.
Among the season’s new exercise videos, the most popular is likely to be Cher’s “CherFitness: A New Attitude” (CBS-Fox, $19.98) and Callan Pinckney’s trio of 24-minute, $14.98 tapes, “Legs, Stomach and Hips,” each concentrating on one area of the body.
Another top seller will probably be “Wilt Chamberlain’s Cross Fitness” (ESPN, $9.95), a 40-minute tape including a running and biking routine that couples with toning exercises. Because he’s been in the news promoting a book featuring claims of a wild sex life, the publicity is likely to help video sales.
For the more culturally inclined, A&E; Home Video is offering a $69.95 four-video set of its acclaimed “Dinosaur!” series, narrated by Walter Cronkite, which traces the discovery of dinosaurs, from the earliest to the most recent.
And from Kultur at $19.98, for ballet fans: “A Legendary Partnership,” featuring Margot Fonteyn and Rudolph Nureyev.
Offbeat Movies: Popular movies priced under $25, such as “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,” “Home Alone” and “Fantasia,” will wind up under many Christmas trees. Here are some offbeat titles that would make good gifts for people with special tastes:
* For $29.98, Republic has just released some new ‘30s and ‘40s Saturday matinee serials: “The Black Widow” (13 episodes), “Federal Agents vs. the UnderWorld, Inc.” (12 episodes) and “The Invisible Monster.”
* “Intolerance” (HBO, $59.99). A restored version of D. W. Griffith’s silent (1914) classic, running 175 minutes. This lavish historical drama, featuring huge sets and a cast of thousands, stars Lillian Gish. It’s often ranked high on lists of the all-time best American films. It’s available in a two-volume set.
* Yves Robert’s 1972 French comedy “The Tall Blond Man With One Black Shoe” is finally coming out on video with English subtitles--an event for foreign film fans. On Connoisseur Video, at $59.95, due out Saturday.
* Gift editions of restored versions of well-known movies are hitting the market in time for the holidays. At $19.98, “It’s a Wonderful Life” (Republic, 1946) is digitally remastered and includes the original trailer and a 24-minute documentary, featuring interviews with director Frank Capra and James Stewart. Also available is MCA/Universal’s “Spartacus” ($19.98).
For the 50th anniversary of Orson Welles’ “Citizen Kane,” Turner is not only offering a $19.98 version, which includes the documentary, “Reflections on Kane,” but also a $49.98 set that offers all of the above plus Harlon Lebo’s book about the movie.
For “Gone With the Wind” addicts, a new version of the movie is available (MGM/UA, $89.98) that’s more authentic than what was previously on the market. This one features an original 1939 track that was recently discovered.
For laser-disc owners, MGM-UA is offering a “GWTW” bonanza: an additional audio track, footage from trailers as well as the film’s premiere and “re-premieres,” a booklet that promises “rare color photos” and the production’s history (due Dec. 18 for $100). Other laser lures due for the holidays: Image Entertainment’s “Aliens,” also due Dec. 18 at $100. In addition to an extra 17 minutes, it includes behind-the-scenes footage plus an interview with director James Cameron. Due Dec. 19 from Pioneer is a laser gift set of “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” ($90), which includes a documentary about the making of the film.
