Looking Back at Winter Olympics Champions

If enthusiasm about the Winter Olympics prompts you to visit your local video store in search of related videos, don’t expect shelves full of titles. There’s not that much available--but most of what’s out there is worth a look.

Paramount has just repackaged three titles in “The Olympiad,” a series of 45-minute programs about the Summer and Winter Olympics. These three documentaries, priced at $15 each, are written, produced and narrated by Bud Greenspan. All deal primarily with the highlights of the Winter Olympics in the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s, with Olympic champions commenting on footage of their feats.

“The Immortals” is slow and overly reverential, but it boasts some fascinating footage of greats like Sonja Henie, who became an American movie star, and ski jumper Birger Ruud.

The reverential tone in “Those Who Endured” is again overbearing at times but the stories, about bobsledder Eugenio Monti and skater Irving Jaffee, are stirring examples of perseverance.

“Great Moments at the Winter Games” is the most exciting of the three, with Jean-Claude Killy’s daredevil skiing and the 1980 gold-medal-winning hockey team generating most of the thrills.

Warning: For those in a patriotic mood, the lack of focus on American efforts in these Paramount tapes will be a drawback. The accent is on champions regardless of nation.

Other Winter Olympic-related titles:

* “A Decade of Winter Olympics” (CBS-Fox). At 150 minutes, this collection of highlights of the 1980 and 1984 Olympics is too long and padded with inconsequential material. But there are some thrills, including the 1980 U.S. hockey team victory and sequences featuring champion ice dancers Torvil and Dean and skater Eric Heiden.

* “The Official 1988 Winter Olympics Home Video” (CBS-Fox). Informative and well-edited, this 107-minute summary of the 1988 Olympics, using ABC-TV footage, includes segments on rival ice dancing divas Katerina Witt and Debi Thomas.

* “Torvil and Dean: Path to Perfection”(HBO). Even if you’re not wild about ice dancing, this is an entertaining hour’s worth of the best performances by this skilled pair, who starred in the 1984 Olympics, including their dazzling “Bolero” routine.

* “Downhill Racer” (Paramount, 1969). In one of his best performances, Robert Redford plays a champion skier who’s an arrogant, unlikable egomaniac. It also features stunning ski sequences and Gene Hackman’s terrific portrayal as a hard-nosed ski coach.

Disney Rating Mix-Up: Here’s what happened in that ratings mix-up involving “Treasure Island,” recently re-released at $20. Footage was added to the G-rated film, restoring it to its original, uncut length. But the footage qualified for a PG picture. But in what it says was an oversight, the studio forgot to upgrade the rating on the video package.

When the error was discovered, embarrassed Disney officials immediately rectified it. They shipped PG stickers to stores so retailers can add them to the boxes. Meanwhile, the package is being reprinted with the proper PG rating for future shipments.