HOME ENTERTAINMENT : Film Stirs Interest in ‘Little Women’ Videos
Because of the acclaimed new film “Little Women,” featuring Winona Ryder and Susan Sarandon, the old adaptations of Louisa May Alcott’s novel are getting some attention on home video these days too.
The 1933 and 1949 versions, both on MGM/UA, have been available in stores with well-stocked classic sections. But the video company is reshipping them, priced at $20, so they’re much more accessible now.
If you are faced with a choice, you can’t go wrong with either one. The 1933 original, though, is the best--ranking with the top movies of that decade. Directed by George Cukor and starring Katharine Hepburn and Joan Bennett, this is a tale of the March sisters’ coming of age, set against a backdrop of the Civil War.
The 1949 version, starring June Allyson, Peter Lawford and a ravishing Elizabeth Taylor, is a bit too stylized and coated with a little too much of that old MGM gloss. Still, with its comedy, absorbing dramatic subplots and attractive characters, this old story is pretty foolproof. Even some of the missteps in director Mervyn LeRoy’s production don’t really undercut its considerable entertainment value.
Unlike a lot of vintage films that are ragingly sexist by modern standards, the early versions of “Little Women” focus on the strength, dignity and competence of women during a crisis situation.
Even a not-so-great version, the 1978 TV movie, is a superior melodrama--and definitely better than the average TV movie fare. This one features such TV stars as Susan Dey, Meredith Baxter Birney and Eve Plumb working with an illustrious veteran--Greer Garson.
The children’s section of some stores may have the 1983 animated version, released on home video by LIVE in 1987. Overly sentimental and reduced to its basics, this “Little Women” is kind of hokey but is fine for kids (it’s rather obviously geared to young girls).
New Development
DVD: Remember those initials. They may be meaningful one day. Sony and Philips announced that they’re developing a video-disc player that would play full-length movies from a five-inch CD. The picture is better than what you get with the videotape and at a reasonably low cost--reportedly in the $15-$20 range. This is the format, some industry observers believe, that will eventually replace the videotape. Look for it to debut next year.
The problem is, though, there’s a format war brewing already. Another group--which includes Toshiba, Time Warner and Pioneer--is developing a similar disc that has different specifications. In other words, roughly the same disc--holding about 135 minutes of film-- but it won’t play on the Sony-Philips machine.
This smacks of the early-1980s Beta vs. VHS war on videotape, which VHS eventually won.
New Rental Day
Veteran renters know that the best way to get a copy of a hit movie is to go to their video store on Wednesday--the traditional rental debut day. But that’s changing this year. Now you should rush to your video store on Tuesday--the new debut date. Retailers had been violating the Wednesday release date, renting and selling tapes days early to outdo competitors. For reasons related to the intricacies of shipping schedules, the new release date cuts down on the possibilities of such cheating.
Special Interest Videos
Any youngster who gets a kick out of boats will be fascinated by the 30-minute “Ships Ahoy!” It’s more than just pretty footage of boats sailing around San Francisco Bay. You not only go aboard fireboats and tugboats but also see close-ups of cranes loading and unloading cargo--something that youngsters would find intriguing. From My-T-Fine Productions, at $20, (800) 897-9292.
Serious college football fans need a fix of their favorite sport during the off-season--which is just about to start. That’s when tapes like “Season of Celebration” come in handy. It’s an hour’s worth of highlights, from early in the century to recent years, including footage of Miami’s upset of Nebraska in the Orange Bowl following the 1984 season. From Team Varsity, at $25, (800) 755-1717.
“Drowning Emergencies” is a valuable video for parents with small children. It teaches them how to train their kids in CPR, showing what to do when another youngster (infant to 8 years old) is struggling to breathe after a swimming accident. At 11 minutes, it’s very rudimentary. Watching it, though, may inspire parents to get their kids some formal CPR training. From Valiant Educational Videos at $20, (800) 266-2159.
What’s New on Video
“Renaissance Man” (Touchstone): An advertising man (Danny DeVito) in career crisis is hired to tutor rookie soldiers with reading and writing problems. It’s like transplanting “Dead Poets Society” to a military base. Featuring a strong performance by DeVito and an entertaining beginning, it slowly drowns in sentiment and predictable feel-goodism. Far from director Penny Marshall’s best work.
“North” (New Line): Mad at his parents, a feisty 11-year-old named North (Elijah Wood) goes on a worldwide search for new ones. A very bad, rambling comedy and a waste of an all-star cast, which includes Bruce Willis. Easily director Rob Reiner’s worst movie.
“Airheads” (FoxVideo): In this lame comedy--which was a box-office disaster--a terrible heavy-metal band, looking to get airplay for its music, commandeers a radio station. After a fair start, it runs out of gas. It’s geared to the young “Wayne’s World” fans, but they’re not likely to find much fun in this silliness. Co-starring Brendan Fraser and Adam Sandler.
“Fear of the Black Hat” (FoxVideo): A satire on gangsta rap, focusing on a group called NWH. It aims to mock rap in the hilarious way “This Is Spinal Tap” roasted heavy metal, but only a few of the bits are really funny. Writer-director-star Rusty Cundieff simply doesn’t have enough amusing material to fill a movie.