HOME ENTERTAINMENT : A Sexier ‘Night’ Video Doesn’t Bare All

Fifteen minutes of sizzling, X-rated sex . . .

That’s what many people will be hoping to see when they rent “Color of Night,” the erotic thriller starring Bruce Willis and Jane March. In the video version, 15 minutes of footage have been restored that were edited out of the theatrical release last year. One of the trimmed scenes, which got heavy media attention, was a brief shot of Willis’ penis.

But Richard Rush, who directed the movie, says anyone who thinks that all of the new footage in this Hollywood Video release is like that is in for a surprise.

“Yes, it has sexier and hotter material in it but that just takes about a minute--and that’s in bits and pieces,” Rush explained. “Most of what was restored was plot material. The picture makes more sense. The characters make more sense. There’s a whole quirky, comic feeling that’s been restored.”

What’s strange is that his director’s cut still has an R rating, even though it features most of the footage that was trimmed last year. “This time the ratings board was more lenient,” Rush said.

For him, this is more than just another director’s cut released to video. It’s vindication. The film was taken over by the production company, Cinergi, which didn’t like Rush’s version and trimmed it for theatrical release. The stress of that situation reportedly helped drive Rush to a heart attack. And though he promoted the film at the time, he says now that he hated that version--just like most of the critics.

“When I praised the movie, it was total hypocrisy,” Rush said. “That was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.”

What’s unusual about this version of “Color of Night” is that it’s the only one coming out on video. Unlike most companies in this situation, Hollywood Video isn’t releasing the theatrical version too.

“The one shown in theaters wasn’t a big money-maker--so there was no real clamor for that one,” Rush explained. “If the sexy version was out on video, that’s the one people would want to see anyway.”

“Color of Night” is about a psychiatrist who starts out unnerved by guilt over a patient’s suicide. When his therapist-buddy is murdered and the finger of suspicion points to someone in a therapy group, the psychiatrist takes over the group to find the killer and meanwhile starts romancing a sexy patient (March).

The real steamy version of “Color of Night” is the one that just came out in European theaters. “There are two cuts--another one involving Bruce Willis’ private parts--that are in the European version that aren’t in this video version,” Rush said.

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Repriced for Sales: To take advantage of Valentine’s Day, a boom time for romantic comedies, PolyGram has repriced “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” one of last year’s most popular rentals. It’s available this week at $20. . . . Columbia TriStar’s AIDS drama, “Philadelphia,” featuring last year’s best actor Oscar winner Tom Hanks, is $20 as of Feb. 14. . . . Just reduced to $20 this week: three FoxVideo comedies: “The Beverly Hillbillies,” “Hot Shots! Part Deux” and “Robin Hood: Men in Tights.”

For fans of classic movies, Turner is re-releasing two of note on Feb. 21 at a lower price, $15--which means as low as $12 in some outlets: Alfred Hitchcock’s “Suspicion”--one of his best--featuring Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine, who won the 1941 best actress Oscar, and “Morning Glory” from 1933, with Katharine Hepburn as a stage-struck actress. This performance won her the first of her four Oscars.

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Special Interest: The eagerly awaited “The Ultimate Fighting Championship III”--is just out. For the uninitiated, this is the latest edition of those no-holds-barred tournaments of martial arts experts, who knock each other off in elimination matches, leading to a champion. These matches, showcasing different fighting styles, are for real--bloody, bone-crushing and not for the queasy. From Vidmark, at $60.

Compared to past NBA superstars, Shaquille O’Neal doesn’t seem to be all that charismatic--but he sure is marketable, particularly to kids. That legion of young adoring fans is the target of the glitzy “Shaquille O’Neal: Larger Than Life.” From CBS-Fox at $20.

“Saving Your Baby’s Life” is a half-hour tape clearly explaining and demonstrating what to do if your baby or small child stops breathing. From Educational Enterprises at $13; (800) 331-6534.

“Horses: Close Up and Very Personal” feeds the fascination of youngsters for horses, which are shown both working and relaxing. You’ll have trouble convincing the kids to take this well-edited, half-hour tape off the VCR. From Stage Fright at $15; (800) 979-6800.

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What’s New on Video: “Clear and Present Danger” (Paramount): In this action-packed political thriller, CIA agent Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford) gets caught in the middle of a covert CIA war against Colombian drug lords. He has to battle both the gangsters and American bureaucrats engaged in a massive cover-up. Based on the Tom Clancy novel.

“It Could Happen to You” (Columbia TriStar): In this fairy-tale-like romantic comedy, a kindly New York cop (Nicolas Cage) gives a waitress (Bridget Fonda) half his lottery ticket instead of a tip. When the ticket turns out to be a winner, the cop tumbles into a triangle involving the waitress and his shrewish wife (Rosie Perez). The charisma of the cast gives this one a lift.