HOME ENTERTAINMENT : Stores Showcasing Videos With Black History Themes

This is a good time to consider videos relevant to Black History Month. February is almost over but many retailers showcase relevant videos through March.

There are four films with black-history-related themes that have been released in the last seven years and are easily rented and well worth seeing:

“Mississippi Burning” (1988), starring Gene Hackman, deserves demerits because it tells the story of an investigation of the 1964 murder of civil rights workers in Mississippi through the eyes of white FBI agents rather than through black characters. But it’s still a gripping, unnerving drama that gives a strong sense of the racial tensions in the South during the civil rights movement.

“Malcolm X,” director Spike Lee’s 1992 biography of the black activist, a prominent national figure in the 1960s, ranks with the best film biographies. If you know little about the Black Muslim movement and want to get a sense of its place in black history, this is the movie to see.

“Glory” (1989), the story of the first black volunteer infantry unit in the Civil War, stars Matthew Broderick as the leader of this Massachusetts regiment and Denzel Washington as a rebellious soldier--a role that won him a best supporting actor Oscar.

“The Long Walk Home” (1989) may be Whoopi Goldberg’s least-known movie--but it’s arguably her best. Set in Montgomery, Ala., in the mid-1950s, it’s about the effects of the bus boycott that helped launch the civil rights movement. Goldberg plays a maid working for a white family that includes a wife (Sissy Spacek) whose racial consciousness is slowly raised.

If you want to get a sense of how far blacks have come in films--and get a glimpse of the negative image that lingered through the ‘50s--just rent some all-black movies from different eras. Start with “Green Pastures” (1936) and “Stormy Weather” (1943). In “Green Pastures,” biblical stories are presented with black characters; “Stormy Weather,” featuring Lena Horne, Fats Waller and Cab Calloway, is a series of musical numbers worked around a negligible plot. Horne’s rendition of the title song ranks with the finest numbers in movie-musical history, but stereotypes are rampant in both films.

For another perspective, check out FoxVideo’s “Carmen Jones,” the 1954 all-black musical inspired by Bizet’s opera “Carmen” and starring Harry Belafonte and Dorothy Dandridge. At the time, its tone was considered liberal. By today’s standards, though, you can easily spot the stereotyping and racism; it’s just more subtle than it was in the ‘30s and ‘40s.

The most hip, stereotype-free black musical ever made came out in 1978, long after the nation’s perspectives about blacks had undergone radical change. “The Wiz,” an adaptation of “The Wizard of Oz,” stars Diana Ross and features a terrific performance by Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow. This is not a very good movie, though, and was a money-loser in theaters. It’s less important as entertainment than as a footnote in the history of black films.

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Oscar-Related Videos: Of the videos getting prominent shelf space these days because of the Oscar nominations, you might try LIVE’s “Reservoir Dogs,” the first movie directed by Quentin Tarantino, a nominee for “Pulp Fiction.” About gangsters holed up in a warehouse after a robbery, “Reservoir Dogs” is very grisly but offers some of the same clever quirkiness that makes “Pulp Fiction” so good.

As you look through the old movies of Paul Newman--a best-actor contender for “Nobody’s Fool”--you can’t go wrong with “The Color of Money,” the 1986 drama featuring the performance that won him a 1986 best actor Oscar. But his work is much better in “The Hustler” (1961) and “Hud” (1963)--two of the best movies of the ‘60s.

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Special Interest Videos: “Dennis Miller Live From Washington, D.C.” is one of the funniest comedy videos to come out in the last few years. His strength is his acidic political humor. From Columbia TriStar, priced for rental.

You can help prepare children for flying--or calm those who are nervous about it--by showing them “The Big Plane Trip,” which removes much of the mystery. Narrated by a youngster, this 45-minute tape covers all aspects of flying, from booking and meal preparation to pilot training. For youngsters in the 3-9 age range, from Little Mammoth Media at $13 (800) 543-8436.

“In Service to America: A History of Women in the Military,” a fascinating, one-hour documentary tracing women in the military from the Revolutionary War to the present, includes some great vintage photos. From Dane Hansen for $30, (800) 546-8871.

What’s New On Video: “Timecop” (MCA/Universal): Jean-Claude Van Damme is a cop in 2004 who travels back to 1994 to battle a crooked politician (Ron Silver). It’s his biggest box-office hit and also one of his best movies. Besides plenty of riveting action scenes--the real appeal of any Van Damme movie--the film, with its obvious “Terminator” overtones, also offers a solid performance by Silver.

“The Little Rascals” (MCA/Universal): Director Penelope Spheeris’ perky update of the ‘30s-’40s “Our Gang” comedy series about the adventures of a group of lovable kids. The cast, featuring Bug Hall as the irrepressible Alfalfa, is nearly as appealing as the original group. A cute entertainment for the youngsters, but if you’re over 10, you’ll probably be bored silly.

“Fresh” (Miramax/Buena Vista): On the surface, a 12-year-old nicknamed Fresh (Sean Nelson) seems like a nice youngster struggling to survive in an urban ghetto. On the side, though, he’s a conniving drug dealer. His father (Samuel Jackson) also has two conflicting personas--chess expert and bum. His father’s life-as-a-chess-game approach helps Fresh in a battle with drug bosses. Worth seeing for exceptional performances by Nelson and Jackson.

“Andre” (Paramount): The “Free Willy”-formula--adorable kid bonds with beleaguered animal--surfaces again. This time the animal is an orphaned seal that is befriended and trained by a 10-year-old social misfit (Tina Majorino of “Corrina, Corrina”). But being pals with a seal isn’t easy in this Maine fishing town, where seals are the enemy because they’ve been depleting the fish supply. Predictable and very sentimental but still an enjoyable family entertainment.