Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and international news services and the nation’s press.

POP/ROCK

Stones’ ‘Circus’ Finally Arrives: The Rolling Stones’ ambitious “Rock and Roll Circus” film will get its premiere--28 years after it was shot--at the New York Film Festival on Oct. 12 and 13. The film, with performances in a fantasy circus setting by the Who, Yoko Ono, Marianne Faithful and Jethro Tull as well as the Stones, was left unedited after the death of Stones guitarist Brian Jones in 1969. Allen B. Klein, who managed the group in those days and whose ABKCO firm oversees the group’s ‘60s catalog, says, “There had been talk of reshooting the Stones’ part at the Colosseum in Rome and we had everything set up for that. But then Brian Jones died and no one wanted to go back to this, so it just drifted.” The only clips publicly released were one with the Who, licensed for that band’s 1979 documentary, “The Kids Are Alright,” and a brief portion in the Stones’ 1990 video documentary, “25 x 5.” Then in 1991, director Michael Lindsay-Hogg was brought in to edit the footage into a completed film. However, Klein says that there are no plans yet for other screenings or for a TV or home video release.

Morissette Reigns Again: Alanis Morissette regained the No. 1 spot on the nation’s pop charts by selling an estimated 121,000 copies last week of her “Jagged Little Pill” album, according to SoundScan. That brings the album’s total sales to around 9.5 million since its release last summer. The previous week’s best seller, A Tribe Called Quest’s “Beats, Rhymes, and Life,” dropped to No. 7, with sales of 81,000. Nas’ “It Was Written” is No. 2 on the charts, with sales of 107,000. Los Del Rio’s “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)” remained the nation’s best-selling single.

James Set for Release: Singer Rick James is scheduled to be released from Folsom State Prison next Wednesday, where he has served three years for assaulting and holding a West Hollywood woman against her will. The “Super Freak” singer and former cocaine addict was acquitted in 1993 of a torture count that could have sent him to prison for life; he also had his sentence halved after a judge learned that a district attorney’s investigator had smuggled heroin into jail for the chief prosecution witness. James’ manager said his client has written more than 400 songs while in prison, plans to record new albums and tour after his release. James, 47, also plans to marry Tanya Hijazi, the mother of James’ 4-year-old son, upon his release. Hijazi was also convicted of assaulting the woman James attacked.

Pumpkins Updates: Former Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin’s drug possession hearing Tuesday was adjourned until Sept. 26 so that the New York County District Attorney’s office could further investigate the matter. Chamberlin was charged with misdemeanor possession on July 12 after allegedly being in the room with keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin, who fatally overdosed. Chamberlin, who was fired by the band days after the tragedy, has been in a drug rehabilitation facility ever since. His attorney, Richard Schaeffer, says he is hopeful that a plea bargain can be reached before the September hearing; the current charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail. The Smashing Pumpkins, meanwhile, have announced rescheduled dates for concerts that were postponed to allow for rehearsal time with new touring members Matt Walker and Dave Flemion, who are taking over for Chamberlin and Melvoin, respectively. Locally, the show originally planned for the Forum on Aug. 21 is now set for Dec. 18, shows planned for the Pond of Anaheim on Aug. 23 and 24 are now moved to Dec. 9 and 10, and a San Diego Sports Arena date that was to have been Aug. 25 is now set for Dec. 11.

AWARDS

Diversity Honorees: Mickey Rooney and Shirley MacLaine will pick up the top honors Sept. 16. at the fourth annual Diversity Awards, taking place at the Century Plaza Hotel. Rooney will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, and MacLaine will get the Pinnacle Award, both honoring their “career contributions to diversity in the cinematic arts.” Other winners include Paul Sorvino (Eminent Award), Will Smith (Nova Award), Hector Elizondo (Integrity Award), Robert Townsend (Da Vinci Award), Vivian Wu (Esteem Award), Della Reese (Premier Award) and Sandra Bullock (Spirit Award). Honorary dinner chairs of the event, organized by the Multicultural Motion Picture Assn., are Bob Hope, Ann Miller and Donald O’Connor.

A Hosting Repeat: For the second year, comedian Dennis Miller will host the annual MTV Video Music Awards, to be shown on the cable channel Sept. 4 from New York’s Radio City Music Hall. Meanwhile, Hootie & the Blowfish and the Cranberries have been added to the list of scheduled performers, joining Alanis Morissette, Bush, the Fugees, Metallica, Oasis and the Smashing Pumpkins. Previously announced performers Dr. Dre and Nas have been taken off the program, an MTV spokesman said, because the number they were to have performed--promoting unity between East and West Coast rappers--has been expanded into a special that will air on MTV at a later date.

TELEVISION

Disney’s ‘Beauty’ on Ice: Two-time Olympic gold medal-winning pairs skater Ekaterina Gordeeva--who lost her husband and partner, Sergei Grinkov, to a heart attack last November--will be paired with fellow Olympic gold medalist and singles skater Victor Petrenko in “Walt Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’: A Concert on Ice,” to be seen this fall on CBS. The hourlong special will be hosted by James Barbour, the Beast in the Los Angeles stage production upon which the skating special will be based, and by Susan Egan, Broadway’s original Belle. Egan, Barbour and other members of the Los Angeles cast will sing the CBS special’s score. Other participating figure skaters include Scott Hamilton as Lumiere and JoJo Starbuck as Mrs. Potts.