Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 30, 1993 TAG: 9311010045
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: B12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
As everyone knows, this year has been Hollywood's most profitable ever for theatrical releases. And a good summer for theaters means a good winter for video stores.
The "second wave" began this week with the video version of "Dennis the Menace," reviewed below in the New Releases section. Though all of the details haven't been announced yet, you can count on seeing the rest of the summer's biggest hits (with one notable exception) in your favorite store over the next three months.
The year's biggest hit, "Jurassic Park," is expected sometime early next year.
Of course, not everyone uses the VCR as an excuse to veg out on the sofa. There are hundreds of thousands of anti-couch potatoes out there who sweat, step, crunch, kick, dance, boogie and wiggle their way to fitness and inner harmony through home video.
We know who gets the blame for all this - Jane Fonda. She started the video fitness biz with her first workout tape and she has never looked back. Now, she has repackaged five of her greatest hits in two new editions.
"Jane Fonda's Starter Pak" (A+Vision) combines her "Stress Reduction Workout" and "Low Impact Aerobic Workout." The "Total Fitness Series" brings together the "Complete Workout," "Lower Body Solution" and "Lean Routine."
While Fonda is simply continuing to ride the wave she created, it seems that everyone else is jumping on, too. Virtually every female celebrity, semi-celebrity and celebrity wanna-be has a fitness program.
Being a strict follower of the red wine-and-racquetball path to physical fitness and peace of mind, I have not seen any of these tapes myself, much less attempted the routines. Instead, I pass them along for what they're worth, with selected quotes from their own press material.
Susan Powter is a skinny woman who stars in infomercials and apparently goes to Sinead O'Connor's hairdresser. Her tape is called "Lean, Strong & Healthy with Susan Powter" (A+Vision). She claims that it challenges "conventional ideas about `eating, breathing and moving.' "
Not to be outdone, Stephanie Steele has two "Knockout Workout" (Video Treasures) videos - aerobic boxing and kickboxing. Her publicist claims that Stephanie trained Michelle Pfeiffer for her role as Catwoman in "Batman Returns" and says this "workout will increase power, grace and coordination as it burns calories like crazy!"
Though most of us might never think of a serious connection between fitness and country music, that could be because we've never seen "Hot Country Step" and "Hot Country Buns, Abs and Arms" (both Cabin Fever). These tapes "combine great country hits with a safe, effective `fat-burning' workout that trims hips and thighs while you aerobicize."
Of course, country stars don't have anything on soap stars, ergo, "Christy Curtis' Soap Star Workout" (PPI). In this one, "the divine divas of daytime . . . get the lowdown on their `problem' areas." To teach the more-difficult moves, this tape features a unique "reverse view." Isn't that the same thing that John Madden uses on the NFL Game of the Week?
Moving from the general to the specific, we find "Step Up With La Toya Jackson" (Parade Video). This program is divided into three sections of varying intensity. "After completing the STEP UP portion, participants can join La Toya in an excellent ABDOMINAL workout designed to firm and tone the abs."
If that sounds too intense for older video fitness fans, they might try "Young at Heart, Body Conditioning With Estelle" (Video Treasures), the star being Estelle Getty of TV's "Golden Girls." This "gentle, 55-minute workout" is designed for those over 55 years old "to improve overall health, concentrating on muscle strength, bone density, flexibility and balance." It's probably safe to assume that Getty does not kickbox.
\ New releases this week:
Dennis the Menace: **
Starring Walter Matthau, Joan Plowright, Lea Thompson, Christopher Lloyd. Directed by Nick Castle. Warner. 92 min. Rated PG for comic violence, some rude humor.
Children will be entertained by this unashamed "Home Alone" clone, but older viewers who have outgrown juvenile humor should make other plans. The film version has little to do with Hank Ketcham's comic strip. This Dennis is a prepubescent terrorist who looks like a Macaulay Culkin wannabe. Matthau is well cast as his nemesis, Mr. Wilson.
Once Upon a Forest: **
Starring the voices of Michael Crawford, Ben Vereen. FoxVideo. 66 min. Rated G.
This is a perfectly acceptable little animated feature for small children. Older viewers probably won't find much to hold their attention, and anyone looking for the wit and detail of Disney animation will be disappointed. This story of cute furry animals looks like something that might show up on a Saturday morning network cartoon.
Happily Ever After: **
Starring the voice of Irene Cara. Worldvision. 71 min. Rated G, but it does contain a scary dragon.
This feminist sequel to "Snow White" has nothing to do with the Disney studio, and won't make anyone forget the original. The animation is on a par with most Saturday morning cartoon shows - stiff and simple. The synthetic songs are forgettable. Younger viewers, about ages 4-8, are the target audience. Older kids will be restless.
by CNB