Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, November 27, 1993 TAG: 9311270055
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: C-12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Mike Mayo
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
First, for fans of TV's "Home Improvement" who have wondered what Pamela Anderson looks like without her tool belt, there's "Snapdragon," a well-made little suspense movie that arrives in video stores next Wednesday.
The plot has to do with another of those pesky serial killers. Los Angeles detective Peckham (Chelsea Field) learns that the victims, all men, have a connection to the Orient, and that the killer is a blonde woman. At the same time, her boyfriend Dr. Hookstraten (Steven Bauer), a police psychologist, has become obsessed with the case of a beautiful tattooed blonde amnesiac (Anderson) who's suffering terrible nightmares that fit the pattern of the murders.
The story manages to mix those outlandish elements with a fair degree of reality in its use of everyday details. The film tends to move slowly and it takes some odd turns en route to a "surprise" ending that leaves the door open for "Snapdragon II." Director Worth Keeter has shown his ability to handle this kind of material (sub-genre "psycho-sexual thriller," according to the advertising) with some class in other video originals like "Illicit Behavior."
All in all, this one's better than it has to be.
Moving to another point on the home video continuum, we find videotapes for the blind and visually impaired. No, this is not a tasteless joke. Descriptive Video Service (DVS) distributes popular movies and TV shows with an added soundtrack that describes the action.
These tapes would, I suspect, be most valuable for movie fans who are not completely blind, but cannot pick out fine details on a television screen. Without talking over dialogue or key sound effects, readers describe the action that's taking place, the emotions of the characters and in some cases, even the camera techniques.
Though that may sound intrusive, it really isn't. Most movies work through action first and dialogue second. Judging by the short clips I've seen, the producers, writers and readers have done careful work. At their best, they can capture the sense and emotion of a scene in a few words that are read with the right expressiveness. This is the visual equivalent of that little lady down in the corner of the screen who "signs" for the hearing impaired on some TV broadcasts.
The DVS service is provided on some public television broadcasts through special audio tracks that can be picked up with newer high-end video equipment. No special gear is needed for the programs on videocassette, just a standard VCR and TV. Films are available for sale, not rent, with no extra charge for the DVS soundtrack. Though the list of titles available is short, it contains many of Hollywood's most popular recent hits - "Field of Dreams," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Pretty Woman," "Dead Poets Society," "The Godfather" and several of the Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes adventures. Prices range from about $15 to $40 with an extra charge for shipping.
Call 1-800-333-1203 to order catalogs (in Braille or large print), or write to: DVS, 125 Western Ave., Boston, Mass., 02134. To place an order call 1-800-736-3099.
Shifting gears again, we find a new edition of a curiosity from the 1960s, the Beatles' "Magical Mystery Tour."
This short film has been kicking around in various forms - in theaters and on television - ever since it was made in 1967. Now it's out on laser disc, digitally remastered so that it looks and sounds as sharp as possible. For the sound, that's terrific. Everyone knows that this one contains some of the best of the later Beatles songbook.
For the visual side of the "Tour," however, there's little that the best technicians could do. When you get right down to it, this is a long home movie with a couple of negligible plot lines and lots of running around and lip-synching. Watch it for the tunes and its value as a footnote in the history of rock `n roll.
Coming back now to more conventional home video fare, we find "Curse of the Crystal Eye," an undernourished adventure that's trying to imitate films like "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and the Disney "Aladdin." The story opens with a desert battle scene that's flat out incoherent. It's impossible to tell who's attacking whom, who wins, or why any of the people involved are doing what they're doing.
The scene then shifts to an urban battleground, though the action doesn't make any more sense. The acting is amateurish; the pace is uneven. I hit the fast-forward button early and often.
New release this week:
`Rising Sun': ***
Star Sean Connery, Wesley Snipes, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa. Directed by Phillip Kaufman. FoxVideo. 130 min. Rated R for strong sexual content, nudity, violence, strong language.
This sexy thriller is a fast-paced guilty pleasure. With the inspired casting of Connery and Snipes in the leads, it has star power to burn, and the supporting cast doesn't fade into the wallpaper either. At heart, the film is a straight-forward murder mystery with a background in Japanese-American business competition and a strong sexual slant. It's the kind of big-budget escapism that Hollywood does so well.
THE ESSENTIALS:
Snapdragon: *** Prism. 96 min. Rated R for nudity, sexual content, violence, strong language.
Magical Mystery Tour: ** MPI. 60 min. Rated G.
Curse of the Crystal Eye: * New Horizons. 82 min. Rated R for violence, special effects.
by CNB