ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, January 6, 1996 TAG: 9601100004
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 10 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: It came from the video store
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO
1995 turned out to be a good year in home video, perhaps even an excellent year in some areas. Several films that made their debut on tape were every bit as enjoyable as their theatrical counterparts. And as the medium of choice for re-releases, video saw the return of some genuine masterpieces.
So, here's a look back at the best of the past 12 months. If some of these favorites escaped your notice, note down the titles and take a list on the next visit to your favorite video store.
First though, another mention must be made of the single most original and brilliant video book to appear in 1995 or any other year. ``VideoHound's Complete Guide to Cult Flicks and Trash Pics'' (Visible Ink Press. $16.95) was recently cited here, and the fact that I had a hand in its creation doesn't mean I'm blindly prejudiced in its favor. In the Norfolk Virginian Pilot, columnist Craig Shapiro called it ``a blast, a worthy addition'' to Visible Ink's other books.
Every household should have at least one copy per television and/or VCR, plus an emergency backup.
Now, back to the year's best videos, grouped loosely by category.
Best crime film
This was the most competitive field of the year. In "Bulletproof Heart" (Republic) Anthony LaPaglia and Mimi Rogers played a hitman and his willing target. Lance Henriksen and Eric Roberts were at their incomparable best in the disquieting "Nature of the Beast" (New Line), so was Mickey Rourke in "Fall Time" (LIVE). Perhaps the most realistic cop movie of the year, "L.627" (Kino), came from France. And for the Best Crime film of 1995, we have a tie between the offbeat ensemble drama, "The Crew" (LIVE) and the enigmatic, black-and-white Hitchcockian mystery "Suture" (Evergreen).
Best comedy
Nominees for the funniest video ranged from the outrageous parodies of "Sgt. Kabukiman" (Troma) to the inspired satire of Dennis Potter's ambitious three-part '50s musical "Lipstick on Your Collar" (New Video) and the black comedy of "Dead Funny" (A-Pix). The winner is an import from Down Under, Yahoo Serious's wonderful skewering of the movie/video business, "Reckless Kelly" (Warner).
Best drama
For serious films, the nominees are the deep psychological mysteries of "Sister, My Sister" (A-Pix), the quirky romance of "Nina Takes a Lover" (Columbia TriStar), the controversial mix of religion and sex, "Priest" (Miramax). And the winner is director Jeffrey Bell's wonderful debut "Radio Inside" (MGM/UA), starring Elisabeth Shue.
Best historical drama
Two more imports tie for the award here. Both "Temptation of a Monk" (FoxLorber) from China and "Queen Margot" (Miramax) from France are sprawling, violent epics that re-create their times with an exuberance seldom found in films with contemporary settings.
Best kidvid
Though the shelves of video stores are filled with new tapes for children, for my money there was only one choice this year, Nick Parks' Oscar-winning animated short film, "The Wrong Trousers" (CBS/Fox). Judged by any criteria, it's simply one of the funniest films of the year.
Best foreign language film
Among the subtitled imports, Lina Wertemuller's amiable social drama "Ciao, Professore!" and the Icelandic screwball comedy "Remote Control" (Columbia TriStar) were edged out by "White," the second part of Krzysztof Kieslowski's trilogy.
Best horror/S-F
We've got another tie here between director Linda Hassani's memorable debut, "Dark Angel: The Ascent" (Paramount), and Garth Maxwell's dark Gothic tale from New Zealand, "Jack Be Nimble" (Triboro). Both are much more interesting and rewarding than their more expensive theatrical cousins.
Best guilty pleasure
In home video's spiciest category, perennial contender Andy Sidaris had a strong entry with "The Dallas Connection" (Monarch), and drive-in auteur Lee Frost returned with "Private Obsession" (Triboro). "Playtime" (Triboro) stretched the limits of soft-core eroticism about as far as they'll go. But this year's honors go to producer/director Deborah Shames for her two features, "The Voyeur" and "The Hottest Bid" (Deborah Films), classy movies aimed at women.
Best laserdisc
Hands down, the best laser-release of the year was the wide-screen version of John Woo's brilliant crime drama, "Hard Boiled" (Voyager). Required viewing for his fans.
Best documentary
In the nonfiction category, the three volumes of "The Real Richard Nixon" (Central Park Media) lost out to "Dennis Potter: The Last Interview" (New Video), a remarkable piece of work that may have been the single best tape of the year.
Best re-release
I, for one, cannot choose among these nominees for rediscoveries. They are three of my own favorites - films that I've watched and rewatched many times over the years and will probably watch again: Haskell Wexler's experimental, perceptive and still relevant political drama, "Medium Cool" (Paramount); Sam Peckinpah's masterpiece, "The Wild Bunch" (Warner) finally available in a full-length, wide-screen edition; and Federico Fellini's wonderfully funny memoir, "Amarcord" (Home Vision Cinema). All three are welcome back to tape after being "out of print" for years.
Next week: Spooky science-fiction!
New release this week:
The Net ***
Starring Sandra Bullock. Directed by Irwin Winkler. Columbia TriStar. 118 min. Rated PG-13 for violence, language, subject matter.
This fitfully involving thriller is a throwback to the old Hitchcock school (``North by Northwest") but its contemporary model is "The Pelican Brief." Sandra Bullock is the plucky heroine on the run from shadowy, sinister forces who eliminate her identity from computer files and ruin her life.
LENGTH: Long : 121 linesby CNB