ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, November 9, 1996 TAG: 9611120004
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 12 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: It Came from the Video Store
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO
The big news in video stores this week is Tom Cruise's "Mission: Impossible" (see new releases this week), but our subject is fantasy aimed mostly at younger viewers, with something for grown-ups, too.
The live-action version of "Fist of the North Star" stays true to its animated roots. The film was made completely on sound stages - no exteriors - and both the violence and the acting are slightly stylized.
The story is archetypal post-apocalyptic martial arts material. Two fighting schools are led by the brave Kenshiro (Gary Daniels) and the evil Shin (Costas Mandylor). Julia (Isako Washio) is the woman they both want. Chris Penn is the bad guy with a bubbling brain, and Malcolm MacDowell is the levitating master who has decreed that the two schools must never fight each other. Yes, it's all pure hokum, but it's passionate, fiercely realized hokum.
In every sense it's much more enjoyable than director Tony Randel's previous efforts "Hellraiser II," "Ticks," etc. Because Randel's background is in horror, the fight choreography was handled by Winston Omega, star Gary Daniels' martial arts teacher.
In a brief phone interview, Daniels said that the source material is a virtual cottage industry in Japan with "Fist of the North Star" comic books, a TV series and animated features. Japanese reaction to the theatrical release of the film and his portrayal of the famous character was so positive that a sequel is already in the works.
In this country, the film will do well on video. It's visually inventive, well-acted and funny in the right places. Despite the R-rating, the violence isn't too strong for kids who like martial arts.
The adventures of dinosaurs Littlefoot, Sara, Spike and the rest continue in "Land Before Time IV: Journey Through the Mists," a by-the-numbers sequel that will entertain young fans of the series. With their new pal Ally, the little dinos set off to find the "nightflowers" that will cure grandpa Longneck's illness. The messages about friendship are simple. The animation is OK with bright colors and mediocre songs. This is one of the most successful animated video series, and the new entry, due in stores Dec.5, is just what the kids want to see.
There is, however, another more lamentable trend in animated kidvid. Characters from a proven favorite are recast as contemporary kids. "Toto: Lost In New York" does the familiar number on "The Wizard of Oz."
The animation, writing and music are substandard but the bright colors will appeal to children who like Saturday morning fare. A comparatively small part of this story actually takes place in Oz. Following episodes (and there will be more) will probably change that.
All of these "recycled" cartoons have probably been extensively tested with young audiences to ensure maximum popularity across the targeted age ranges. But they nauseate grown-up reviewers because they're so cliched and saccharine. On this side of the video landscape, however, the opinions of grown-up reviewers don't mean squat.
Next week: Phat Beach!
Got a question about home video or film? Contact your favorite video columnist at P.O. Box 2491; Roanoke, VA 24010-2491, or by e-mail at 75331.2603@compuserve.com.
New releases this week:
Mission: Impossible ***
Starring Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Ving Rhames, Emmanuelle Beart. Directed by Brian De Palma. 110 min. Rated PG-13 for violence, strong language.
Last summer's hit should lose little on tape. In fact, the film's screw-loose plot, grandly contrived suspense scenes and computer-generated stunts ought to gain a lot on the small screen. The intense close-up focus on star Tom Cruise won't hurt either. By the way, Paramount Pictures is going after Cruise fans in a big way with a temporary price reduction ($5.99) on three of his most popular hits: "Top Gun," "Days of Thunder" and "The Firm."
- MIKE MAYO
Spy Hard **
Starring Leslie Nielsen. Directed by Rick Friedberg. Buena Vista/Hollywood. 83 min. Rated PG-13 for bathroom humor, comic violence, strong language.
As movie spoofs go, this one has its moments, but it's not as frantically funny or energetic as the "Naked Gun" series. Star Nielsen is comfortable with the slapstick, and he gets some unexpectedly offbeat support from the supporting cast. But the pace is half a step slow, and many of the films targeted for parody aren't exactly cutting edge stuff - "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "Home Alone," "Sister Act," the James Bond series.
- MM
Last Dance **
Starring Sharon Stone and Rob Morrow. Buena Vista/Touchstone. Rated R.
A critique of capital punishment, this film also concerns the relationship between death-row inmate Cindy Leggett (Stone) and an attorney for the state's clemency board Rick Hayes (Morrow). This film might have looked better had it come out before, rather than after, ``Dead Man Walking.'' Everything ``Dead Man Walking'' did the hard, original way, ``Last Dance'' does the easy, cliched way.
- Syndicated review
The Pallbearer ***
Starring David Schwimmer and Gwyneth Paltrow. Buena Vista/Miramax. 94 minutes. Rated PG-13 for language, sexual content.
Schwimmer of ``Friends'' fame makes this movie work - about a guy looking for a job, a life, a love. His friends have already settled down, but Tom (Schwimmer) is still living in his mother's house and is still in love with a girl he admired from afar in high school (Paltrow). The movie's reminiscent of ``The Brothers McMullen,'' but Tom is ultimately a much more interesting character than anyone in ``Brothers.''
- Katherine Reed
Cold Comfort Farm ****
Starring Kate Beckinsale, Joanna Lumley and Rufus Sewell. Directed by Joh Schlesinger. MCA/Universal. 104 minutes. Rated PG for adult situations.
Tired of big-budget explosions? Try something a lot more substantial and even more fun - this English movie is about a self-assured young woman named Flora Post, who moves in with far-flung relatives to see how "ordinary people" live. She thinks she wants to write a novel; what she gets is - involved. Very involved - in dispelling the family "curse," which was apparently given life by "something nasty" grandma saw in the woodshed. A comic jewel.
- KR
Sunset Park **
Starring Rhea Perlman. Columbia TriStar. Rated R.
Here's yet another movie about a person - this time a woman (Perlman) - who takes on the basketball coaching job at an inner-city high school. She doesn't know what she's doing, and neither did the screenwriters who manage to brush several important, interesting issues without saying anything important about any of them. At least the soundtrack is interesting.
- KR
The Essentials:
Fist of the North Star *** BMG Video. Rated R for violence, strong language.
Land Before Time IV: Journey Through the Mists ** MCA/Universal. 74 min. Rated G.
Toto: Lost In New York*1/2 Paramount. 85 min. Unrated, contains no objectionable material.
LENGTH: Long : 137 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Rufus Sewell and Kate Beckinsale star in the Englishby CNBcomedy ``Cold Comfort Farm.''