DOKAN 6/Dokan 06.iso/Webs/www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/file-archive/totoro.mentions

Text File | 1998-09-05 | 26KB | 610 lines

INC-TOTO.DOC (6 INCIDENTAL mentions of TOTORO in long[er] articles)
* formatted to a 73-character line *
-------------------------------------------------------------------

WRITTEN BY: Dennis Hunt, Times Staff Writer
FIRST PUBLISHED IN: THE LOS ANGELES TIMES, August 5, 1994; Calendar
     section, pt. F, p. 26
FIRST POSTED TO <NAUSICAA@BROWNVM> BY: Steven Feldman, June 18, 1996

HOME ENTERTAINMENT; A NEW WAVE OF COMPETITION HOMING IN?
by Dennis Hunt, Times Staff Writer

[irrelevant stuff deleted]

     What's New on Video

     "The Chase" (FoxVideo).  A falsely convicted felon (Charlie Sheen)
goes on the run.  After stealing a car and snatching a snooty hostage
(Kristy Swanson), he's pursued by cops from San Diego to Mexico.  Of
course, during the long car chase, romance blooms between hostage and
captor.  The film is nutty, improbable and geared to the under-25 crowd,
featuring bits by rock stars such as Henry Rollins and members of the Red
Hot Chili Peppers.  If you're in the mood for mindless escapist fare,
this is perfect.

     "Major League II" (Warner).  The 1989 original, about the adventures
of a motley crew of a baseball team, was far from a great comedy but it
was wacky fun.  This one, about the team losing its edge after a
championship season, isn't as funny.  Charlie Sheen, Corbin Bernsen and
Tom Berenger return for the sequel.

     "Lightning Jack" (HBO).  Paul Hogan tries to reincarnate his
Crocodile Dundee character in this comedy Western.  As a bumbling crook
who yearns to be a famous outlaw, he teams with Cuba Gooding Jr. to rob
banks.  Renters hoping for a lively, Dundee-quality action comedy will be
disappointed.

     "Angie" (Hollywood).  Geena Davis plays brassy, Brooklyn-born Angie
in this comedy/drama, directed by Martha Coolidge and geared to the
female audience.  Dissatisfied with her life, Angie agonizes through
family problems, boyfriend problems and a childbirth tragedy before
taking off in search of her long-lost mother.  Co-stars Stephen Rea and
Aida Turturro.

     "My Neighbor Totoro" (FoxVideo, $20).  Thoroughly delightful,
Japanese-made animated feature about the adventures of two young sisters
living with their father while their mother is in the hospital.  In a
country house in Japan, they're befriended by a magical, furry creature
called a totoro, only visible to children.  Worth seeing just to savor
the stunning animation.  Caution: While stressing family bonding, some
sequences, such as the sisters in a hot tub with their father, may be
unacceptable to some American families.  Parent pre-screening is advised.

#####

WRITTEN BY: Arlene Vigoda, Robin DeRosa, Karen Thomas, Deirdre Donahue,
     and Erik Brady
FIRST PUBLISHED IN: USA TODAY, August 8, 1994; Life section, p. 3D
FIRST POSTED TO <NAUSICAA@BROWNVM> BY: Steven Feldman, June 18, 1996

A DELIGHTFUL NEW 'NEIGHBOR'; A HOWLING GOOD 'WOLF'
by Arlene Vigoda, Robin DeRosa, Karen Thomas, Deirdre Donahue, Erik Brady

     This week's picks are all over the map.  From Japan: Meet "My
Neighbor Totoro."  From the USA: a new American Heritage dictionary for
the very young.  Then check out the Boston Symphony's educational
rendition of "Peter and the Wolf."

     "My Neighbor Totoro" (FoxVideo Family Feature, $19.98, ages 3-10).
Animator Hayao Miyazaki is known as the Walt Disney of Japan.  His
artfully animated Totoro (TOE-tuh-ro) is sheer eye candy.  Seamlessly
dubbed into English, the 87-minute video tells the story of two young
sisters in Japan who, when their mom is hospitalized, move to a house in
the country with their dad.  They discover that their new home is haunted
by magical furry cat-like creatures called Totoros who live at the bottom
of tree trunks and can be seen only by kids who love them.  The critters
accompany the girls on fabulous imaginary adventures such as flying over
mountains in their 12-seater bus.  No violence or mayhem here--it's a
perfect world.  A perfect video, too.  --Arlene Vigoda

     Andre (Rhino, CD $15.98, cassette $10.98, all ages).  What's
nostalgic for parents is new to kids in the soundtrack to Paramount's
upcoming Andre, due in theaters Aug. 17.  Featuring songs from the early
'60s (11 rock 'n' roll classics that include Yakety Yak by the Coasters,
the Drifters' This Magic Moment, the Flamingos' I Only Have Eyes for You,
Joey Dee & the Starliters' Peppermint Twist, the Edsels' Rama Lama Ding
Dong) and Shelley Fabares' Johnny Angel. Three new recordings include
Thanks to You, You're My Best Friend and a remake of This Magic Moment.
A good addition to the family collection and a chance for a parent to
teach a young dancer the fine art of dipping.  --Robin DeRosa

     Clarissa Narrates Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf (Sony, cassette
$9.98, CD $ 13.98, all ages). The classical side of Nickelodeon's
Clarissa (actress Melissa Joan Hart) emerges as she introduces children
to classical music in a kid-friendly, inviting fashion, taking them first
on an audio tour of the orchestra so a child can hear the difference
between the sound of an oboe and a clarinet, a timpani and a bassoon.
Seiji Ozawa leads the Boston Symphony in Wolf, Saint-Saens' Carnival of
the Animals and Britten's The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra.
--Karen Thomas

     My Big Dictionary, by the editors of the American Heritage
Dictionaries, illustrated by Pamela Cote (Houghton Mifflin, $18.95, ages
2 and up).  Noah Webster probably had no idea that a dictionary could be
so entertaining.  This oversize paperback offers a marvelous introduction
to the world of words.  Each letter has a variety of illustrations--you
know, A is for astronaut, B for ballet dancer (a boy, thank you very
much)  What makes this book so delicious are the full-page illustrations
that incorporate all sorts of words beginning with a selected letter. A
personal favorite involves the letter M: a moose magician juggles
magnets, mugs, mushrooms, marbles, mittens and melons in a pool of
spilled milk while moles and mice cook marshmallows in the shadow of the
moonlit mountains.  Get the picture?  This is the kind of book that
actually makes learning fun.  --Deirdre Donahue

     Reader Rabbit 3 (The Learning Company, for PC - Windows, Mac and
CD-ROM due in September--$42, ages 5-9).  First came Reader Rabbit, then
Reader Rabbit 2.  The latest Rabbit will teach your child some things
about reading and writing.  There are four kid-friendly word games that
involve identifying sentence parts.  The games are set up around a
newspaper called The Daily Skywriter (editor Ed Word, a burly bear,
admonishes staffers for errors).  When your child is done, he or she can
print out the newspaper--complete with masthead, byline and paragraphs
from each of the games.  --Erik Brady

#####

WRITTEN BY: Don Oldenburg, C.J. Houtchens, Richard Harrington, and
     John F. Kelly
FIRST PUBLISHED IN: THE WASHINGTON POST, October 12, 1994; Weekend
     section, p. O33 (Kidware--A Parent's Guide to Family Fun)
FIRST POSTED TO <NAUSICAA@BROWNVM> BY: Steven Feldman, June 18, 1996

FINDING THE 'EDU' IN EDUTAINMENT SOFTWARE
by Don Oldenburg, C.J. Houtchens, Richard Harrington, and John F. Kelly

     There's a REVOLUTION ticking away in America's dens, as kids explore
the point-and-click 'edutainment' software that's suddenly storming the
market.  But after the novelty wears off, are any of these products worth
the time--and money--they consume?  Our reviewers have answers below--and
scan some other kids' programs, videos and music.  Reviews by Don
Oldenburg unless otherwise noted; * indicates a critic's favorite.

     Another blockbuster at the box office, another blockbuster
soundtrack.  The appeal here is five new songs from composer Elton John
and lyricist Tim Rice, a promising partnership.  They've penned the
inspirational 'Circle of Life' and its catchy companion, 'Hakuna Matata'
(Swahili for 'no worries for the rest of your life'); the playful 'I Just
Can't Wait to Be King' (sung by Jason Weaver in early Michael
Jacksonesque innocence); the bad-guy counsel, 'Be Prepared' (sung-spoke
by the dastardly Jeremy Irons); and the romantic duet 'Can You Feel the
Love Tonight,' next year's inevitable Grammy nominee as Song of the Year.
8441

     All ages Richard Harrington

     VIDEO

     * My Neighbor Totoro, FoxVideo

     If 'Japanese animation' summons images of Astro Boy and other low-
budget disposables from the '60s and '70s, you owe it to yourself, your
kids and director Hayao Miyazaki to see this tape.  This magnificent,
quietly haunting flight of imagination--Fox's first bid to score in the
suddenly big-bucks quality animation game--features a compelling eye for
detail and a curious plushness of tone.  Two girls move into a new
country house with their father while their mom is hospitalized; the
house turns out to be inhabited by friendly creatures visible only to
kids.  Like the great Disney epics, Totoro features sophisticated themes,
moments of intense drama and some unforgettable images: The astonishing
'cat-bus' alone is worth the price of the tape.  All this and topical
value too: As an import (meticulously re-dubbed in English), it provides
a subtle cross-cultural experience without any P.C. preaching.  Our 4-
year-old tester begged to see the tape again and again.

     For 3-adult

     Dawn and the Dream Boy, KidVision

     There's something infinitely sad about this nicely produced, rather
sweetly acted moral fable based on the enormously popular (95 million
volumes published) Baby-sitters Club books by Ann M. Martin.  For
although the overt message is one to applaud--that sisterhood is just as
powerful and important as getting the guy--the subtext (baby-sitter
Dawn's defining attribute is a headful of long, straight, blonde hair)
and the video's undefiled, white-bread suburban setting are spun of the
illusionary stuff that has broken women's hearts since time began.  This
is a Harlequin romance for girls, but it makes one wonder if we don't do
our daughters a disservice by offering escape so early rather than facing
the real world with them while we can.

     For girls 9-13  C.J. HOUTCHENS

     School Dazed, Sony Wonder

     Just in time for back-to-school, Nickelodeon has packaged a pair of
school-based episodes of its Pete & Pete series, a loopy Wonder Years
(sans cloying overlay of grown-up retrospect) featuring a pair of red-
haired brothers named Pete.  The writing has unexpected touches of
brilliance: In the first episode, older Pete's marching band teacher
mercilessly pursues the state championship by designing routines based
on Crimean War maneuvers; younger Pete is trapped on a school bus as the
broken-hearted driver tearfully tours the monuments of his busted love.
In the second, older Pete learns some lessons about work, expectations
and circular saws from Mr. Slurm, the one-armed shop teacher.  Video
bonus: an 'interactive' stare-down with young Pete.

     For 7-teens

     Much Ado About Mad Dog, Sony Wonder

[remainder deleted]

#####

WRITTEN BY: Moira McCormick
FIRST PUBLISHED IN: BILLBOARD, January 7, 1995; Home Video section:
     Child's Play, p. 72
FIRST POSTED TO <NAUSICAA@BROWNVM> BY: Steven Feldman, June 18, 1996

POWER RANGERS, DIRECT-TO-VID LEAD NON-THEATRICALS' RISE
by Moira McCormick

     KIDS' VIDEO, that hale and hearty genre, was as healthy as ever in
1994.  Theatrical product led the way, but non-theatrical titles, in
particular Kid Vision/A*Vision's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers line, blew
out of stores as well.  The Barney craze abated somewhat (to the very
premature glee of the media)--all crazes eventually do--but the purple
dino's video sales have remained brisk (three titles currently appear on
Billboard's Top Kid Video chart).  Direct-to-video feature-length movies
like Disney's "The Return Of Jafar," MCA's "The Land Before Time II," and
Hemdale's "The Polar Bear Kind" signaled the start of a promising new
genre.  And speaking of new genres, an entire cottage industry grew up
around reality-based vocational videos that show kids the inner workings
of heavy machinery and forms of transportation.
     Children's titles remained consistent, dependable sellers.
Predictably, Billboard's Top Kid Video chart was filled with theatrical
releases, among them Disney's "Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs,"
"Aladdin," "Pinocchio," "Beauty And The Beast," "The Fox And The Hound,"
"101 Dalmatians," "Dumbo," and "Alice In Wonderland"; Warner Bros.'
"Thumbelina"; Hemdale's "The Princess And The Goblin"; and MCA/
Universal's "We're Back!  A Dinosaur Story."
     But non-theatrical titles made an impressive showing as well,
particularly anything with "Power Rangers" attached to the title.  Saban
Entertainment/A*Vision Entertainment's juggernaut of a line lived up to
its "Mighty" appellation, and should continue to do so: Morphin Mania
appears as strong as ever.
     A*Vision's reality-based "Live Action Video For Kids" series also
made a chart splash, with titles like "There Goes A Fire Truck!" and
"There Goes A Bulldozer!" appearing amidst a plethora of animated
product.  KidVision/A*Vision's upcoming video line taken from the hit PBS
animated series "The Magic School Bus," itself based on the popular books
from Scholastic, is expected to be a big hit in '95, according to the
Video Flash tracking service of New York-based Alexander & Associates.
     Alexander also expects to see much more direct-to-video feature-
length product, such as Disney's "The Return Of Jafar" and MCA/
Universal's new "The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure."
However, the market research firm notes, this up-and-coming genre
presents a tracking dilemma: should it be considered theatrical or non-
theatrical, since it fits neatly between the two?  "'Jafar' performed
like a theatrical product," Alexander says.
     One title doing extremely well based almost entirely on word-of-
mouth is FoxVideo's "My Neighbor Totoro," a Japanese movie featuring the
most breathtaking animation ever seen on video.  Though "Totoro" did have
a very limited theatrical run, its numbers (which have resulted in a
four-months-and-counting run on the chart) were generated neither by
massive ad campaigns nor merchandise tie-ins--just by the fact that it is
simply one of the most ravishing children's features ever made.
     As for Barney the Dinosaur, rumors of his demise are nothing more
than wishful thinking by the grown-up section of the population that,
needless to say, doesn't get the Barney mystique.  Though sales of Barney
merchandise are reportedly down, the purple T. Rex's videos are still
moving right along.  "Barney's Imagination Island," in fact, was No. 4
and rising as of this writing, and two other titles, "Live In New York
City" and "Waiting For Santa," were also charting.
     "The videos have done exceedingly well," says Alexander of the
Barney titles, which are produced and manufactured by the Lyons Group.
"If the Barney craze is tailing off that drastically, why is Universal
Studios opening a multimillion-dollar Barney pavilion?"
     And, though a shakeout is surely in the cards somewhere, another
craze that shows no sign of letting up is the reality-based, big-machine,
live-action genre.  A*Vision's titles have been among the most visible,
but independent companies have sprung up seemingly overnight with
special-interest kids' titles exploring not only trucks and earth movers
but airplanes, spaceships, skyscrapers, tugboats, trawlers, and many
other similar subjects.
     If 1995 is to see a slowdown of this still-booming genre, it
certainly won't be during the first quarter.

     KIDBITS: MCA/Universal Home Video has released its direct-to-video
feature, "The Land Before Time II" ($ 19.98 cassette, $ 24.98 laser
disc).  It's the first of three planned sequels, and features an original
musical score and songs. . . . A&M Children's Video Division lent its
support to Shari Lewis' recent Broadway debut in a big way.  "Lamb Chop
On Broadway," which ran Dec. 6-11 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre,
benefited from radio and retail promotion throughout the metropolitan New
York area.  Coconuts, Sam Goody, RKO Warner Video, and Blockbuster were
among the participating stores, some of which hosted Lamb Chop
appearances.  Plus, radio stations WPLJ, WBZO, WMJC/WGFM (New York and
New Jersey), and WEZN and WRKI-AM (Connecticut) have away tickets to the
show and Shari Lewis cassettes . . .  CBS/Fox will release four new
$9.98 episodes of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" Jan. 18.  Each contains a
coupon redeemable for half off the regular, $16 price of a handcrafted,
hardwood replica of Mister Rogers' trolley . . . Boston-based independent
KidVidz, along with duplicator Allied Entertainment and Ingram
Entertainment, is donating its Parents' Choice winner, "Squiggles, Dots &
Lines," to children in hospitals nationwide.  The 1,500 copies will be
shared among some 25 pediatric units.

#####

WRITTEN BY: ?
FIRST PUBLISHED IN: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, March 21, 1995
FIRST POSTED TO <NAUSICAA@BROWNVM> BY: Steven Feldman, June 18, 1996

[no title indicated]
[no author indicated]

     GEORGE PAL MEMORIAL AWARD

     NOMINATIONS

[lots and lots of irrelevant stuff deleted]

     GENRE TELEVISION SERIES

     "Earth 2" (NBC)

     "M.A.N.T.I.S." (Fox)

     "seaQuest DSV" (NBC)

     "The Simpsons" (Fox)

     "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (Paramount)

     "Tales From the Crypt" (HBO)

     "The X-Files" (Fox)

     GENRE TELEVISION SPECIAL

     "Alien Nation: Dark Horizon" (Fox)

     "Fatherland" (HBO)

     "Hercules: Legendary Adventures" (syndication)

     "Roswell" (Showtime)

     "The Stand" (ABC)

     "TekWar" (syndication)

     "Witch Hunt" (HBO)

     GENRE VIDEO RELEASE

     "Body Melt" (Prism)

     "Cronos" (Vidmark)

     "Jack Be Nimble" (Triboro)

     "My Neighbor Totoro"  (Fox Video)

     "Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead" (MCA/Universal)

     "Shrunken Heads" (Paramount)

     "V" (Warner)

#####

WRITTEN BY: C.J. Houtchens
FIRST PUBLISHED IN: THE WASHINGTON POST, November 29, 1995; Weekend
     section: Fast Forward, p. R16
FIRST POSTED TO <NAUSICAA@BROWNVM> BY: Steven Feldman, June 18, 1996

THE FFWD QUALITY PATROL; VIDEO GIFTS WORTH DIGGING FOR
by C.J. Houtchens

     The holiday season brings out the absolute worst in the nation's kid
video marketers, who dump huge quantities of licensed trash, exhumed has-
beens and third-rate seasonal snoozers onto the shelves.  Most can be
safely ignored.  The tapes we list below--all of them direct-to-video,
meaning they did not appear in theaters--may be harder to find, but we
promise they're worth the trouble.  The list represents a consensus of
folks who follow what's good for kids (librarians, teachers, non-profit
media groups), with some of FFWD's favorites mixed in.  Top kids' tapes
of movies that appeared in theaters were featured in FFWD's Video Pocket
Protector (issue 2:01); to order a back copy, see p. 2.  That feature is
also available on Digital Ink, the Post's on-line service.
C.J. Houtchens

     Video Field Trips

     Geokids and Really Wild Animals,

     National Geographic Home Video

     These series occupy the top of the food chain.  Geokids tapes, for
the preschool set, feature extraordinary animal "friends" as guides; the
Really Wild series (narrated by Dudley Moore as "Spin") is fascinating,
funny stuff for all ages.

     $15; 800/523-0823

     The Biggest Bears!, Bullfrog Films

     Alaska's big grizzlies are shown up close but never-too-cutesily in
this live action video narrated by a 5112 year-old with an infectious
sense of wonder.

     All ages; $15; 800/543-3764

     Let's Go to the Farm, Vermont Story Works

     In a crowded niche, this is a well-crafted, witty standout.

     Ages 3-8; $15; 800/206-8383

     You Can Ride a Horse,

     Blackboard Entertainment

     Don't expect equestrian technique: The point is to spark kids'
interest in horses.

     Ages 2-8; $13; 800/928-2261

     I Dig Fossils, Mazon Productions

     A boy and his dad go exploring for 300-million-year-old fossils, in
the dirt and in Chicago's Field Museum.

     Ages 5-12; $20; 800/332-4344

     Cowboys On the Job, On the Job Productions

     A simply produced visit to a ranch.  Highlight: Fast-motion cow-
herding.

     Ages 2-10; $20; 800/342-6926

     A Girl's World, Laurie Hepburn Productions

     In this video version of "Take Our Daughters to Work Day," a jet
pilot, glassblower and equine veterinarian share a woman's day on the job
with a young friend.

     Ages 7-13; $20; 800/275-9101

     Video Storybooks

     Amazing Grace and Other Stories,

     Weston Woods/Children's Circle

     Grace, discouraged from auditioning for the role of Peter Pan in a
school play because she is black and a girl, learns you can be whatever
you want to be.

     Ages 3-9; $15; 800/243-5020

     Really Rosie, Weston Woods/Children's Circle

     Carole King wrote the music and sings the songs in this video based
on Maurice Sendak's books.

     Ages 3-8; $15; 800/243-5020

     The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash and Other Stories, Weston Woods/
Children's Circle

     Four animated stories, each different in tone and illustration, make
an interesting starting point for exploring variations of humor.

     Ages 4-9; $15; 800/243-5020

     Ralph S. Mouse, Churchill Media

     Before Biker Mice from Mars, there was author Beverly Cleary's toy-
motorcycle-riding rodent Ralph, a feisty, stuffed-action figure.

     Ages 4-11; $60; 800/334-7830

     Charlotte's Web, Paramount Home Video

     This 1973 animated musical features blast-from-the-past voices of
Debbie Reynolds, Paul Lynde, Agnes Moorehead and Henry Gibson.  Fair
warning: The subject matter is the natural order of things, including
death and the food chain.

     Ages 5-11; $15; 312/714-9664

     Big Fat Fabulous Bear, Celebrity/Just for Kids

    These eight animated, Old World-flavored tales are fine bedtime
stories.

     Ages 3-7; $25; 818/595-0666

     Follow the Drinking Gourd, Rabbit Ears

     The best of the uneven Rabbit Ears series, which pairs celebs with
kids' classics.  Backed by blues legend Taj Mahal, Morgan Freeman
provides the story of an Alabama slave family's trip to freedom.

     Ages 5 and up, $10, 800/800-3277

     The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Stories, Disney Home Video

     Eric Carle's kids' storybooks are minimally, tastefully enhanced;
"I See a Song" is a superb treatment of classical music.

     Ages 2-6; $13

     Culture Club

     Beethoven Lives Upstairs,

     The Children's Group

     Ten-year old Christoph hates the disruption when a wild-eyed, wild-
haired Ludwig von Beethoven comes to live in the room upstairs.
Gradually he comes to understand the composer's genius, the torment of
his deafness and the beauty of his music.

     Ages 5-11; $15; 800/541-9904

     Linnea in Monet's Garden, First Run Features

     Exquisite animation, archival photos of Claude Monet and color
footage of his garden are a lovely intro to Impressionism.  Demands some
sophistication.

     Ages 7-13; $20; 800/229-8575

     My Neighbor Totoro, Fox Video

     An unforgettable fantasy-drama of rural Japan from "the Japanese
Walt Disney."  The best for-the-whole-family video we've seen.

     All ages, $20

     God's Trombones: a Trilogy of African-American Poems, Billy Budd
Films

     James Earl Jones and Dorian Harewood bring the majesty of their
voices to animated versions of three poems by James Weldon Johnson.

     Ages 7 and up; $ 25; 800/367-8437

     Soldier Jack, Davenport Films

     A live-action version of the Appalachian folktale about a young man
who catches Death in a sack, by Fauquier County filmmakers Tom and Mimi
Davenport.

     Ages 6 and up; $20; 800/804-7466

     C.J. Houtchens has been reviewing kidvid since FFWD 1:01.

#####

WRITTEN BY: ?
FIRST PUBLISHED IN: THE WASHINGTON POST, March 29, 1995; Weekend section,
     p. R18
FIRST POSTED TO <NAUSICAA@BROWNVM> BY: Steven Feldman, June 18, 1996

SHELF HELP; STICKER STOCK
[no author indicated]

     This month, Suncoast Motion Picture Co. stores will attempt to make
it easier for parents to find quality videos for their kids.  Using in-
store displays and brochures, the chain will support the Kids First!
endorsement label, a quality-video designation bestowed by the non-profit
Coalition for Quality Children's Video.  The stores will also stock many
of the 400 titles that have passed Kids First! muster.
     Unfortunately, the service may prove only marginally useful.  While
the Coalition submits tapes to a team of 100 adults and 2,000 kids in
day-care settings--and applies rigorous criteria to ensure no videos are
violent, sexist, mean or coarse--the Coalition ultimately approves around
95 percent of the material submitted by the kidvid industry.  And there's
a brow-raising overlap between the group's financial supporters and the
videos making the cut--charter members A*Vision Entertainment, Discovery
Communications, Children's Television Workshop and Family Home
Entertainment/LIVE are all generously represented on the list of Kids
First! titles.  As the Coalition readily admits, the list of KF! tapes is
not a Best Kidvid list by any stretch.  GoodTimes Home Video's tedious,
uninspired versions of Pinocchio, The Little Mermaid and Aladdin make the
list, but Disney's world-class versions are nowhere to be seen.  National
Geographic's brilliant Deep Sea Dive is on the list, but so is A*Vision's
ickily condescending There Goes a Fire Truck.  The best animated title
we've ever reviewed, "My Neighbor Totoro," has not gained KF!
distinction.  Why?  Fox Video never nominated it.  Our bottom line: Kids
First! tapes are safe, but not necessarily good.
     Another kidvid distinction comes from a group called Parents'
Choice, which previews some 1,500 kids' titles per year in a three-tiered
judging by teachers, parents, critics and staff, and presents awards to
around 200.  We find the picks a slightly more dependable indicator of
quality than Kids First!'s--and PC's budget isn't underwritten by the
video industry.  In retail stores, Parents' Choice honorees often carry a
medallion on the package.
     For more information about the Suncoast program, call 800/766-9998.
About Kids First!, 505/989-8076.  About Parents Choice: 617/965-5913.

#####  -- end of file --