The Perfect Storm

Bill Tyne is not exactly "on a roll." The hold of the Andrea Gail, the Gloucester, Mass., fisherman`s boat has hardly been bursting with fish during this 1991 season. In the waning days of October, Tyne decides to make one more trip - despite the gathering of winter storms. It is a calculation fishermen make all the time: risk vs. livelihood. On this trip Tyne and his crew would get extraordinarily lucky and unlucky. With a hold full of fish and racing for home, the Andrea Gail would encounter "The Perfect Storm" (Warner, PG-13, VHS/$23, DVD/$25).

Based on a true story, the perfect storm occurred on Halloween 1991. Hurricane Grace powered up the Atlantic seaboard and smack into the heart of two other storm fronts. There was nothing like it in recorded history. Sebastian Junger`s compelling best-selling story of that storm and the fishermen who rode it out at sea was the basis for this movie, directed by Wolfgang Peterson. The summer blockbuster pulled in $181 million at the box office.

George Clooney stars as Bill Tyne, captain of the Andrea Gail. Mark Wahlberg is his first mate, Bobby Shatford, a man with a divorce lawyer to pay and a girlfriend (Diane Lane as Christina) to support. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio is Linda Greenlaw, the captain of the Hannah Boden, berthed next to the Andrea Gail - she`s been enjoying a fairly lucrative season. Director Peterson, author Junger and visual effects wiz Stefen Fangmeier provide commentary on the DVD version of the movie. The disc also includes some making-of documentaries. Most important, with the DVD`s Dolby Digital 5.1 EXaudio and a decent home audio system, the howling winds will send shivers up and down your spine.

Are you a fan of Wolfgang Petersen? Columbia Tri-Star, in arrangement with Warner Bros., has put together the four-disc DVD set "The Wolfgang Petersen Collection" ($76). The boxed set includes "The Perfect Storm," as well as the Harrison Ford action-thriller "Air Force One"; Clint Eastwood as a Secret Service agent in "In the Line of Fire"; and the intense war drama "Das Boot: The Director`s Cut." ALSO THIS WEEK

"Fantasia 2000" (Disney, VHS/$27, DVD/$30). This is why DVD owners seem to gloat. The superior audio and visuals make this debut an event on DVD. The DVD includes audio commentaries from Roy Disney, conductor James Levine and producer Don Ernst as well as the directors and art directors for each of the eight classical-music inspired segments. The DVD also includes two animated shorts and a 48-minute documentary on the making of the film.

"The Fantasia Anthology" (Disney, DVD/$70, three discs). This set includes both the original 1940 "Fantasia" and the new "Fantasia 2000" but hold on to your hat: The third disc includes animation and story reels for segments that never made it into either film. These include "Claire de Lune," "The Ride of the Valkyries" and "Invitation to the Dance" among the eight titles. The disc also contains a gallery of 1,550 images.

"Joseph: King of Dreams" (Dreamworks, unrated, VHS/$16, DVD/$20).

Follow-up to the successful "The Prince of Egypt," this animated feature debuts directly on home video. Characters are voiced by Ben Affleck, Mark Hamill, Steven Webber and Judith Light. Five original songs are voiced by Jodi Benson, David Campbell and Maureen McGovern. The story of family and forgiveness is, of course, interpreted from the Bible, as only Hollywood can do these things.

"Boys and Girls" (Dimension, PG-13, VHS/DVD). Freddie Prinze Jr. continues to court the sassy crowd with another lightweight romantic comedy. Prinze and Claire Forlani are the kids next door who have hated each other since they were 12 years old. Stuff changes with college and adulthood, however, and suddenly they face the prospect of blossoming romance. Others in the cast include Jason Biggs, Amanda Detmer and Heather Donahue.

"Big Momma`s House" (Fox, PG-13, VHS/rental, DVD/$27). Martin Lawrence is an FBI agent who goes undercover disguised as the title character, a woman of enormous proportions and personality. He waits at the house of Big Mamma for an escaped convict who is believed headed home to Big Mamma. As if being disguised as a loud and superchunky good ol` girl weren`t enough, Lawrence`s Fed is falling for the escaped convict`s flame (Nia Long, and who wouldn`t?). (The DVD will be released Nov. 28.)

"Hamlet" (Miramax, R, VHS/DVD). Here`s an interesting twist on an

old Shakespeare play: Move "Hamlet" out of the damp and dreary castle and into the contemporary high-rise offices of Denmark Corp. in Manhattan. The CEO has been murdered and his wife has taken up with his brother. The son tries to fend off a corporate takeover while encountering betrayal from his girlfriend. Think Tom Wolfe-meets-Shakespeare over "Wall Street." Ethan Hawke has the title role. He gets noble support from Sam Shepard, Lyle McLachlan, Julia Stiles, Diane Venora and Liev Schreiber.

"The Battle Over Citizen Kane" (WGBH Boston Video, unrated, VHS/$20). Orson Welles was only 24 years old when he wrote, directed and starred in what is regarded by many as the finest movie ever made. The story was inspired by the life of one of the most powerful men of his time, publisher William Randolph Hearst who did everything in his power - including blackmail - to have the movie and Welles crushed. This documentary tells the amazing story behind an amazing film.

"Annie Get Your Gun" (Warner, DVD/$25, VHS/$20). This 1950 Academy Award-winning musical has finally been set free. The movie casts Betty Hutton as the sharpshooter Annie Oakley, a role first made famous on Broadway by Ethel Merman. The music is by Irving Berlin and the story by Dorothy and Herbert Fields. It has most recently been revived on Broadway and a touring version is criss-crossing America. The musical includes such memorable Berlin songs as "There`s No Business Like Show Business," "Doin` What Comes Natur`lly" and "Anything You Can Do."COMING ATTRACTIONS

Dec. 5: Japanese animation series from the Cartoon Network: "Tenchi Muyo!"

Dec. 5: From Russell Crowe`s earlier years "Hammers over the Anvil" in which he stars as a man who has a "passionate love affair with a married woman to disastrous consequences." How ironic is that?

Dec. 19: Swedish star Stellan Skarsgard in the romantic fantasy "Hip Hip Hurrah!"

Jan. 9, 2001: Jet Li in "Once Upon a Time in China."

(c) Copley News Service

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Author: Robert J. Hawkins