St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 54

4E ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 1991 VIDEO WEEK PETER REXFORD STAMP COIN EXCHANGE NOW PLAYING F77TT IT. Trying To Make A Buck Off The Gulf War 1 I9VE HAD scores of letters in the past few weeks from readers asking about the investment potential of a coin being issued to honor Desert Storm. It sells for less than $10 and is impressively emblazoned with various war-like scenes. Not surprisingly, it is being issued by some tiny foreign country and is being touted as a wonderful collectible with "great potential." What a creatively oblique way to merchandise a functionally worthless piece of metal.

This coin and the whole capitalization on the Desert Storm patriotism wave has finally gotten out of hand. Everybody and his brother seems to be trying to make a buck off of war. The best perspective on this that by, of all countries, SL Vincent and Mongolia. I recently spoke with the International agent for the stamps and posed the question, "Are these stamps honestly for sale in Mongolia?" Incredibly, the answer is "yes." And, if stamps really are "the window to the world," are Mongolian families now sitting down to a dinner of yak to discuss how Americans are cruising around in flying bubble cars? (On the other hand, it beats, "So Ghengis, how was your day in the leech Admittedly, the Jetsons stamps are far less disturbing than the plethoric Desert Storm issues. They're also reasonably affordable (around $10) for kids who might like them for their collections.

Those interested in the Desert HU 1 I've run across was in a letter written to the weekly collector's publication, Linn's Stamp News. As the reader pointed out: "The United States, which committed more than 500,000 personnel, suffered hundreds of casualties and spent billions of dollars, has appropriately issued a stamp to honor Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. (The microscopic country of) Palau, which sent 17 people, issues nine commemora-tives, a priority mail stamp and a souvenir sheeL What's wrong with this picture? "Palau's commemoratives bear an eerie resemblance to the Desert Storm trading cards. And why not? Does anyone really believe their main purpose is to carry mail? By portraying war as the stuff of cartoons and bubble-gum cards, these entities demean and exploit veterans Storm stamps can obtain more information from the Shield Stamp Company, P.O. Box 6238, Grand Central Station, New York, N.Y.

10163. More fuel has been added to the American Numismatic Association's 100th Anniversary Convention in Chicago being held later this month with the release of a souvenir card specially designed for the show by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The card, which will be officially released at the show on Tuesday, features a magnificent $5,000 U.S. bank note from 1862. Engraved on the note is the portrait of James Madison, known as the "Father of the Constitution" because of his organization of the first interstate conventions, which led to the Constitutional Convention.

He also contributed to "The Federalist Pa tlMI The Jetsons stamps, issued by the countries of St. Vincent and Mongolia. instead of honoring them. One won- Robert de Niro (left) and Robin Williams as patient and doctor in "Awakenings." "AWAKENINGS" RCAColumbia Pictures Home Video, no price listed. "Awakenings," while blamed by cynics as the film that's Inspired a whole host of affliction-of-the-week movies that will be coming soon, is nevertheless an affecting drama that takes chances, by Hollywood standards.

First, it is not a movie with a happy ending. Director Penny Marshall is smart enough and sensitive enough to create a film that can move you without resorting to melodrama (unlike the "Love Story'Msh tear-jerkers the film biz usually turns out). The drama is heightened by several crucial elements. The film is based on the startling, true accounts of psychiatrist and author Oliver Sacks, who worked with catatonic patients. Robin Williams, who plays the movie version of the doc (Dr.

Sayer), is again quite good in a dramatic role, showing range and subtlety it's always surprising to see from such a manic comedian. Robert de Niro is brilliant as a brain-diseased patient who, in something of a medical miracle, wakes up, thanks to an experimental drug, after many years in a near catatonic state. De Niro's is the juicier role, of course, but together the actors convey a broad range of human experiences, and work well together. When we meet Dr. Sayer, he's a nerdy, isolated researcher who, fortunately for him, deals primarily with patients in a vegetative state he doesn't have to interact with them emotionally.

Initially amazed to see that a Hew drug raised his patient Leonard Lowe (de Niro), Sayer soon realizes how ill-equipped he is to deal with the resulting range of newly awakened human emotions. This is a fresh and realistic portrait of a doctor hardly the "saint in surgical garb" we often get from.films and TV. Williams, Marshall and screenwriter Steven Zaillian are careful to make his transformation into a sensitive, caring human being a gradual one, complete with setbacks. De Niro's task is to convey the incredible experiences of a man who wakes to realize he's slept away most of his life, and to refrain from going over the top in the process. He pulls it off with a sensitivity that's beyond mere technical acting skills.

That we begin to feel his rebirth, as it were, along with him, is testimony to de Niro's success. Supporting players, including John Heard as the hospital's chief of medicine, and the talented Julie Kavner as a nurse who tries to draw Sayer out of his emotional shell, only add to the overall feeling of quality that makes the film a generally satisfying experience. Josh Mooney, Entertainment News Service pers," which explained the philosophies and value of the new democracy of the United States in the 1790s. The detailed engraving and intricate designs on the note are not only attractive, they are currently unobtainable and priceless. All of the actual bank notes were redeemed years ago and none remain in the hands of any collector.

Today, the only way to obtain an example of one of the notes is on the souvenir card. Best of all, at $5.50 apiece, they are within everyone's budget. To obtain one by mail, send a check or money order for $5.50 to: Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Public Sales Program, Room 602-1 1A, 14th and Streets SW, Washington, D.C 20228. Be absolutely sure you specify that you're ordering Item 91018. ders when there will be a series featuring the Disney characters at war.

Why look, there's Mickey dropping the atom bomb on Nagasaki. I couldn't agree more with that reader's assessment of the proliferation of nonsensical stamps. Speaking of which, enter a stamp series released two months ago featuring the Jetsons. As you may remember, a little over a year ago, Hollywood tried to rekindle our childhood fascination with the futuristic cartoon family by releasing "Jetsons: The Movie." Few feature length films (including were so poorly received. In a word, it was a catastrophe.

As with any entertainment entity, before its release, when everyone felt the profit potential was good, manufacturers began snapping up the rights to Jetsons merchandise, stamps included. Those "Jetson" stamps were issued CHESS QUIZ HOWARD BLUM NTH AL By Shelby Lyman Quiz No. 1 Ml TV-VCRs: Lots Of Options tl it M. jm COMING ATTRACTIONS nail ijjiY till jlfrl'ni' a WHITE WINS A PIECE Hint: Use strength on the d-file. Solution pauioop si dousiq gin pue spxa "spxa jga i Magnavox.

This is a no-nonsense VCR and TV combination, with only the most essential features. The VCR simply plays and records tapes it doesn't show still frames, it can't be programmed for time-shift viewing, and it only includes one tuner. The VCR seems to be an afterthought. On the TV side, there's a 155-channel tuner and a 13-inch color screen. A remote control completes the package.

I'm not usually a big fan of the emerging Korean brands, but both GoldStar and Samsung have done an especially good job with their TVVCR combination units. GoldStar offers a nifty 5-inch portable called the GVT-9100M, which includes a 5-inch TV and a videocas-sette player (it does not record). At $550, it's a product worth inspecting. Samsung's 20-inch V7105 should be considered as a serious contender in the tabletop category. The styling is elegant, with the VCR nearly hidden below the TV cabinet.

Suggested list price is under $800. A 19-inch model (V6105) is available for about $50 less (I'd buy the larger one; in this range of screen sizes, an extra inch adds something to the viewing experience). The combination unit that I have always liked best in terms of sheer design comes from Sony. In its latest iteration, the EV-DT2 is a traditional 5-inch Trinitron color TV set with an 8mm VCR located just below the screen. The entire unit weighs about 12 pounds; it's easy to tote, to place on the tray table of a plane or train, or, better yet, on a nightstand.

There are lots of features included here as well superior sound quality (surprisingly good sound for such a small TV), special video effects (wasted when shown on such a small screen) and a flying erase head for clean edits between sequences. This last feature might seem unnecessary in a portable TVVCR until you consider the unit's convenience as an integral part of a home editing system. Connect this to a camcorder, and you've got a sophisticated setup, powerful enough for advanced amateur videography. The choice of battery vs. AC power makes the system even more versatile.

A Great Idea: Suncom Technologies (6400 West Gross Point Niles, 111. 60648) just introduced a product that functions as a kind of portable "mouse" for use with IBM-compatible laptop computers. Resembling a small joystick, the icontroller snaps onto the side of almost any laptop. Three function buttons are also part of the controller. The complete kit includes a cable, a diskette containing the necessary software, and a carrying case.

WHEN Sony introduced the first Betamax back in the mid-1970s, the package included not only a VCR, but a color television set as well. The system was not widely accepted by consumers, so Sony removed the TV set from the package, sold the VCR alone, and helped to begin the video revolution. The past two years have brought a return of the VCRTV combination system. At first, these combination systems combined the small, portable VCR recorder-player originally designed for camcorders, with a small color LCD television set. Two years ago Hitachi added some sophistication with a portable unit resembling a laptop computer, complete with a high-quality 5-inch screen (model VTLC50A is still available but hard to find; $1,700 suggested list price); Panasonic currently offers a similar system.

Sony's Video Watchman series brought true portability, but the success of this product line has been modest because it is based upon prerecorded 8mm videocassettes and these are very hard to find in most video retail outlets. A new generation of combination systems is based on more traditional screen sizes from 9 inch to 27 inch. Most are not portable systems, however. Instead, they're intended to be used at home, presumably in a master bedroom, or a kitchen, where a second video system may be desirable. They're also popular among owners of boats and recreational vehicles because of their compact design.

Panasonic's new PV-M 1 32 1 is a good example of what's available in a TVVCR combo. Not much larger than a traditional 13-inch TV set, the system comes with a wireless remote control, automatic tracking control, and on-screen programming. The VCR is located just below the screen, adding only a few inches to the overall height. Ease of operation is the goal here the manufacturer suggests that popping in the tape and pressing "play" is all that's necessary. The controls are located behind a flip-down panel, and they're duplicated on the remote control.

The PV-1321 will be available later this summer, with a suggested retail price of $599 a fair price considering the cost of each individual component. Advantages offered by Panasonic's 20-inch PV-M2071, the step-up model, include MTS stereo, a superior sound system, and, most important, a twin tuner, so that you can record from one channel while watching another. Suggested list price for the PV-M2071 is $999. Model PV-M2021, also a 20-inch combination system, costs only $679, lacks the special features offered on the more expensive model. For greater portability, try the CRL131 ($650) from Quiz No.

2 I kuiuu wnt it MMJM i litis ii i a- mi tmtmsm in si 11 Woody Allen and Bette Midler as battling husband and wife in "Scenes From a Mall." The following videocassettes are scheduled for national release next week. Local release dates and prices may vary. Drama "A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a ($14.95, Paramount Home Video) 1978. Directed by Ralph Nelson. Starring Cicely Tyson, Paul Winfield, Larry B.

Scott, Helen Martin. A ghetto youth battles drugs. ($14.95, Paramount Home Video) 1961. Directed by James B. Clarke.

Starring David Ladd, Pam Smith, Arthur O'Connell, Anne Seymour. Two lonely children fall in love with a wild horse. Comedy "If Looks Could ($92.99, Warner Home Video) 1991. Directed by William Dear. Starring Richard Grieco, Linda Hunt, Roger Rees, Roger Daltrey.

A high school student is mistaken for a spy. "My ($14.95, Paramount Home Video) 1962. Directed by Jack Cardiff. Starring Shirley MacLaine, Yves Montand, Edward G. Robinson, Robert Cummings.

The wife of a movie director disguises herself as a geisha to win a role in her hubby's film of "Madama Butterfly." "Queen's ($92.95, Live Home Video) 1991. Directed by Steve Rash. Starring Ken Olin, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Malkovich, Chloe Webb. Seven friends gather in their New York City neighborhood for a wedding but the groom gets cold feet. "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are ($92.95, Buena Vista Home Video) 1991.

Directed by Tom Stoppard. Starring Richard Dreyfuss, Gary Oldman, Tim Roth. Tom Stoppard adapted his award-winning play centering on two comical characters from Shakespeare's "Hamlet." "Scenes From a ($92.95, Touchstone Home Video) 1991. Directed by Paul Mazursky. Starring Woody Allen, Bette Midler, Bill Irwin.

A married couple break up and get back together while shopping at the local mall on their wedding anniversary. a WHITE MATES IN 2 Hint: Criss-cross. Solution i9eui mb SPM WWO SUPER HANDYMAN COMING DAY Dear Al: Every time I used my push broom, the handle would fall off. I finally cured the problem with a nail. I hammered a nail through the handle so that it stuck out just in one spot on top of one of the threads.

When I turned it back into the broom, the nail dug into the threads in the broom head and it doesn't slip anymore. String trimmers are handy but you can sure hack up your trees and shrubs if you're not careful. That's why it's a good idea to put some type of guards around their trunks. Plain old window screen works great and it's cheap. You can use scraps if you have them or just buy what you need at a hardware store.

A foot or so in height and a few inches to wrap around the tree is really all you need. The screen can be held in place with twine or wire but leave plenty of room for the tree to grow. Screen is also great for keeping rabbits and other pests from stripping the if 7F 1 Kids "Babar's ($14.95, Family Home Entertainment). The animated King of the Elephants unites the jungle dwellers to defend their home against evil hunters. THE HIT LIST The week's most popular videocassettes in St.

Louis-area stores. Figures provided by Sight and Sound Distributors. RENTALS SALES 1. Sleeping With the 1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Enemy The Movie 2.

Edwards Scissorhands 2. Brave Little Toaster 3. Kindergarten Cop 3. Robin Hood 4. GoodFellas 4.

The Terminator 5. Flight of the Intruder Jungle Book 6. Lionheart 6. Sweatin' to the Oldies 7. Russia House 7.

Naked Gun 8. A. Story B. Prince and the Pauper 9. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: 9.

Claudius Collector's Edition The Movie MUSIC NEWS If pop and rock set your toes to tapping, don't miss the Post's UpBeat page, where you'll find music news, record reviews, interviews and more. In Everyday. YOU'LL BE HOOKED! Get a line on the hottest fishing spots in the Midwest with The Fishing Report. Tomorrow, Post-Dispatch outdoors writer Tim Renken will lure you to where the fish are biting! In Sports. Fur home delivery, call 622-7111 or toll free 1-800-365-0820 ST.

LOUIS POST-DISPATCH bark from young trees..