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22 THE HARTFORD SEPTEMBER29, 2005 hen David Gulpilil was 17 and could speak no English, he starred in a movie destined to become a cult favorite, playing an Aborigine who leads two lost white children out of the Outback. As a graying, wrinkled Aborigine helping three white lawmen hunt down an Aborigine accused of murder and rape. The a Stepin Fetchit type, saying over and over. Even after the leader of the posse, unnamed and called simply in the credits, massacres six Aborigines he suspects are withholding information, The Tracker continues to bow and scrape. The other lawmen are a young soldier on his first mission of this kind, and a weary old man who winces at the atrocities but keeps silent.

The year is 1922, and evident that white Australians are no more enlightened in matters of race than Americans were during that period. The white-supremacist views evidently are not unusual, as nobody seems surprised by his behavior, even the slaughter of six innocent black people. Gary Sweet superbly plays The Fanatic as an iron-willed martinet who, while conceding The talent for following someone, otherwise sees him as little more than an animal. When The Tracker leaves the camp one night without permission, thereafter chained to a tree at night and kept on a chain during the day, like a bloodhound on a leash. As the posse begins to close in on its prey, The Tracker contrives to undermine the search while seeming to help.

And it soon becomes clear that this man on a leash possesses rare courage, integrity and ingenuity. Gulpilil is the only familiar face in the movie, but Sweet richly deserves wider fame, as his cruel, cold-blooded racist nearly crowds everyone else off the screen. Aman of courage, integrity RELEASE OF THE WEEK NEW IN VIDEO THE TRACKER 2002 drama, directed by Rolf de Heer, featuring David Gulpilil, Gary Sweet, Damon Gameau and Grant Page. A Facets Video release. Running time: 95 minutes.

Not rated. DVD includes a one-hour documentary about life and career. WILLIAMS This week: Amityville Summer of the Gates of Next week: The Taking of Patty of and Sisterhood of the Traveling Other releases video Movies Robots (Fox, 2005) Usually if a movie ad uses a plug from Larry King, I stay away from it. But turns out to be another gorgeous and hilarious entry in the growing pantheon of computer-animated films. about young robot Rodney, an aspiring inventor, who plans to go to work for the benevolent genius Bigweld, only to find been ousted as CEO by Ratchet, who wants to increase profits by forcing old robots to upgrade by cutting off their replacement parts.

Rodney winds up leading a revolution against Ratchet. The clever script, sight gags and performances (especially by Robin Williams as sidekick) are supplemented by a profusion of pop-culture references, giving adult viewers something extra. PG. Television The Amazing Race: The First Season (Paramount, 2005) the eighth season of the Emmy-winning reality show upon us, at long last the first on DVD. You remember: the one with Team Guido (Bill and Joe), who wore neatly ironed, matching outfits; bickering frat brothers Kevin and Drew; and lawyers Rob and Brennan.

Extras include hilarious commentaries by racers, 90 minutes of unaired footage, a and behind-the-scenes footage with the producers, creators and host, that hottie New Zealander, Phil Keoghan. C. Williams Creature Comforts (Sony, 2003) The geniuses at Aardman Animations, whose first feature-length Wallace movie comes out Oct. 7, made this unique, quietly funny series of 10-minute television films using audiotapes of everyday people, putting their words into the Documentary Make It Funky! (Sony, 2005) This blend of concert footage with interviews about the New Orleans music scene and its heritage takes on a special poignancy now that the parts of the city it celebrates have been severely damaged, and in some cases destroyed. The timing of its release is coincidental, something the filmmakers take pains to make known, for fear of seeming to exploit the disaster.

Narrated by Art Neville, one of the 76 Neville brothers, it describes the history of New Orleans jazz, rhythm and blues and rock roll, all with that distinctive sound, instantly recognizable wherever you may hear it. Besides the many better-known performers in the film, there are Allen Toussaint and Snooks Eaglin, who made an instant fan out of me. Fats Domino appears only in an old TV clip that a shame but there are more than enough Nevilles to make up for it. Not rated. Reissue The Deer Hunter (Universal, 1978) Michael Cimino became the out-of-control director from hell after making this multiple Oscar winner about guys from a Pennsylvania steel town who are forced to play Russian Roulette as prisoners of war in Vietnam.

His next movie, was deemed an un-releasable mess by his studio. seen both, and the truth is they are a lot alike. Both have long stretches of tedium, including an interminable party scene. lasts three hours, about an hour too long. But no amount of editing could make up for the mind-boggling sight of a bearded Robert De Niro in his dress uniform.

The Army would sooner he frag his commanding officer than go unshaven. R. WILLIAMS mouths of animals. So a couple talking about their love of the sea becomes a pair of seals talking. I started playing the episodes without knowing how they were made, and enjoyed them tremendously.

Then I watched the documentary. I wish I had waited, because I could no longer watch the films without being preoccupied with how they were made. (The three Wallace Gromit movies, about 30 minutes each, are on a new DreamWorks release titled Amazing The Complete Monty Flying Circus: 16-Ton Megaset 2005) Almost 30 hours of the bracingly absurd sketch comedy, encompassing all 45 episodes televised by the BBC from 1969 to 1974, plus two bonus featuring live performances and other stuff. A PAIR OF STRAY DOGS offer their comments on life in AARDMAN ANIMATIONS SHORT TAKES FACETS VIDEO DAVID GULPILIL foreground, plays a scout forced to help a posse led by Gary Sweet, background, hunt down a fellow Aborigine in.