Leader-Telegram from Eau Claire, Wisconsin • 58

SUNDAY, Dec. 15, 1991 Leader-Telegram Entertainment Bcct-Solling Books liekera' works on emotions 'City (often too overtly) by weaving a tapestry of genial comedy. Video data CBS-Fox home video launches a "triple threat" campaign in January with the releases of three eagerly awaited tides "Dying Young," "Point Break" and on the 9th, 16th and 30th, respectively. MCA-Universal has announced two heavyweight titles for January: cv w's "Jungle Fever" on spread from another era. The joke here, of course, is in seeing three big-city guys grapple with a number of cowboy problems: learning to ride a horse, learning to rope, figuring out how to keep the.doggies from wandering away.

When the cattle drive finally gets under way, the city slickers are joined by more outsiders: a black father-and-son dentist team, two ice-cream barons, and a no-nonsense woman (Helen they go in the care of a crabby trail boss named Curly (Jack Palance). Let's face it: Fish-out-of-water movies always have a giddy charm, and in Crystal's neurotic hands, the humor and the action are fast and furious. There's also superb help from his co-stars, with Stem and Kirby lending the right dose of scattered angst. Still, "City Slickers" has some slow spots. The writing is at its best before the friends ever leave New York; after that the emphasis is on physical sight gags, and that, alas, means an awful lot of cliches.

No matter. This is one video that's bound to do booming business. It works on the emotions PAPERBACK Mass Market 1. "Jurassic Park." Michael Crichton. 2.

"The Plains of Passage." Jean Auel. 3. "The Prince of Tides." Pat Conroy. 4. "Cold Fire." Dean Koontz.

5. "Circle of Friends." Maeve Binchy. 6. "Prisoner of My Desire." Johanna Lindsey. 7.

"The Fourth Mario Puzo. 8. "Hocus Pocus." Kurt Vonnegut. 9. "Four Past Midnight- Stephen King.

10. "22 Indigo Place." Sandra Brown. Trade 1. "Life's Little Instruction Book." H. Jackson Brown Jr.

2. "Scientific Progress Goes Bill Watterson. 3. "Unnatural Selections: A Far Side Collection." Gary Larson. 4.

"The Waste Lands: The Dark Tower Book III." Stephen King. 5. "Possession: A Romance." AS. Byatt. 6.

"7 Habits of Highly Effective People." Stephen R. Covey. 7. "You Just Don't Understand." Deborah Tannen. 8.

"A Southern Belle Primer." Marlyn Schwartz. 9. "A Year in Provence." Peter Mayle. 10. "World Almanac and Book of Facts '92." Mark Hoffman.

Source: Publisher's Weekly Billy Crystal New Yorker at dude ranch Video Rovioiv tic dude ranch or so his best pals (Daniel Stem, Bruno Kirby) decide as they drag a whining Mitch to the dusty confines of a Texas cattle on videotapes fizzles Jan. 31 and "Mobsters" on Jan. 30. The industry magazine Video Business reports that when Paramount Pictures' big-screen "The Addams Family" reaches home video sometime next year, it could have up to five minutes of additional footage excised from the theatrical release. Videophiles looking to give the gift of home video for Christmas might consider ordering a catalog from View Video in New York, which has dozens of titles to choose from priced from $19.98 to $29.98.

Catalogs and tapes can be ordered by calling (800) 843-9843. I $10 off service over $50 with ad We're the best trimmers Aerial truck log jammer I Lowest prices in town I 'Insured I ffiwSr Christmas Trees at the Pumpkin Patch All Kinds -1 Quality Roping -Beautiful Wreaths Cider, Cookies, Treats Crafts for Sale. Vine St cross Clairemont to 2620 Preston Rd. 834-2290 Open 10 a.m. Daily MHS Choirs Present: rtSH creased its sales by about $16.7 million in the first month of its "Home Alone" promotions.

'Home Alone' was one of the few videos released in 1990-91 that was attractive to advertisers," said Erica Gruen, associate media director at Saatchi Saatchi Advertising, New York. While the audience demographics for videocassettes are still attractive 80 percent of American homes with children under 12 years old own videocassette recorders air time on television has become less expensive, making videocassettes less appealing, she said. The HARDCOVER Fiction 1. "Scarlett." Alexandra Ripley. 2.

"No Greater Love." Danielle Steel. 3. "The Sum of All Fears." Tom Clancy. 4. "Needful Things." Stephen King.

5. "The Doomsday Sidney Sheldon. 6. "Night over Water." Ken Follett. 7.

"Comeback." Dick Francis. 8. "WIT: A Radio Romance." Garrison Keillor. 9. "The Firm." John Grisham.

10. "Sapphire Rose." David Eddings. Non-fiction 1. "Me: Stories of My Life." Katharine Hepburn. 2.

"Den of Thieves." James B. Stewart. 3 "Under Fire: An American Story." Oliver North with William Novak. 4. "Uh-Oh: Some Observations from Both Sides of the Refrigerator Door." Robert Fulghum.

5. "The Best Treatment." Isadora fRosonfOrrf 6. "Backlash: The Undeclared War Against Women." Susan Faludi. 7. "The Jordan Rules." Sam Smith.

8. "Childhood." Bill Cosby. 9. "Awaken the Giant." Anthony Robbins. 10.

"More Wealth Without Risk." Charles J. Givens. Top Videos SALES 1. "Fantasia" 2. "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves'l 3.

"Home Alone" 4. "The Rescuers Down Under" 5. "Ghost" 6. "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" 7. The Jungle Book" 6.

"The Simpsons Christmas Special" 9. "The Little Mermaid" 10. "Spartacus" 11. "1992 Playboy Video Playmate Calendar" 12. "The Terminator" 13.

"Citizen Kane: 50th Anniversary Edition" 14. "Three Tenors in Concert" 15. "It's a Wonderful Life: 48th Anniversary Edition" 16. "The Hunt for Red October" 17. "Frosty the Snowman" 18.

"Star Trek Collector's Set" 19. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed -Reindeer" 20. "Penthouse Passport to Paradise Hawaii" Top Music Hits HOT SINGLES 1. "Black or White" Michael Jackson 2. "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" Boyz II Men 3.

"All 4 Love" Color Me Bad 4. "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" P.M. Dawn 5. "When a Man Loves a Woman" Michael Bolton 6. "Can't Let Go" Mariah Carey 7.

"Blowing Kisses in the Wind" rauia adoui 8. "Finally" Ce Ce Peniston 9. "2 Leait 2 Quit" Hammer 10. "Wildside" Marky Mark the Funky Bunch TOP ALBUMS 1 "Dangerous" Michael Jackson 2. "Ropin' the Wind" Garth Brooks 3.

"Too Legit to Quit" Hammer 4. "Achtung Baby" U2 5. "Time, Love and Tenderness" Michael Bolton 6. "Nevermind" Nirvana 7. "Unforgettable" Natalie Cole 8.

"Cooleyhighharmony" Boyz II Men 9. "Metallica" Metallica 10. "Use Your Illusion II" Guns N' Roses COUNTRY SINGLES 1. "My Next Broken Heart" Brooks Dunn Most marketers that advertise on videocassettes worry that viewers will fast-forward through their spots. But the Nielsen Pre-Re-corded Video Tracking Service reports that at least 85 percent of viewers of "Home Alone" the ad.

The "Home is likely to become one of the five best-selling cassettes ever, said C. Bruce Pfander, a senior vice president of marketing at Fox; more ihan 1 1 million copies', at a suggested retail price of $24.98, have already been distributed. Andrew Giangola, a Pepsi spokesman, said Pepsi had in- CWSAGIFMfcGOOD TASTE Christmas Fsom ft Hwy. 25 HiprjpljrWI 5473S Mon-Sat. 9-5iS, Sun.

"Songs of the Season Featuring Selections From Handel's "Messiah" By Mike Pearson Scripps Howard News Service "City SUckers," New Line Home Video, VHS-8mm, 114 minutes, rated PG-13: Comedies aren't supposed to be summer blockbusters, but this offbeat yam from Billy Crystal managed an astonishing third-place finish last summer behind the mega-star hits "Terminator 2" and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves." The surprise isn't that Crystal's comedy about three middle-age men in the throes of a mid-life crisis found an audience but that it tapped into the wanderlust longings of a wide range of people, many still years away from mid-life. Crystal is Mitch Robbins, a New York radio ad salesman with a bad case of the blues. Life's no longer a kick for Mifch; he's married to a beautiful woman tand has a pair of decent kids. But he hateshis job, and as age 40 looms on the horizon, he can't help but feel that he hasn't done anything with his life. How to rejuvenate the pessimist within? A cattle drive at an authen- Advertising By N.Y.

Times News Service In 1987, when Pepsi-Cola Co. placed a commercial for Diet Pepsi on the videocassette version of the movie "Top Gun," many advertising executives called it the dawn of a new advertising medium that could rival television." There even was talk of buying commercial time on as many as half of the video releases in a given year. Recently, however, when the soft-drink maker placed a spot for Pepsi on the videocassette of the movie "Home Alone," the third-highest-grossing film ever, there was far less hoopla. The reason, advertising executives say, is that such commercials are more the exception than the rule. "The use of home video as a marketing tool has fizzled," said Bruce Apar, editor in chief of the trade publication Video Business.

The commercials mainly appear on videocassettes of "event movies" like "Home Alone," he said, as part of broader multimillion-dollar promotional campaigns for both the video and as the advertiser's product. As such, the commercials are often secondary to the rest of the campaign. Of the more than 7,000 theatrical videotapes in circulation, only about 60 have commercials, according to a survey by the trade publication Entertainment Marketing Letter. The list includes some of the nation's largest advertisers, ranging from Burger King on "Teen-Age Mutant Ninja Turtles II" to Del Monte vegetables on a 50th anniversary re-release of "Citizen Kane." On average, advertising executives say, a commercial on a videotaped movie costs an advertiser about $1.50 to $2 a tape. Overall costs depend on how many tapes are distributed For "Home Alone," Fox Video added to the tape, before the start of the movie, a 30-second Pepsi commercial and a 10-second spot for American Airlines.

The deal also involved a $23 million promotional Campaign for both Pepsi and Fox. DINNER WITH SANTA FEATURING teIIse AttDTHE ROCKERS WITH THE CARTOON GANG IN A 30 MINUTE LIVE SHOW December 9,10,16,17,23 5p.m. and Reservations Requested 716-8364184 3919 Crescent Eau Claire, WI 64703 IP RENTALS 1. "Backdraft" 2. "The Silence of the Lambs" 3.

"Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" 4. "What About Bob?" 5. "Mortal Thoughts" 6. "Soapdish" 7. "FX2: The Deadly Art of Delusion" 8.

"Out for Justice" t- 9. "Dances With Wolves" 10. "Class Action" -11. "Fantasia" 12. "Hudson Hawk" 13.

"The Godfather Part III" 14. "V.I. Warshawski" 15. "Madonna: Truth or Dare" 16. "Defending Your Life" 17.

"One Good Cop" 18. "Guilty by Suspicion" 1 9. "Home Alone" 20. "Switch" Source: Billboard magazine 2. "For My Broken Heart" Reba McEntire 3.

"Love Me" Collin Raye 4. "You Can Depend on Me" Restless Heart 5. "The Chill of an Early Fall" George Strait 6. "Look at Us" Vince Gill 7. "Leave Him Out of This" Steve Wariner 8.

"You Don't Count the Cost" Billy Dean 9. "Without You What Do I Do With Me" Tanya Tucker 10. "Sticks and Stones" Tracy Lawrence ADULT CONTEMPORARY SINGLES "Keep Coming Back" Richard Marx "That's What Love Is For" Amy Grant "Can't Let Go" Mariah Carey "Broken Arrow" Rod Stewart "Blowing Kisses in the Wind" Paula Abdul "When a Man Loves a Woman" Michael Bolton "Set the Night to Music" Roberta Flack and Maxi Priest "I Can't Make You Love Me" Bonnie Raitt "Conviction of the Heart" Kenny Loggins "No Son of Mine" Genesis 9. 10 (Example) On December 30th, 1991, the Leader-Telegram Will publish a public awareness ad sponsored by area businesses and industries. WE NEED YOUR CREATIVITY! Dec.

16, 7:30 p.m. MHS Auditorium to 4 p.m. M-F Mod Karen Severson would like to invite you to our traditional Scandinavian Smorgasbord Serving: 3:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. THURSDAYS: DEC. 19, 26 JAN.

2,9,16 I taaii i in ttoAi $aiuInavlai I2)cfojit3 MENU: Contest is epen to ALL who cro interested Your rnurt fco X. a 13x13 inch square. ertve; muct hnd-dravm end NOT In pencil. Use a bfock marker on vopzper only. Tha thema cf Vr.

3 mececs New Year's Eye Safcty. Use ycur imc na'Jon to create a strong message to everyone for the upcoming Mew Year's holiday. We reserve the right to slightly alter any winning entry to fit The i chceer by the teader-Tefegram advertising Entry, Friday, December 20th. Mail Entries to: Leader-Telegram Kcteri Jchncon Eau Claire, Wi 54702 When maltlrrg cniry, ptod indudd'your name address and phone number. Rutabagas Peas and Pearl Onions Yulekaga Sourdough Bread Rommegrot Rosettes Rice Pudding LuUfisk Ufsa Pickled Herring Salads galore Fruit Suppe Hickory Smoked Ham Norwegian Meatballs Mashed Potatoes Gravy Scalloped Potatoes Adults 8.95 per person Children 6-1 2 4.50 5 under 2.50 suon to be HOLIDAY INN CONVENTION CENTER Located Downtown 21 5 S.

Barstow Eau Claire, W. PHONE FOR RESERVATIONS 835-6121 For more information contact Kateri Johnson at 833-9245 from 9 a.m..