On a Space Trek With ‘Planets’ Music

One of the hottest titles in the non-theatrical home-video market is “The Planets,” a tour of the solar system narrated by Patrick Stewart, who plays Jean Luc Picard on “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”

Needless to say, Trekkers are into this 51-minute video, which sells for $17. Produced by Malibu Video Inc. and distributed by BMG, it’s a space trek with music--Isao Tomita’s “The Tomita Planets,” an electronic interpretation of Gustav Holst’s “The Planets” suite. The visuals are NASA space footage mixed with computer animation and various special effects.

This is actually an old tape, “The Planets: The Video,” spruced up with narration. The original had subtitles but this one has Stewart, who’s not just a golden-voiced narrator but a marketing hook.

“We love his voice but we also like the fact that his presence brings a certain audience,” explained producer-writer Don Barrett, who added that BMG expects to ship 1 million copies of “The Planets” by the end of the year.

With the new packaging and its Trekker slant, one of the tricks was not treading on the licenses of Paramount, which owns the “Star Trek” series. “In some places we come perilously close, like on some of the verbiage on the jacket cover,” Barrett said. “But we got approval from them on everything.”

There’s no doubt about the inspiration for this tape. “I was looking to create something that had the same feel as ‘Fantasia,’ ” Barrett admitted.

While impressive on video, parts of “The Planets” are especially stirring and stunning on laser disc (which sells for $30)--and particularly on a system equipped with surround sound.

Aside from Trekkers, “The Planets” also appeals to members of the New Age crowd who like to immerse themselves in these spacey audio-visual feasts. Many, however, will find it just one step above watching fish floating in a tank.

What’s New

“Cop and a Half” (MCA/Universal, no set price). It’s hard to get past the ludicrous premise--that a kiddie murder witness (Norman D. Golden II) could coerce police into letting him be a cop for a day. Predictably, the detective, (Burt Reynolds) who has to take charge of him, balks but later warms to the little brat. Boys 12 and under may have fun identifying with the kiddie cop, but anyone else will probably find all this very silly.

“Three of Hearts” (New Line, no set price). A love triangle for the ‘90s. When a lesbian couple splits, a woman (Kelly Lynch) schemes to get her lover (Sherilynn Fenn) back, hiring a gigolo (William Baldwin) to make her ex hate men. Guess what really happens between him and the ex? Great idea that’s sluggishly executed and doomed from the start by the miscasting of Fenn.

“The Sandlot” (FoxVideo, $95). Obviously influenced by “Field of Dreams” and “Bad News Bears,” it’s the ancient story about a new kid in town (Tom Guiry) who matures through playing sandlot baseball. Set in the ‘60s and featuring a talented cast playing the sassy youngsters, it’s pat and sort of sappy--and sort of enjoyable.

“Wisecracks” (Monarch, $50). Funny, informative documentary about female stand-up comics, laced with interviews and footage dealing with the history of comedians in the arts. Though you see some stars such as Whoopi Goldberg in action, the real treat is watching some of the hilarious unknowns.

“Happily Ever After” (WorldVision, $25). This animated sequel to “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” shows that she didn’t really live happily ever after after all--at least until after a run-in with the witch’s evil brother. Although nowhere near as charming as the Disney original, it’s passable entertainment for most kiddies. Caution to parents with very young children: Because of some scary parts, it’s advisable to screen the tape first or watch it with them.