Wide Selection Of Video Viewing For Children

The choices for Christmas-gift videos will be plentiful, judging from the number of early holiday releases. Making the selection even more bountiful is a batch of September releases that can also make the young ones happy.

Four titles released this month expanded the “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” series by Saban Home Entertainment. They are the Christmas special, “I’m Dreaming of a White Ranger,” and three from the regular series: “Lights, Camera, Action,” “When Is a Ranger Not a Ranger” and “Lord Zedd Waves” ($12.95 each, 30 mins.)

KidVision has released four titles in its new “Rockin’ Real Wheels” series ($12.95 each): “Bulldozer Songs,” “Train Songs,” “Fire Truck Songs” and “Santa Claus Songs.” Also recently out is “Scholastic’s The Magic School Bus Inside the Haunted House” and two videos in the new “Fay Presents” series by William Wegman, “Alphabet Soup” and “Fay’s 12 Days of Christmas” ($12.95 each), both starring his beloved dogs.

The “Bump in the Night” collection has three new volumes ($12.95): “Mr. Bumpy: Tales From Under the Bed,” “Molly: Tales From the Toy Chest” and “Mr. Bumpy’s Karaoke Cafe.”

CBS Video has released four volumes of “The Adventures of Raggedy Ann and Andy” ($9.98): “The Magic Wings Adventure,” “The Pixling Adventure,” “The Little Chicken Adventure” and “The Sacred Cat Adventure.”

As part of the “What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?” series, “The Zoo Crew” by Big Kids Productions ($14.95, 800-477-7811) goes to the San Antonio, Fort Worth and Cincinnati zoos to show off the people who work there.

“You Can Fly a Kite” ($12.95, 800-968-2261) is the latest release in the “You Can” series by Blackboard Entertainment.

A dozen more children’s titles will be released Tuesday, led by five additional “Wee Sing” episodes by MCA Universal Home Video. The new titles in the popular series, which was created by two elementary school music teachers, uses familiar songs: “King Cole’s Party,” “The Marvelous Musical Mansion,” “The Big Rock Candy Mountains,” “Under the Sea” and “The Best Christmas Ever! ($12.98).” There are at least 20 favorite songs on each video.

Bruce Weitz and Fred Willard star in “Prehysteria! 3,” the second sequel to the popular direct-to-video movie by Paramount Pictures Home Video.

“Reboot,” PolyGram Video’s new computer-generated animated series, is offering two new titles at $12.95 each: “Wizards, Warriors and a Word From Our Sponsor” and “The Medusa Bug.” PGV also has two titles in “The Animal Show Starring Stinky & Jake” series for preschoolers, “Lion & Zebra” and “Gorilla & Rhinoceros” ($9.95).

MCA/Universal is offering Steven Spielberg’s “We’re Back” ($14.98), the animated story of four lovable dinosaurs who visit New York City. The 71-minute movie features the voices of John Goodman, Jay Leno, Rhea Perlman, Walter Cronkite, Martin Short and Julia Child.

Tuesday’s final release is “The Ketchup Vampires” by Just For Kids Videos, narrated by Elvira, Mistress of the Dark ($24.95).

Buena Vista Home Video has 14 spooktacular titles out for Halloween: At $12.99, there are “Monster Bash,” “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” “Cartoon Classics: Donald’s Scary Tales,” “Cartoon Classics: Holloween Haunts,” “Director’s Cut of Attack of the Killer Tomatoes” and “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Nightmare on Seville Street,” as well as two new titles, “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Robomunk” and “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Trick or Treason.” At $14.99, there are the new “Frankenpooh,” “Hocus-Pocus,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “My Boyfriend’s Back” and “The Dark Crystal.” At $19.99, there is “Gargoyles - The Movie.”

Peanuts Home Video has eight titles for the holidays: four at $12.95 are “It’s a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “Happy New Year, Charlie Brown.” Four at $9.95 are all double-episode reels, two from prime-time TV specials and a pair in the “Charlie Brown and Snoopy” series.

Turner Home Entertainment also has eight holiday specials: “A Flintstones Christmas Carol” ($14.98) and “Casper’s First Christmas,” “How the Flintstones Saved Christmas,” “The Steadfast Tin Soldier,” “Yogi Bear’s All-Star Comedy Christmas Caper,” “The Little Troll Prince,” “A Christmas Story” and “Hanna-Barbera’s Christmas Sing-Along!” ($9.98 each).

ABC Video’s holiday offering features “The Velveteen Rabbit” and includes “A Christmas Carol,” “Young Pioneers’ Christmas,” “The Little Crooked Christmas Tree” and “P.J.’s Unfunny-Bunny Christmas.” Each is $9.95 except the 96-minute “Young Pioneer” movie at $14.95.

“AAAHH!!! Real Monsters” made its Sony Wonder and Nickelodeon home video debut recently with two titles, “Meet the Monsters” and “Monsters Night Out,” each priced at $12.98. A third Sony special is the $9.98 Lassie cassette, “Extra Sensory Pooch.”

Walt Disney Home Video has added two new volumes to its popular $12.99 “Bill Nye The Science Guy” series, “Reptiles & Insects: Leapin’ Lizards” and “Powerful Forces: All Pumped Up.”