Home For The Holidays -- Christmas On Cassette Turns Your Viewing Into One Long, Happy Special

On television, the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas plays like one continuous holiday special. Video stores are following suit.

Indeed, there are so many seasonal specials available on tape this year that the new stuff is even threatening to crowd "White Christmas" and "It's a Wonderful Life" off the shelves. It ranges from a "Twilight Zone" tale to a Tennessee Williams comedy to a World War II battle epic to Los Lobos' version of the Bethlehem story. Amy Grant sings carols, J.P. Patches visits the North Pole and James Stewart dreams of directing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The list also includes Christmas shows starring such departed entertainers as Sam Kinison, Sammy Davis Jr. and Shirley Booth.

Most of these cassettes are new to the video market. Others have been remastered, repackaged and/or repriced for Christmas 1992:

"A Classic Christmas From The Ed Sullivan Show" (Buena Vista Home Video, $15). Bing Crosby sings "White Christmas," Johnny Mathis performs "Sleigh Ride," Connie Frances does "I'll Be Home For Christmas," and Diana Ross and the Supremes, George Carlin, Alvin and the Chipmunks and the Muppet Reindeer are featured in this 48-minute tape.

"Silent Mouse" (Ecumenical Film Video Distribution Service, $25). Lynn Redgrave narrates this hour-long story about the part an Austrian mouse played in the creation of "Silent Night."

"It's a Bundyful Life" (Columbia TriStar Home Video, $15). In this two-part movie parody from "Married With Children," the late Sam Kinison plays a guardian angel and Ed O'Neill has the Jimmy Stewart role as a family man who wishes he'd never been born.

"A Walt Disney Christmas" (Walt Disney Home Video, $15). A collection of six cartoons, including "Once Upon a Wintertime," "The Night Before Christmas," "Pluto's Christmas Tree" and "Santa's Workshop."

"The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat" (Rabbit Ears, $10). Amy Grant narrates this story of a dog and a cat who fall out of Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve and get lost in a forest.

"Amy Grant's Old-Fashioned Christmas" (Polygram Video, $15). Hour-long NBC special from 1986, with guest appearances by Dennis Weaver, Jimmy Webb and Art Garfunkel.

"Christmas Stories" (Wood Knapp Video, $15). A collection of four holiday stories: "The Little Drummer Boy," "Morris' Disappearing Bag," "The Clown of God" and "Max's Christmas."

"Bernard and the Genie" (CBS/Fox Video, $60). A Rowan Atkinson comedy about a genie who specializes in Christmas wishes.

"The Merry Xmas Mix-Up" (GoodTimes Video, $20). In this installment in Martin Handford's series of Waldo stories, Waldo, Wenda and his dog Woof are preparing for the holidays when they learn that Santa's gift lists are all mixed up.

"A Very Brady Christmas" (Paramount Home Video, rental-priced). This reunion show, starring Florence Henderson and the late Robert Reed, was the highest-rated TV movie of 1989.

"La Pastorela: The Shepherd's Tale" (Rincon Children's Entertainment, $20). Feature-length version of the shepherds' journey to Bethlehem, with Linda Ronstadt, Robert Beltran, Don Novello, Paul Rodriguez, Cheech Marin and music by Los Lobos. It's available in both Spanish and English versions.

"Jiminy Cricket's Christmas" (Walt Disney Home Video, $15). Holiday scenes from several feature-length Disney cartoons, plus the 1932 short, "Mickey's Good Deed."

"A Chipmunk Christmas" (Buena Vista Home Video, $13). A half-hour tape with the Chipmunks singing "Jingle Bells," "Deck the Halls" and their own chart-topper, "Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)."

"A Midnight Clear" (Columbia TriStar Home Video, rental-priced). Scheduled for cassette release Wednesday, this World War II drama takes place in December 1944, when a German unit, fresh from the Russian front, tries to surrender to the Americans by singing Christmas carols and pelting the enemy with snowballs. The movie concludes with a haunting rendition of the title song.

"Truce in the Forest" (Ecumenical Film Video Distribution Service, $20). A 38-minute drama with a similar theme, about a Christian woman who wants to help both German and American soldiers during the Battle of the Bulge.

"Period of Adjustment" (MGM/UA Home Video, $20). In Tennessee Williams' only comedy, two quarreling couples work out their problems during the holidays. Jane Fonda and Jim Hutton play newlyweds; Anthony Franciosa and Lois Nettleton are the friends they stay with on Christmas Eve.

"Blackadder's Christmas Carol" (CBS/Fox Video, $20). Rowan Atkinson, Robbie Coltrane and Miranda Richardson co-star in this 45-minute BBC sendup of the Charles Dickens classic.

"Mr. Krueger's Christmas" (Ecumenical Film Video Distribution Service, $35). Half-hour program starring James Stewart as a lonely man who dreams about conducting the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

"Mickey's Christmas Carol" (Walt Disney Home Video, $13). Mickey is Bob Cratchit and Scrooge McDuck is Ebenezer in this half-hour version of the story.

"The Burns and Allen Show" Christmas episodes (Columbia TriStar Home Video, $15). Two black-and-white 1950s broadcasts: "Company For Christmas" and "Christmas in Jail."

"The Small One" (Walt Disney Home Video, $13). Disney's half-hour animated variation on the Nativity story.

"A Galway Christmas" (Home Vision, $30). An hour-long tape about holiday celebrations in the Irish seaport, filmed partly in the Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas and the Cathedral of Our Lady in Heaven.

"Very Merry Christmas Songs" (Walt Disney Home Video, $13). A collection of animated versions of Christmas carols, including "Jingle Bells," "Joy to the World," "Sleigh Ride" and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."

"Nativity" (Ecumenical Film Video Distribution Service, $20). A 10-minute film about the commercialization and trivialization of Christmas.

"Shalom Sesame: Chanuka" (Shalom Sesame Home Video Library, $30 apiece). A Sesame Street celebration of Jewish holidays and festivals.

"Where the Toys Come From" (Walt Disney Home Video, $13). A fantasy about two bug-eyed toys, Peepers and Zoom, who discover their beginnings in a Japanese factory.

"Shining Time Station Holiday Special: 'Tis a Gift" (A # Vision Entertainment, $15). A holiday episode from the PBS series, featuring Didi Conn as Station Master Stacy Jones.

"Christmas Is" (Ecumenical Film Video Distribution Service, $20). An 18-minute cartoon about a boy who is disappointed with his role in the school Christmas play.

"The Baby-Sitters' Special Christmas" (Scholastic, $13). The Baby-Sitters Club prepares for the holidays by volunteering at a hospital and baking seasonal cookies.

"I Love Lucy Christmas Special" (Fox Video, $10). In this "lost" holiday episode, Lucy breaks the news to Ricky that he's about to become a father . . . while he's on stage at the Tropicana. The tape is part of a new greeting-card series called the Television Video Card.

"The Honeymooners: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas" (Fox Video, $10). Jackie Gleason hocks his new bowling ball to buy a present for his wife in this half-hour episode, available as a Television Video Card.

"The Twilight Zone: The Night of the Meek" (Fox Video, $10). Art Carney plays a drunken department-store Santa who loses his job on Christmas Eve. A Television Video Card.

"Beverly Hillbillies: Christmas in Hooterville" (Fox Video, $10). The Clampetts spend the holidays in Hooterville. Another Television Video Card.

"Christmas in Happy Forest" (Ecumenical Film Video Distribution Service, $20). Mary Hollingsworth's story about a grumpy teacher who is transformed during the holidays.

" 'Twas the Fight Before Christmas" (Ecumenical Film Video Distribution Service, $20). Half-hour story about a boy who plays one of the wise men in the school Christmas play.

"A Patches Pal Christmas" (City Dump Productions, $15). J.P. Patches and Gertrude go to the North Pole, meet Santa and do battle with Boris S. Wart, the meanest man in the world.

"Barrington Bunny" (Ecumenical Film Video Distribution Service, $20). An eight-minute cartoon about a lonely rabbit who wants to share the holidays with a family of squirrels.

"Christmas at the Movies" (Columbia TriStar Home Video, $15). Gene Kelly hosts this 42-minute tape including scenes from "White Christmas," "Meet Me in St. Louis" and "It's a Wonderful Life."

"Welcome the Savior" (Ecumenical Film Video Distribution Service, $20). Drama about the homeless at Christmas time, featuring the Peppercorn puppets.

"Hazel" Christmas episodes (Columbia TriStar Home Video, $15). Two installments from the late Shirley Booth's series: "Just 86 Shopping Minutes Left Till Christmas" and "Hazel's Christmas Shopping."

"The City That Forgot About Christmas" (Ecumenical Film Video Distribution Service, $20). A 24-minute animated film about an elderly woodcarver who teaches village children about Jesus.

"Bewitched" Christmas episodes (Columbia TriStar Home Video, $15). This cassette includes two stories from the Elizabeth Montgomery series, "Humbug Not to Be Spoken Here" and "A Vision of Sugar Plums."

"The Little Brown Burro" (Ecumenical Film Video Distribution Service, $30). A burro plays a part in the birth of Jesus.

"A Gingerbread Christmas" (Rabbit Ears, $10). Susan Saint James narrates this story about a mayor who cancels Christmas.

"The Nutcracker" (Bogner Entertainment Inc., $15). Jim Gamble's half-hour puppet version of the Tchaikovsky classic.

"The Spirit of the Season" (Ecumenical Film Video Distribution Service, $30). Feature-length drama starring Ernest Borgnine as a grandfather who tells Christmas stories about a band of thieves and a young shepherd boy.

"The Stableboy's Christmas" (Ecumenical Film Video Distribution Service, $25). Half-hour tape about a stableboy in Bethlehem at the time of Jesus' birth.

"The Christmas Donkey," "The Silent Night of Jeremy Rabbit" and "The Christmas Journey of Deborah Dover" (Ecumenical Film Video Distribution Service, $30). Three Christmas stories.

"The Kid Who Loved Christmas" (Paramount Home Video, rental-priced). Eddie Murphy was the executive producer of this 1990 TV movie staring Cicely Tyson, Ben Vereen, Esther Rolle, Vanessa Williams and the late Sammy Davis Jr. in his last film role.

"Rich Little's Christmas Carol" (Columbia TriStar Home Video, $15). The impressionist plays all the parts in the Dickens story while adding guest appearances by W.C. Fields, Johnny Carson, Richard Nixon, Truman Capote, Edith Bunker and others.

"Peter and the Hermit," "The Other Wise Man" and "The Joy of Christmas" (Ecumenical Film Video Distribution Service, $30). Three stories, including Henry Van Dyke's "The Other Wise Man."

"All I Want For Christmas" (Paramount Home Video, rental-priced). Last year's theatrical flop, with cameos by Leslie Nielsen as a department-store Santa and Lauren Bacall as the grandmother of two children of divorced parents.

"The Secret of the Second Basement" (Ecumenical Film Video Distribution Service, $20). Half-hour puppet film about an abused and lonely child and the people who live in the second basement of the Church of the Good Shepherd.

"The Night Before Christmas" (Rabbit Ears, $10). Meryl Streep reads the Clement Moore poem and sings "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear."

"The Snowman" (Columbia TriStar Home Video, $15). Oscar-nominated half-hour cartoon about a young boy's snowman who escorts him to the North Pole. Written by Raymond Briggs and based on his novel.

"Prancer" (Columbia TriStar Home Video, $15). A 1989 charmer about an eccentric eight-year-old farm girl who finds a wounded reindeer in the woods and believes it's one of Santa's team.

"Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" (Columbia TriStar Home Video, $15). Santa is kidnapped by Martians, who want him to make toys for their unhappy children. A Golden Turkey winner from 1964, with Pia Zadora in her film debut.