`Beastmaster Iii' Sequel Is Straight-To-Video Release

Sequels and spin-offs dominate the January straight-to-video release schedule, including a new installment in the "Beastmaster" series, which is more popular on television and cassette than it was in theaters.

"Beastmaster III: The Eye of Braxus" again stars Marc Singer, a University of Washington drama major who acted two decades ago with the Seattle Rep. Although he's appeared in other movies ("Go Tell the Spartans") and a famous mini-series ("V"), he's now largely identified with the role of Dar, the nomadic, ferret-loving warrior who earlier appeared in 1982 and 1991.

Added to the sword-and-sorcery mix this time is Lesley- Anne Down as Dar's witch accomplice, Morgana; "Candyman" star Tony Todd as another ally; and David Warner as (what else would he play?) an evil sorcerer. Helping out again are Dar's ferret companions, Kodo and Podo. The director this time is Gabrielle Beaumont; long gone from the series is the original's writer-director, Don Coscarelli.

"Poison Ivy 2: Lily," a sort-of sequel to the 1992 Drew Barrymore/Tom Skerritt potboiler, is coming to video stores Tuesday. It's available in R-rated and unrated form; the 112-minute unrated version is two minutes longer.

Alyssa Milano of "Who's the Boss?" plays a teenage art student who discovers an old diary containing the vixenish Barrymore character's secrets. She decides to become exactly like her. Also in the cast is "Doom Generation" hunk Jonathon Schaech, who turned up recently as Winona Ryder's boyfriend in "How to Make an American Quilt."

In the same vein is "Animal Instincts - The Seductress," also available in R-rated and unrated form. It's the third installment in a "Red Shoes Diary"-style series that made a straight-to-video name of Shannon Whirry the first time around. The title role goes to Wendy Schumacher.

"Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie" will also make its debut Tuesday, to be followed Jan. 30 by the first videocassette releases of three live-action films that inspired it: "Return of the Street Fighter," "The Street Fighter's Revenge" and "Sister Street Fighter."

New Line Home Video is bringing them out along with "The Street Fighter: Collector's Edition," a letterboxed presentation of the original Sonny Chiba movie about "freelance one-man terrorist" Terry Tsuguri. It includes previously censored martial-arts footage.

Tina Long, a Quentin Tarantino favorite, stars in "Sister Street Fighter." He calls her "the most beautiful woman to star in '70s martial-arts films. Martial-arts connoisseurs consider the film a lost classic."

Another female martial-arts star, Kathy Long, turns up in "The Stranger," as a mystery woman who takes on a motorcycle gang led by Andrew Divoff.

Don "The Dragon" Wilson stars in the futuristic kickboxing movie, "Virtual Combat." It was directed by video veteran Andrew Stevens and co-stars his mother, Stella Stevens.

Also bypassing theaters:

"The Secret of Blue Water." This two-part, English-dubbed Japanese cartoon will be released in two 94-minute segments, "The Adventure Begins" and "The Island Adventure." Both were inspired by Jules Verne's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea."

"Hourglass." C. Thomas Howell directed, co-wrote and starred in this drama about a fashion maverick who gets involved in a self-destructive relationship with Sofia Shinas. Kiefer Sutherland and Ed Begley Jr. also are in the cast.

"Friends." No relation to the television series, this South African/British/French co-production stars Kerry Fox as a political activist who rooms with a black teacher and an Afrikaner archeologist in a Johannesburg suburb. Praised as a realistic film about friendship and racism, it was first shown here at the 1993 Seattle International Film Festival.

"Castle Freak." Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton and director Stuart Gordon, who previously collaborated on "Re-Animator," are back for this tale of a divorcing couple who inherit a haunted castle.

"Mother." Psychological thriller starring Diane Ladd as a possessive mother who resorts to deadly measures to keep her son from leaving home. Olympia Dukakis and Morgan Weisser are in the cast.

"Dead to Rights." Dana Delaney plays the calculating daughter of a tough veteran police detective (Charles Bronson) in this serial-killer thriller, in which she becomes the bait for a trap to expose the murderer.

"Dangerous Passions." Thriller starring Billy Dee Williams as a ruthless businessman who frames his employee (Carl Weathers) for murder. Lonette McKee is Williams' wife, who has an affair with Weathers when he beats the rap. Weathers was also the executive producer.

"Last Man Standing." Joseph Merhi wrote and directed this story of a Los Angeles policeman (Jeff Wincott) who tracks down a dangerous bank robber (Jonathan Fuller). Jonathan Banks is Wincott's doomed partner.

"Phoenix." Futuristic story of humans and androids living peacefully together in a tiny mining colony - until a group of genetically altered androids launches an attack. Stephen Nichols plays the telepathic hero, and Billy Drago and William Sanderson are in the cast.

"Night of the Scarecrow." Based on the comic book, this special-effects-heavy horror film stars Bruce Glover, Elizabeth Barondes and Dirk Blocker.

"The Courtyard." Murder mystery in the style of "Pacific Heights," with Andrew McCarthy as a transplanted New Yorker dealing with his sinister new California neighbors. Madchen Amick is his girlfriend and Cheech Marin has a key role.

"The Break." Drama with Martin Sheen as the overbearing father of a burned-out athlete (Vincent Van Patten) who is forced to coach a 17-year-old tennis rookie (Ben Jorgensen). Rae Dawn Chong is Van Patten's ex-girlfriend. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Video Watch by John Hartl appears Thursdays in Scene. For more information call the Video Hotline on InfoLine, a telephone information service of The Seattle Times. Call 464-2000 from a touch-tone phone and enter category 7369. It's a free local call.