D: Byron Haskin (1953), w/Gene Barry, Ann Robinson, Les Tremayne

A number of movies from the science-fiction film boom of the 1950s are imbued with Cold War paranoia and a deadly fear of "the bomb." Producer George Pal's War of the Worlds, loosely based on H. G. Wells' novel, wasn't the first film to externalize America's fear of annihilation through the construct of invading aliens; Howard Hawks' The Thing had James Arness as a malevolent, blood-drinking "super carrot" from outer space. But where The Thing limited its conflict to an isolated battle between a group of humans and their alien antagonist at an Arctic outpost, War of the Worlds is global in scope. Although most of the film is focused on the Martians attacking the Los Angeles area, there are plenty of memorable images of worldwide destruction. Pal updated the mechanical tripods of Wells' novel in favor of more streamlined alien weaponry. The manta-shaped Martian war machines with their cobra-hooded heat rays is one of the seminal images of Fifties science--fiction films. Gordon Jennings and his crew of technicians won an Academy Award for special effects for their impressive contributions to War of the Worlds. Neither the script nor the lead performances are outstanding, but the film moves along at a brisk pace and is far superior to most other efforts in the genre.

D: Stuart Walker (1935), w/Henry Hull, Warner Oland, Spring Byington. Laserdisc.

Although eclipsed in both critical and box-office success by Universal's other major horror film of 1935, The Bride of Frankenstein, Werewolf of London is notable as the studio's first filmic study of lycanthropy. Many of the elements that later became part and parcel of the cinematic werewolf legend as presented in The Wolf Man and its sequels, such as transformations brought on by the light of the full moon and surviving victims of werewolf attacks later becoming lupine monsters themselves, make their debut here. However, it doesn't take a silver weapon to kill this werewolf, and there's an antidote to the condition in the form of an exotic moon plant.

Henry Hull is stolid but acceptable as the obsessed botanist Dr. Glendon, and his fellow wolf man, Dr. Yogami, is portrayed by Oland (best known for his Charlie Chan movies). Valerie Hobson and Byington round out the cast as the neglected wife and her meddling aunt.

Although a handsome enough production, Werewolf of London rarely rises above the level of a standard melodrama. The make-up and transformations are less impressive than in later Universal horror films, and the werewolf bears more resemblance to Mr. Hyde than Larry Talbot. Still, for lovers of Universal horror films, it's an entertaining enough 75 minutes and isn't likely to scare the kids.

D: Tobe Hooper (1982), w/JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Beatrice Straight. DVD

A haunted house in suburbia? Steven Spielberg and Tobe Hooper took this odd concept and ran with it, creating one of the best fright films of the Eighties, Poltergeist. The Freeling family, who reside in the sleepy subdivision of Cuesta Verde, seem about as normal as can be. Except for the fact that their youngest daughter talks to people who live in the family's television. Things go from fine to bad when the mysterious forces move from the television into the house itself, and from bad to worse when they kidnap the little girl during a thunderstorm. The parents (well-played by Williams and Nelson) first have to find someone who will believe them, then must find a way to reclaim their daughter from the malignant forces that have her imprisoned. Poltergeist has a wicked sense of humor, although it never crosses the line into camp, and leads viewers on a well-paced thrill ride. The special effects were created by Industrial Light and Magic, and are quite well-done. Zelda Rubinstein is also memorable as the diminutive psychic. As with many DVDs, Poltergeist has a letterboxed version on one side of the disc and pan-and-scan on the other, with subtitles and dubbed dialogue in several different languages. The picture and surround sound are crisp and well-defined. If your idea of Halloween is a haunted house, but you'd rather stay in your living room, try Poltergeist. Just don't leave the TV on when it's over.

Quite a few years ago, my home was broken into and robbed. Thieves being practical individuals, they stole just about every electronic appliance that could be carried off. There were nothing but dusty outlines on the hardwood where the television, VCR, amplifier, and cassette deck had formerly resided. In fact, the area in front of the couch looked like Cindy Lou Who's house after the Grinch was done. With one exception. The turntable was still sitting in its normal place. If I'd needed any proof that vinyl was truly dead, this was it. Not that I was surprised; I'd bought a CD player when they first appeared and declared to anyone who would listen that this was the future. No more having to replace vinyl albums that were defaced by skips, warps, or worn-out grooves. CDs represented a major technological breakthrough and would outlast us all.

Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose/War of the Coprophages
D: David Nutter/Kim Manners with David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson (20th Century Fox laserdisc)

Two of The X-Files' finest episodes from the series' third season have been paired for laserdisc and videotape release. Both are written by Darin Morgan, a favorite of X-Files fans, and each benefits greatly from his off-the-wall sense of humor and ability to balance comedic and dramatic elements.

"Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" is considered by many to be one of the series' true high-water marks, and tells the tale of one Clyde Bruckman (played perfectly by Peter Boyle) whose ability to see into the future is limited to knowing how a person is going to die. Elements in the episode include a serial killer, numerous references to silent film creators, and of course, the stupendous Yappi. The dialogue and performances are all dead-on, and the story is alternately funny, thought-provoking, and touching.

Since the runaway success of Doom, the field of first-person shooting games has become extremely crowded. Disruptor, a futuristic entry into this overburdened genre, manages to be entertaining without pushing the envelope of creativity.

Providing a number of increasingly difficult levels, Disruptor features game environments set throughout the solar system, each with its particular objective. Although the game rarely departs from the if-it-moves-kill-it concept, the player is equipped with a number of conventional weapons as well as psionic powers, and some forms of weaponry are more successful against particular enemies than others. Disruptor features interior and exterior areas of combat but the outside action is obscured by fog or steam to keep the game from becoming too visually complex.