CLASSIC FILM

"Taras Bulba" (MGM, $20)

Movies like "Taras Bulba" are time capsules -- certainly not of 16th-century Ukraine (the movie's setting), but of late '50s-early '60s Hollywood, the heyday of the studio costume epic. When director J. Lee Thompson made this picture, he was riding high: His previous two movies were "The Guns of Navarone" and "Cape Fear." "Taras Bulba" isn't in their league. But it's enjoyable kitsch, with lots of impressive battle scenes and Yul Brynner and Tony Curtis hamming it up as a Cossack warlord and his son. The story is one of conflicts and betrayals resulting from Taras' alliance with Poland to drive out the Turks. There is also, of course, a soap-opera element: Taras' son angers Dad by falling for a Polish woman (Christine Kaufmann). No major extra features on this disc. "Taras Bulba" is one of three Brynner epics now appearing for the first time on DVD: The others are "Solomon and Sheba" (1959) and "Kings of the Sun" (1963).

WALTER ADDIEGO, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

TV

"Lil' Bush: Resident of the United States: Season One Uncensored"

(Paramount, $20)

Activist and perennial presidential candidate Ralph Nader has at times demonstrated a sense of humor. But it does not appear to come naturally to him, and this DVD shows him trying painfully hard to get some yuks. "Lil' Bush" is an animated comedy with President Bush and his associates as children. Besides six two-story episodes, the disc contains an unaired episode, some behind-the-scenes footage and commentary tracks. Cast members and crew chat through the episodes. There are also three tracks by Nader, Jerry Springer and Tucker Carlson. But these celebrity commentaries seem contrived; not only is Nader bad, but Carlson sounds as if he hadn't seen the show until the morning of the recording.

R.D. HELDENFELS, AKRON BEACON JOURNAL

DIRECT TO DVD

"Bachelor Party 2: The Last

Temptation" (Fox, $27)

In this sequel to the 1984 Tom Hanks comedy, there is no Hanks, of course. There is lots of toplessness, which, trust me, is its main selling point. Extras include deleted scenes and gag reels.

CURT FIELDS, WASHINGTON POST