Tom Berenger

Turner Pictures' $20-million "Gettysburg," which opened at theaters nationwide yesterday, is as close to moguldom as Ted Turner can get. For now, at least.It's his "Birth of a Nation" meets "Ran": a four-hour plus adaptation of "The Killer Angels," the 1975 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Michael Shaara about the men behind one of the bloodiest battles in U.S. history. It has an all-star, all-guy cast that includes Martin Sheen (Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee), Tom Berenger (Confederate Lt. Gen. James Longstreet)

A few weeks ago at a local cineplex, this preview popped up: Tom Berenger was riding through the woods on horseback spatting with Barbara Hershey. Indians appeared out of the mist, which caused Ms. Hershey's character to react with reverential wonder. The title "Last of the Dogmen" appeared, which caused the audience to react with derisive laughter.It's a goofy title, all right, especially if you don't know that dogmen is another term for the Indian warriors called dog soldiers. While the preview made the movie seem silly and unwatchable, "Last of the Dogmen" turns out to be an earnest, picturesque adventure that is perfectly watchable, though not much more.

A few weeks ago at a local cineplex, this preview popped up: Tom Berenger was riding through the woods on horseback spatting with Barbara Hershey. Indians appeared out of the mist, which caused Ms. Hershey's character to react with reverential wonder. The title "Last of the Dogmen" appeared, which caused the audience to react with derisive laughter.It's a goofy title, all right, especially if you don't know that dogmen is another term for the Indian warriors called dog soldiers. While the preview made the movie seem silly and unwatchable, "Last of the Dogmen" turns out to be an earnest, picturesque adventure that is perfectly watchable, though not much more.

"Chasers" is a road picture with a few genuinely funny comic scenes and a number of good performances. It's the first theatrically released feature film Dennis Hopper -- of "Easy Rider" (and frenetic Nike TV commercials) fame -- has directed since 1988's "Colors.""Chasers" is essentially a remake of Hal Ashby's grim "The Last Detail" (1973), which starred Jack Nicholson and Otis Young as two career sailors randomly selected to escort a none-too-bright and essentially innocent man (Randy Quaid)

For its first two-thirds, "Shattered" is a nice, elegant, completely preposterous thriller.Personal confrontations are accompanied by torrents of rain. Magnificent homes are located near the seashore, apparently so the viewer can thrill to the pounding surf. No opportunity for melodramatic embellishment is overlooked.The dialogue is suitably ludicrous. A private eye, who also operates a pet shop, comments knowingly that among certain species of fish, the rival females automatically kill each other.

"Chasers" is a road picture with a few genuinely funny comic scenes and a number of good performances. It's the first theatrically released feature film Dennis Hopper -- of "Easy Rider" (and frenetic Nike TV commercials) fame -- has directed since 1988's "Colors.""Chasers" is essentially a remake of Hal Ashby's grim "The Last Detail" (1973), which starred Jack Nicholson and Otis Young as two career sailors randomly selected to escort a none-too-bright and essentially innocent man (Randy Quaid)

There are no women in "Sniper." It's for those of us for whom killing people with high-powered guns in the movies is not only as good as sex but maybe better -- a sacrament for our age.This poorly written, badly directed film stars Tom Berenger as a Marine sharpshooter in the Panamanian jungle whose business it is to kill bad guys so that democracy can prosper.He's named Tom Beckett (there is, I'm sure, a reference here to St. Thomas a Beckett of Canterbury Cathedral martyrdom fame) and his versions of the Nicene and Apostles' creeds are "one bullet, one kill" and "put a bullet through his heart and feel the rush."

For its first two-thirds, "Shattered" is a nice, elegant, completely preposterous thriller.Personal confrontations are accompanied by torrents of rain. Magnificent homes are located near the seashore, apparently so the viewer can thrill to the pounding surf. No opportunity for melodramatic embellishment is overlooked.The film starts ominously, with a car accident that almost kills successful businessman Dan Merrick. His beautiful wife, Judith, miraculously survives with minor injuries, but Dan must undergo extensive surgery.

The word is out -- Maryland is a film-friendly state. And if anyone knows that, it's Marylander Jim Robinson, owner of Morgan Creek Productions, who has decided to shoot "Major League II" here.The production crew is already in town, and I'm told once things start rolling, it takes 10 to 12 weeks to shoot a major film. That certainly gives us plenty of time to spot the stars Charlie Sheen, ++ Tom Berenger and Corbin Bernsen.If you're a fan of the movie game, perhaps you'd like to be an extra.

LOS ANGELES -- Brian Benben may be the star of HBO's "Dream On," but he shares the screen every week with another equally important element of the series: dozens of vintage black-and-white clips from 1950s television shows.According to Mr. Benben, the brief clips used to illustrate his character's innermost thoughts "help the show. I enjoy working with them. They don't complain. It's a little different. Each demands a different kind of response."Sunday night at 10 Mr. Benben begins his second season as Martin Tupper, a New York book editor who was raised on the values he learned watching television in the 1950s.

Turner Pictures' $20-million "Gettysburg," which opened at theaters nationwide yesterday, is as close to moguldom as Ted Turner can get. For now, at least.It's his "Birth of a Nation" meets "Ran": a four-hour plus adaptation of "The Killer Angels," the 1975 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Michael Shaara about the men behind one of the bloodiest battles in U.S. history. It has an all-star, all-guy cast that includes Martin Sheen (Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee), Tom Berenger (Confederate Lt. Gen. James Longstreet)

The word is out -- Maryland is a film-friendly state. And if anyone knows that, it's Marylander Jim Robinson, owner of Morgan Creek Productions, who has decided to shoot "Major League II" here.The production crew is already in town, and I'm told once things start rolling, it takes 10 to 12 weeks to shoot a major film. That certainly gives us plenty of time to spot the stars Charlie Sheen, ++ Tom Berenger and Corbin Bernsen.If you're a fan of the movie game, perhaps you'd like to be an extra.

Meryl Streep almost played footsie with Tom Cruise in the law offices of Bendini, Lambert & Locke.That was an early casting proposal for the film version of "The Firm," even though the character Ms. Streep was to play started out as a man -- mentor attorney Avery Tolar -- in John Grisham's novel.It's a typical example of Hollywood's knack for rewriting best sellers on their way to the screen. What you see isn't always what was writ.Books are often changed to give the audience more of what it wants -- or what studio executives think it wants.

There are no women in "Sniper." It's for those of us for whom killing people with high-powered guns in the movies is not only as good as sex but maybe better -- a sacrament for our age.This poorly written, badly directed film stars Tom Berenger as a Marine sharpshooter in the Panamanian jungle whose business it is to kill bad guys so that democracy can prosper.He's named Tom Beckett (there is, I'm sure, a reference here to St. Thomas a Beckett of Canterbury Cathedral martyrdom fame) and his versions of the Nicene and Apostles' creeds are "one bullet, one kill" and "put a bullet through his heart and feel the rush."

For its first two-thirds, "Shattered" is a nice, elegant, completely preposterous thriller.Personal confrontations are accompanied by torrents of rain. Magnificent homes are located near the seashore, apparently so the viewer can thrill to the pounding surf. No opportunity for melodramatic embellishment is overlooked.The film starts ominously, with a car accident that almost kills successful businessman Dan Merrick. His beautiful wife, Judith, miraculously survives with minor injuries, but Dan must undergo extensive surgery.

For its first two-thirds, "Shattered" is a nice, elegant, completely preposterous thriller.Personal confrontations are accompanied by torrents of rain. Magnificent homes are located near the seashore, apparently so the viewer can thrill to the pounding surf. No opportunity for melodramatic embellishment is overlooked.The dialogue is suitably ludicrous. A private eye, who also operates a pet shop, comments knowingly that among certain species of fish, the rival females automatically kill each other.

Meryl Streep almost played footsie with Tom Cruise in the law offices of Bendini, Lambert & Locke.That was an early casting proposal for the film version of "The Firm," even though the character Ms. Streep was to play started out as a man -- mentor attorney Avery Tolar -- in John Grisham's novel.It's a typical example of Hollywood's knack for rewriting best sellers on their way to the screen. What you see isn't always what was writ.Books are often changed to give the audience more of what it wants -- or what studio executives think it wants.

A few decades back, Baltimore had a number of art cinemas that handled the small, frequently foreign film, movies that could never be considered truly commercial. The Seven East, Five West, North Avenue Cinema and Charles served that kind of fare. Later, the Westview and York Ridge Cinemas would present an occasional art bill, but today, it is the Charles that stands alone as a repertory house showing mostly new films that might never make it to this area otherwise.Some particularly interesting titles are included on the coming Charles schedule, movies such as ''Impromptu,'' ''Object of beauty,'' ''Mister Johnson,'' ''Poison,'' ''The Field'' and ''Superstar.

LOS ANGELES -- Brian Benben may be the star of HBO's "Dream On," but he shares the screen every week with another equally important element of the series: dozens of vintage black-and-white clips from 1950s television shows.According to Mr. Benben, the brief clips used to illustrate his character's innermost thoughts "help the show. I enjoy working with them. They don't complain. It's a little different. Each demands a different kind of response."Sunday night at 10 Mr. Benben begins his second season as Martin Tupper, a New York book editor who was raised on the values he learned watching television in the 1950s.

A few decades back, Baltimore had a number of art cinemas that handled the small, frequently foreign film, movies that could never be considered truly commercial. The Seven East, Five West, North Avenue Cinema and Charles served that kind of fare. Later, the Westview and York Ridge Cinemas would present an occasional art bill, but today, it is the Charles that stands alone as a repertory house showing mostly new films that might never make it to this area otherwise.Some particularly interesting titles are included on the coming Charles schedule, movies such as ''Impromptu,'' ''Object of beauty,'' ''Mister Johnson,'' ''Poison,'' ''The Field'' and ''Superstar.