DVD REVIEW OF NEW RELEASES OLD L.A. LIVES IN `ASK THE DUST'.

Byline: ROB LOWMAN

Earlier this year, Robert Towne's script for ``Chinatown'' (1974) was deemed by the Writer's Guild of America to be No. 3 on the list of the 101 greatest screenplays ever written.

Towne returned to Depression-era Los Angeles to direct his adaptation of John Fante's novel ``Ask the Dust.''

Ironically, to create L.A. of the '30s, Towne had to shoot the film in Capetown, South Africa, and rely on CGI. The results, however, are marvelous, especially for us who love the look of old Los Angeles. Caleb Deschanel's cinematography evokes with ambers and shadows the dusty town the city was then.

But while the look of the film grabs you, more problematic is the story of a struggling writer, Arturo Bandini (Colin Farrell), and his romance with Mexican waitress, Camilla (Salma Hayek), working at a seedy downtown cafe.

The Italian-American Arturo and Camilla are both outsiders in Anglo-dominated city -- ``spicks,'' to use the derogatory slang of the time, a slight that Towne emphasizes. But they both want to move up in world: he as a great writer (H.L. Mencken has published his stories); she eyes marrying a rich man. Romance is inconvenient, which makes them pick and poke at each other, and while neither are accepted in the world they crave, they are not very understanding of each other.

It's a thorny story with thorny issues, which Towne never quite gets a handle on. But there is much to like about the film, including a wonderful turn by Donald Sutherland -- who starred in another L.A. Depression-era story, John Schlesinger's 1975 ``The Day of the Locust'' -- as Arturo's older neighbor, and a moody score by Ramin Djawadi and Heitor Pereira. (By the way, film critic Richard Schickel voices Mencken.)

And Hayek and Farrell both possess a simmering presence that reflects their characters desires and frustrations. ``Ask the Dust'' may not have the resonance of Roman Polanski's ``Chinatown,'' but as an imperfect romance, it's memorable.

Rob Lowman [phone]

[e-mail]

TELEVISION

Clint Eastwood's Rowdy Yates was not the main character of ``Rawhide'' when it premiered in January 1959. That was Eric Fleming's Gil Favor, the trail boss of the seemingly endless cattle drive the show's cowboys were on. Rowdy was Gil's second in command -- and the cute one. ``Rawhide,'' which began with the classic song sung by Frankie Lane, didn't break any new ground, but it was an enjoyable Western for its day. By the time the show ended in January 1966, Fleming had left the show. (Tragically, he drowned while filming another series later that year.) Rowdy had taken over, but that didn't prevent it from being canceled. While fans had grown tired of ``Rawhide,'' they hadn't of Eastwood, who went on to have a pretty good career.

Another show with a classic theme was ``Secret Agent,'' which starred Patrick McGoohan. McGoohan then went on to do one of the more interesting series ever produced for network television, ``The Prisoner,'' which premiered in June 1968. It didn't last -- only 17 episodes. In a way it was almost a spinoff of ``Secret Agent,'' with McGoohan playing Number Six, a former government spy who is being held at a top-secret enclave on a remote island for presumably knowing too much. The prison isn't so much a prison as it is a small resort community (each has their own bungalow), except that that the residents are monitored and never get off the island unless they disappear. Kafkaesque is the word usually associated with ``The Prisoner,'' but the series, now available in one set, is a trip.

At least he wasn't in his pajamas. We're talking here about Hugh Hefner, who hosted ``Playboy After Dark,'' a sort of informal cocktail party (really filmed on a soundstage) that aired starting in 1969.

Among those who dropped by were Sonny and Cher, the Grateful Dead, Joe Cocker, Deep Purple, The Byrds, Linda Ronstadt, and, of course, there were plenty of Bunnies and Playmates.

An earlier version of the show aired in 1959, called ``Playboy Penthouse'' -- shot in black and white -- with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr. and Lenny Bruce.

Highlights of the show on this three-disc set include 51 musical performances, six full shows and a new 45-minute interview with Hef.

The shows are like a dug-up time capsule, which means some things seem really cool, and others just seem quaint and silly.

OLDER FILMS

Criterion has restored Michael Powell's ``A Canterbury Tale.'' The 1949 film, a retelling of the Chaucer stories set amid the turbulence of World War II, met with disfavor at the time but since then has been championed by a number of people, including Steven Spielberg.

The two-disc set includes commentary by film historian Ian Christie, excerpts from the American version, with Kim Hunter, and documentaries.

British director Powell (``The Red Shoes,'' ``Black Narcissus'' and ``Peeping Tom'') was disappointed by the ``A Canterbury Tale's'' reception, but he lived to see the film -- which in some ways is a lyrical tribute to his home country of England -- begin to receive its due after it was first restored in 1977.

Docurama is releasing a collection Oscar-winning or -nominated documentaries -- ``The Docurama Awards Collection, Vol. II.'' Among the five winners are the 1986 ``Broken Rainbow,'' narrated by Martin Sheen, which told the story of 12,000 Navajos forced from their ancestral lands because of energy exploration, and the 1992 ``In the Shadow of Stars,'' which looks behind the scenes of the often bizarre and competitive world of opera. Other titles are ``Marjoe'' (1972), ``Who Are the Debolts'' (1978), ``Doing Time'' (1992) and ``Sister Rose's Passion'' (2004). The 12 titles create a diverse and at times fascinating collection, especially for those who love documentaries.

NEW FILMS

``Final Destination'' started with a mildly clever premise of a bunch of teenagers who escape death in a plane crash, only to have the Grim Reaper catch up to them in some very gruesome ways. The first sequel -- which starts with a spectacular auto pileup the teens survive in that one -- then drove the premise over the edge at full-throttle.

So by ``Final Destination 3,'' which involves a roller coaster going off its tracks, the the idea is pretty tiring -- unless you enjoy watching teens offed. That may explain why New Line has a ``new interactive feature that lets YOU decide the fate of the characters.'' Oh, boy -- I think.

Fans of ``The Daily Show's Rob Corddry will delight in ``Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes Story.'' The mockumentary, about a disgraced paintball champion (Corddry) seeking redemption, played at film festivals and in a few cities but never received a general release. Though improvisationally hit and miss, the laughs are pretty funny when on target.

THE PRICE TAGS

NEW FILMS

``Ask the Dust'' (Paramount; $29.99)

``Final Destination 3: Special Edition'' (New Line; $28,98)

```Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes Story'' (Shout! Factory; $19.98)

``The Benchwarmers'' (Columbia; $29.95)

OLDER FILMS

``A Canterbury Tale'' (Criterion; $39.95)

``Docurama Awards Collection'' (Docurama; $199.95)

``Will Rogers Collection, Vol. 1'' (Fox; $59.98)

TELEVISION

``Playboy After Dark'' (Moranda; $39.98)

``The Prisoner -- Complete Series Megaset 40th Anniversary Edition (A&E; $139.95)

``JAG -- The Complete First Season'' (Paramount; $64.95)

``Animaniacs, Vol. 1'' (Warner; $44.98)

``Pinky and the Brain, Vol. 1'' (Warner; $44.98)

``La Femme Nikita -- The Complete Fourth Season'' (Warner; $99.98)

``The Boondocks -- The Complete First Season'' (Columbia; $49.95)

``Rawhide -- The Complete First Season'' (Paramount; $49.99)

``Tales From the Crypt -- The Complete Fourth Season'' (Warner; $39.98)

``Dark Shadows DVD Collection 25'' (MPI; $59.98)

``Miami Vice -- Seasons One and Two'' (Universal; $59.98)

``Jane Eyre'' (Acorn; $39.99)

``All Creatures Great & Small -- The Complete Series 6 Collection'' (BBC/Warner; $79.98)

``Chappelle's Show -- The Lost Episodes (Uncensored)'' (Paramount; $24.99)

KIDS

``Choose Your Own Adventure -- The Abominable Snowman'' (Goldhil; $19.98)

``MEE-SHEE the Water Giant'' (Screen Media; $19.98)

CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo:

(1) Old L.A. lives in `Ask the Dust'

(2) no caption (``Rawhide'')

(3) no caption (``The Prisoner'')

(4) no caption (``Final Destination 3'')