VIDEO : PLAYING THE DEVIL A TEMPTING PREMISE.

Byline: Robert Bianco Special to the Daily News

As much as actors may like to play God in real life, on screen they'd rather play Satan.

You can't blame them for being less than worshipful when it comes to heavenly roles. Sure, playing God was a great career move for George Burns (who made the part eternally his own), but ``Oh, God!'' was an unlikely exception to the general rule: God is a bit part. It's hard to find a lot of dramatic nuances in a character who's all-good, all-powerful and all-knowing.

The devil, on the other hand, is just teeming with those kinds of fatal character flaws that allow for screen-stealing, scenery-chewing actorly excess. It's also a role that supports a variety of approaches and tones, from bone-chilling menace to comic camp.

Al Pacino mixes a bit of both in ``The Devil's Advocate'' (1997, Warner, priced for rental), which puts the devil in charge of a high-powered law firm. (Please, like a big firm would have to hire an amateur.) The devil's goal is not only to corrupt Keanu Reeves, but to claim him as his son - which would actually explain a lot.

It's rather comforting to think the devil has been reduced to winning souls one case at a time instead of devoting his energies to his big projects: war, pestilence, famine. Still, even a downsized Satan is a commanding enough role to get an audience all Beelze-bubbly about devil movies. Should it happen to you, here are 10 other choices.

Faust: (1926, Nostalgia; $19.95) Immortalized in Goethe's poem and Christopher Marlowe's play, this tale of the man who sells his soul to the devil ranks with John Milton's ``Paradise Lost'' as the most influential and copied of all Satan stories. This German silent version was directed by F. W. Murnau.

Doctor Faustus: (1968, Columbia TriStar; $19.95) The excessive amusements of ``The Devil's Advocate'' have little on ``Faustus,'' which features Richard Burton, Andreas Teuber and a cameo appearance from Elizabeth Taylor as Helen of Troy.

Damn Yankees: (1958, Warner; $19.98) This delightful musical twist on ``Faust'' gave Ray Walston's devil one of Broadway's great showstoppers, ``Those Were the Good Old Days,'' while making a star out of the great Gwen Verdon. Unfortunately, Hollywood never allowed Verdon to repeat any of her other stage roles on screen - which smacks of the devil's work when you think about it.

Witches of Eastwick: (1987, Warner; $14.95) Jack Nicholson cuts way loose as the devilish suitor of three lonely women (Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pfeiffer and Cher) who must decide whether Satan is as good as it gets.

Oh God! You Devil: (1984, Warner; $19.98) The third and final ``Oh, God!'' film cast Burns in both titular roles - though to be honest, outside of the clothes, there's not much difference between them. Either the film was making a deep philosophical statement, or Burns just always played Burns.

Stay Tuned: (1992, Warner; $19.98) This uneven Faustian comedy stars John Ritter and Pam Dawber as a married couple who get sucked into a hellish TV after making a deal with the devil (Jeffrey Jones). Jones and some of the TV spoofs are entertaining, but the movie's squabbling central couple are so annoying, you begin to think hell is too good for them.

Time Bandits: (1981, Paramount; $14.95) David Warner is an amusingly malevolent devil in a Monty Python-ish fantasy that also provides a great God cameo for Ralph Richardson. With a little more heart and conviction, ``Bandits'' could have been one of the all-time family classics instead of just a fine but flawed comedy. There are things about it children will love, but the sour ending makes it an uncertain choice for small kids.

The Devil and Daniel Webster: (1941, Home Vision; $24.95) A paradise for fans of great performers, Edward Arnold battles Walter Huston for a farmer's soul. The same Stephen Vincent Benet story also served as the basis for a hilarious ``Simpsons'' parody, ``The Devil and Homer Simpson.''

The Devil and Max Devlin: (1981, Disney; $14.95) Bill Cosby has had unrivaled success as a TV star, recording artist and stand-up comedian. Unfortunately, that success hasn't transferred to the big screen - in part because of unwise choices like his devil-turn in this weak Disney comedy. It's yet another twist on ``Faust,'' with Elliott Gould standing in as the good doctor.

The Stand: (1994, Republic; $39.98) Like most Stephen King miniseries, this overlong horror epic allows the tension it builds at the start to be frittered away by plot holes, logical gaps and pretentious mumbo-jumbo. It does, however, boast a truly sexy and scary performance by the underrated Jamey Sheridan as King's devil stand-in, Randall Flagg.

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Photo: Al Pacino plays the mentor from hell - literally - to Keanu Reeves in ``The Devil's Advocate.''