VIDEO EASTWOOD WITH A HEART.

Byline: Rob Lowman Entertainment Editor

Solid storytelling has always been the strong suit of Clint Eastwood's films. Oh, you thought it was punches, bullets and lines like ``Make my day''?

No, while Clint has worked fairly extensively in the tough-guy milieu, he also was schooled in the best Hollywood traditions of building a story and developing characters. His latest, ``Blood Work,'' out Friday on DVD, is no exception. Based on L.A. mystery writer Michael Connelly's novel of the same name, ``Blood Work'' finds Eastwood as a top FBI profiler, Terry McCaleb, hot on the trail of killer when he is felled by a heart attack, forcing a transplant operation and retirement.

But a twist occurs, as the new heart he has received comes from a murdered woman, and her sister (Wanda de Jesus) presses McCaleb - now living quietly on a houseboat - to look into the circumstances of what appears to be a random killing. Though reluctant at first, and against the advice of his doctor (Angelica Huston), McCaleb looks into the incident and soon finds it is connected to the case he was working on before his heart attack - and he now has an even closer connection to the killer who eludes him. Eastwood has been down this shadowy trail of blurring the lines of good and evil before - notably in ``Tightrope,'' ``In the Line of Fire'' and the original ``Dirty Harry,'' directed by one of his mentors, Don Siegel.

Whereas the cop and killer are present as two sides of one personality in the other films (``Tightrope'' illustrates it graphically in the climax), in ``Blood Work'' the tie to the victim adds a new layer. In most crime dramas, the death of a victim - even if shown in graphic detail - ends up being more of a plot point to move the action along than a real emotion. For McCaleb it's a palpable reality; he's reminded every time he's winded or looks at the scar on his chest.

``Blood Work'' isn't top-notch Eastwood but it's as solid and effective as his technique, which isn't full of razzle-dazzle. Some may think the May-December romance between Eastwood and de Jesus farfetched, but it doesn't detract from the mystery. And unlike most older man/younger woman liaisons, this one has a psychological basis in that de Jesus' character has an emotional tie to McCaleb because of her sister's heart.

The DVD includes an 18-minute featurette, ``Making Blood Work'' that is fairly interesting but brief. There is also ``A Conversation in Spanish With Wanda de Jesus and Paul Rodriguez,'' with English subtitles, in which the two actors discuss the role of Latinos in Hollywood today. The bottom line is that while ``Blood Work'' may not be Clint at his best, it's a welcome addition to his body of work. Speaking of bodies - you will see Clint's, all 72 years of it, complete with a scar down its chest.

```Blood Work'' (Warner) lists for $26.90 on DVD.

'My So-Called Life' in a box

The television show ``My So-Called Life,'' starring Claire Danes, went off the air in 1995 after just 19 episodes, but teens today are still identifying with the travails of conflicted teen Angela Chase thanks to reruns.

What sets it apart from later teen shows like ``Dawson's Creek'' is that the kids all don't talk like they're in a college philosophy class. Recently the entire series came out in a five-disc box set on DVD. Too often, canceled series don't live up to the hype of their fans - this one does.

``My So-Called Life (Complete Series)'' (Ventura Distribution) lists for $89.99 on DVD.

O 'Brother Cadfael,' thou art on DVD

I confess that ever since I saw Derek Jacobi in the BBC series ``I Claudius'' many years ago, I've been a fan.

The fourth three-episode DVD box set of his ``Brother Cadfael'' series comes out Jan. 7. Cadfael is a former soldier turned monk in England of the Dark Ages, and his worldliness often puts him at odds with his religious superiors but also lets him solve crimes in a world where superstition often rules. Medieval mysteries may not be to your taste, but Jacobi's monk is an interesting combination of kindly humanity, passion for justice and a sharp mental acuity for solving crimes.

The three episodes in this set are quite good, and there are already three other sets out you can check out.

``Brother Cadfael, Set 4 (``The Pilgrim of Hat,'' ``The Potter's Field,'' ``The Holy Thief'') (Acorn Media) lists for $49.95.

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Photo:

(1) no caption (Clint Eastwood)

(2) no caption (Claire Danes)

(3) no caption (Derek Jacobi)