New DVDs include 'Spaceballs'

A variety of comedies are new to DVD this week, led by a reissue special-edition of Mel Brooks' "Star Wars" spoof, just in time to precede the final George Lucas epic.

• "Spaceballs: Collector's Edition" (MGM, 1987, PG, $29.98, two discs). Actually, "Spaceballs" spoofs a wide variety of sci-fi pictures, but the central plot is very much in Lucas territory. (Brooks says on the bonus features that Lucas gave the film his blessing.)

The cast is game, led by Bill Pullman as Lone Starr, a sort of hybrid Luke Skywalker/Han Solo character, along with Daphne Zuniga as Princess Vespa, John Candy as Barf, a gold robot called Dot Matrix (voiced by Joan Rivers and acted by Lorene Yarnell), Rick Moranis as Dark Helmet and Brooks himself in two roles, evil President Skroob (the name is an anagram for Brooks) and Yogurt, which is a riff on Yoda.

Though not nearly as inspired as Brooks' best parodies — "Young Frankenstein," "Blazing Saddles," "High Anxiety" — "Spaceballs" still manages to get some laughs. Although there have been so many space spoofs since this one that it may feel a bit watered down.

Extras: Widescreen, audio commentary (by Brooks), making-of featurettes, bloopers, tribute to Candy, storyboards, interactive trivia game, photo/art galleries, trailers, language and subtitle options (English, French, Spanish), chapters.

• "American Dreamer" (Paramount, 1984, PG, $14.99). This variation on "Romancing the Stone" gets a big boost from the two lead actors.

JoBeth Williams stars as a mousy housewife who is a great fan of novels about fictional superspy Rebecca Ryan. When she submits the winning story in a Rebecca Ryan contest and wins a trip to Paris, she is hit by a car and awakens to the belief that she actually is Rebecca Ryan. And when she links up with the son (Tom Conti) of the books' author, they find themselves mixed up in real international intrigue.

Williams and Conti have great chemistry, and there are some good laughs along the way. Unfortunately, the ending leaves a sour taste, since a family must be broken up for the main character to achieve happiness.

Extras: Widescreen, language options (English, French), optional English subtitles, chapters.

• "Back Roads" (Paramount, 1981; R for violence, language, sex, brief partial male nudity; $16.99). This comedy also relies heavily on its stars, but even Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones have trouble making palatable this stale tale of two losers — a hooker and a former boxer — who hitchhike to Los Angeles. Only fitfully amusing.