DVD Savant has two classics tonight, a unique little English film from Home Vision, and a Hitchcock classic from Criterion.

The Rocking Horse Winner is an odd and disturbing little tale that manages to expand the original short story (often required high school reading) without diluting its simplicity and scares. This is the one where the kid rides a rocking-horse toy like a madman, waiting to be inspired with the latest winner at the racetrack. For if he isn't lucky, the family will fall apart. "There must be more money!" HVe has given the disc a number of useful extras, including a Pixelvision short version of the story, and opera excerpts.

Spellbound is the Hitchcock picture that Savant can't seem to take seriously, no matter how much other, wiser reviewers tout its supposed sophistication. Are they seeing the same silly picture I am? Criterion's excellent deluxe edition has extras fans have wanted for a long time, including a piece on the famous Dalí dream sequence.

Well, the first reviews of the new Hammer discs are out there, and disappointingly they report that the DVDs include no special extras (Savant's susceptible to rumors as well). Mine haven't arrived yet (? ....???) but I'm assured they're on their way. Next time ... Glenn Erickson