TURN-ONS AND TURN-OFFS IN CURRENT HOME ENTERTAINMENT RELEASES : Excellent Good Fair Poor : VIDEOCASSETTES

“Macao.” Nostalgia Merchant. $19.95. For most people, this 1952 film will simply play as a dull, set-bound, would-be exotic thriller, with nothing much to recommend it but the usual lazily expert Robert Mitchum lead performance and a few atmospheric shots of net-swept piers. Devotees of directorial style, however, may have fun with it: Half the movie was directed by Josef Von Sternberg and half was re-shot (uncredited, at producer Howard Hughes’ behest) by Nicholas Ray. Who did what? Is Von Sternberg responsible for the densely textured and lit setups and Ray for the action? Who did more scenes with Ray’s ex-wife, Gloria Grahame? And who got better results from full-figured Jane Russell? It might make a nice movie parlor game. Information: (213) 216-7900.