THE MOVIES : SUMMER SCREEN PREVIEW : Capsule descriptions of films that are coming your way.

Summertime--and the movie-goin’ is easy.

Ever since “Jaws” gobbled up the box office, back in the summer of ‘75, the warm-weather months have been the major period for film releases. The latest onslaught, which began with three biggies--sequels to “Crocodile Dundee” and “Rambo” and George Lucas’ “Willow”--kicked off on or around Memorial Day.

Hopefully to amuse you, rather than abuse you, the summer screen strategy (and we emphasize “strategy”--as all of this is subject to change) follows:

THE BIG THREE

“ ‘Crocodile’ Dundee II” --It’s a g’day as Paul Hogan returns for more adventures in the Aussie Outback with his lady love (and enterprising American journalist) Linda Kozlowski. The charismatic Hogan co-scripts; John Cornell produces/directs. With John Meillon. (Paramount)

“Rambo: First Blood Part III” --Sylvester Stallone returns as explosive Vietnam vet John Rambo. The film opens to find Our Hero living a life of peace (at last!) in Thailand. Then comes word that his mentor (and only friend), Col. Sam Trautman (Richard Crenna), has been kidnaped and is being held prisoner in Afghanistan. Again Rambo goes to war! Veteran cinematographer Peter MacDonald makes his directorial debut. Stallone co-scripts with Sheldon Lettich. Mario Kassar and Andrew Vajna exec produce; Buzz Feitshans produces. (Tri-Star)

“Willow” --George Lucas produces; Ron Howard directs; Bob Dolman scripts, based on an original story by Lucas. An epic adventure of good and evil, knights and castles, fairies and monsters, the story finds little Willow Ufgood (3-foot-4-inch Warwick Davis, who played Wicket the Ewok in “Return of the Jedi”) faced with a big job: to transport a baby girl to the land of her heritage. Ah, but there are many obstacles, including the roguish knight played by Val Kilmer. But wait--the handsome Kilmer becomes an ally--another unlikely hero on a quest far bigger than he or Willow realizes. With Joanne Whalley (as the beautiful Sorsha), Jean Marsh (as the evil Queen Bavmorda) and special effects wonders--courtesy of Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light & Magic. (MGM/United Artists)

AND OTHER TITLES KICKING OFF THE SUMMER

“Buy and Cell” --Robert Carradine is a shy investment broker who’s framed and sent to prison where he specializes in insider trading. That is, he sets up Con Inc.--which buys and sells stock from behind bars. His partners: Ben Vereen, Tony Plana, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and Michael Winslow. With Randall (Tex) Cobb as the toughest prison guard, Malcolm McDowell as the cruel warden and Lise Cutter as the attractive doctor who strikes up more than a friendship with Carradine. Robert Boris directs. (Empire)

“Ghost Town” --What looks like a ghost town isn’t. A young woman who happens upon the town, and the young deputy sent to find her, wind up in a Western with horrific overtures. Richard Governor directs. With Franc Luz, Jimmie F. Skaggs and Catherine Hickland. (Empire)

“Out Cold”-- Teri Garr, John Lithgow and Randy Quaid in what’s described as a tale of “love, death and refrigeration.” That is, Garr and Lithgow go on the run following the refrigeration (!) death of Garr’s hubby. Quaid is the private eye who’s, um, hot on their trail. Malcolm Mowbray directs. (Tri-Star)

JUNE

“Big” -- Another one about a kid who’s suddenly transformed into a man--this time via a carnival “wishing machine.” Elizabeth Perkins is the career woman who falls in love with the man-child, Tom Hanks. With Robert Loggia, John Heard and the direction of Penny Marshall. James L. Brooks co-produces. (20th Century Fox)

“Big Business”-- Whoops! Two sets of newborn twins are mismatched. One pair (Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin) is reared by a wealthy New York family while the other (Lily Tomlin and Bette Midler) grow up in rural Jupiter Hollow. Thirty-plus years later, the mistake is discovered during a frantic Manhattan weekend. Jim Abrahams (one of the guys who let loose “Airplane!”) directs. (Buena Vista)

“Call Me”-- Oh, the perils of telephone sex: A woman who receives a series of obscene telephone calls thinks it’s her boyfriend trying to liven up their relationship. She agrees to meet the mystery caller. The fantasy turns to terror when she witnesses a brutal murder at a bar and then becomes a potential victim. Still, those calls keep coming. Sollace Mitchell directs/co-writes. With Patricia Charbonneau and Patti D’Arbanville. (Vestron)

“Chronicle of a Death Foretold” --Murder mystery based on novel by Nobel Prize-winning Gabriel Garcia Marquez that explores tight social structures and unwritten codes of honor within a tiny South African community. Rupert Everett, Ornella Muti and Anthony Delon star. Francesco Rosi directs. (Island)

“Coming to America”-- Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall star in and co-write the saga of a wealthy African prince (Murphy) who comes to the States with his royal sidekick (Hall) in search of a bride. John Landis directs. With James Earl Jones, John Amos, Madge Sinclair and Shari Headley. (Paramount)

“The Decline of Western Civilization II: The Metal Years” --Director Penelope Spheeris’ exploration of the heavy-metal scene includes interviews/concert performances with the likes of Ozzy Osbourne and Kiss. Bring your earplugs, dudes. (New Line Cinema)

“Funny Farm”-- Chevy Chase and Madolyn Smith decide to chuck New York City careers and life styles for pastoral existence in Redbud, USA. Ha! Are they in for some surprises! George Roy Hill directs/co-produces; Jeffrey Boam scripts. (Universal)

“The Great Outdoors”-- Dan Aykroyd and John Candy are brothers-in-law who’re in for misadventure during a vacation. John Hughes exec-produces and scripts; Howard Deutch directs. With Stephanie Faracy and Annette Bening. (Universal)

“A Handful of Dust”-- Set in England during the early ‘30s. Socially prominent Tony and Brenda Last live in a seeming state of happiness. Then Tony inadvertently invites a penniless young socialite to stay for the weekend and Brenda lets it be known that all is not well in paradise. Charles Sturridge directs/co-scripts with producer Derek Granger. The source material: Evelyn Waugh’s 1934 novel. Stars James Wilby, Kristin Scott Thomas, Rupert Graves, Anjelica Huston, Judi Dench and Sir Alec Guinness. (New Line Cinema)

“Hot to Trot” --Bob Goldthwait is an insecure stockbroker teamed with a talking horse. The result--according to publicists--is that each tries “to learn a thing or two about himself, success and love.” “Mr. Ed” was never this deep. Michael Dinner directs. With Virginia Madsen, Jim Metzler, Cindy Pickett and Dabney Coleman. (Warner Bros.)

“L’Ami De Mon Amie” (“Friend of a Friend”)--France’s Eric Rohmer--who specializes in psychological studies of young intellectuals hung-up on sex--directs the story of Lea and Blanche. They’re girlfriends (strictly platonic) unsatisfied in their personal relationships. When Lea decides to vacation on her own, Blanche becomes involved with Lea’s boyfriend. Stars Anne-Laure Meury and Sophie Renoir. (Orion Classics)

“Me and Him” --Griffin Dunne is a struggling architect whose life takes a surprising turn when his, um, when a certain appendage begins talking to him, telling him what to do. (Honest!) As a result, he leaves wife Ellen Greene to work out the differences between his consicous personality and the commands of his new and unorthodox “adviser.” Ultimately, he becomes more assertive and successful in both career and love life. Dorris Dorrie directs. With Craig T. Nelson and Kelly Bishop. (Columbia)

“Paramedics”-- Laid-back medics are transferred from the cushy “uptown” district to the rough-and-tumble South End where they become enmeshed in a corpses-for-dollars scam. Stuart Margolin directs George Newbern, Chris McDonald, Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs, Ray Walston. (Vestron)

“Picasso Trigger” -- Former “General Hospital” heartthrob Steve Bond is Travis Abilene, an undercover FBI agent who, with diligent assistance from a bevy of Playmates, pursues the title character. No Mr. Nice Guy, the nefarious Picasso Trigger (sort of a low-rent James Bond villain) operates under the slogan “Killing is an Art Form.” Andy Sidaris directs. (Malibu Bay).

“Poltergeist III” --The late Heather (“They’re Heee-er”) O’Rourke is again pestered by irrepressible optical effects. Only psychic Tangina Barrons (Zelda Rubinstein) can steer her clear. This time, Tom Skerritt and Nancy Allen--as O’Rourke’s uncle and aunt--share in the scares. Gary Sherman directs/co-scripts. (MGM/United Artists)

“The Presidio” --Veteran hunk Sean Connery teams with Mark Harmon in a contemporary story of a joint military and police investigation at San Francisco’s Presidio military compound. Peter Hyams directs from Larry Ferguson’s script. With Meg Ryan and Jack Warden. (Paramount)

“Red Heat” --Arnold Schwarzenegger proves that art can have nothing to do with life as he portrays the toughest officer in Moscow’s highly disciplined homicide division. You heard right. Arnie plays a Commie. James Belushi is the wisecracking American cop who teams with the thick-accented muscle man as they seek to nab a Russian drug dealer who’s managed to make enemies of them both. Mario Kassar and Andrew Vajna exec-produce. Walter Hill directs/co-scripts. (Tri-Star)

“A Summer Story” --Piers Haggard directs as tale of passion and pain, set in England circa 1902, between a beautiful country girl and a young barrister. Based on a story by John Galsworthy. Stars Imogen Stubbs, James Wilby, Sophie Ward and Susannah York. (Atlantic)

“Who Framed Roger Rabbit” --Robert Zemeckis (“Back to the Future”) helms this mega-budgeted combination live action/animation extravaganza. Set in the ‘40s, it involves the unusual relationship between a second-rate private eye (Bob Hoskins) and a celebrated client named Roger Rabbit--who is a rabbit. Rabbit is accused of foul play in the fantasy world of Hollywood and its suburb, Toontown. Exec produced by Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall. With Christopher Lloyd, Joanna Cassidy and Stubby Kaye. (Buena Vista)

JULY

“Angel III” --The once-teen hooker has grown up and become a professional photographer. As played by Mitzi Kapture, she’s at work on a book about runaway kids when she comes upon a plot involving white slavery--and the sister she didn’t know she had. Tom De Simone directs. With Mark Blankfield. (New World)

“Arthur 2 on the Rocks” --Dudley Moore returns as the tipsy and very rich Arthur. (He also exec produces.) Also on hand: Liza Minnelli, Sir John Gielgud and Geraldine Fitzgerald. (Gielgud--whose character died in the 1981 “Arthur”--returns as a ghostly presence.) Bud Yorkin directs. (Warner Bros.)

“Bambi” --The return of the most adorable li’l fawn of ‘em all, not to mention Flower the Skunk, Thumper the Bunny and a host of other forest critters. This 1942 animated classic also includes plenty of high drama--like that nightmare-inducing forest fire . . . uh-oh, dare we mention Bambi’s m-o-t-h-e-r? (Buena Vista)

“Big Top Pee-Wee” --Pee-wee Herman’s back as a young farmer whose rural life and romance with the local schoolmarm take an extraordinary turn when a traveling circus comes to town. Next thing you know, Pee-wee’s fallen in love with the show’s star, leading to an oh-so-torrid triangle. Paul Reubens--who co-produces and co-writes--is Pee-wee. His cohorts include Kris Kristofferson, Susan Tyrell, Valeria Golino and Penelope Ann Miller. Randal Kleiser directs. (Paramount)

“The Blob” --Ew, gross! Return of the stickiest, ickiest monster in filmdom. Produced by Jack H. Harris, this one picks up where the 1958 semi-classic left off. Kevin Dillon, the local rebel, and Shawnee Smith, the perky all-American cheerleader, team to save their sleepy town from the gelatinous killer. Chuck Russell directs/co-scripts. With ‘60s folk singer Donovan. (Tri-Star)

“Bull Durham” --Batter up! Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins in a triangle about sex, sports and the realization that, eventually, we’ve all got to “grow up.” It all happens during a tumultuous season of minor-league baseball. Screenwriter Ron Shelton makes his directorial debut. (Orion)

“Child’s Play”-- Tom Holland directs/co-writes this tale of a lonely youngster, his widowed working mother and a cop who suspects the child of murder. But it’s really the child who’s in danger . . . why won’t anyone believe him when he tries to tell them who the real killer is? With Catherine Hicks, Chris Sarandon, Brad Dourif, Alex Vincent and Dinah Manoff. (MGM/United Artists)

“Cocktail” --Tom Cruise is a cocky bartender who, with help from seasoned pro Bryan Brown, becomes the toast of New York’s Upper East Side. Then along comes spirited Elisabeth Shue and love and revelations about the real meaning of success in the ‘80s. Roger Donaldson directs. (Buena Vista)

“The Dead Pool” --Get outta town, punks! Dirty Harry’s back in the fifth installment involving San Francisco Inspector Callahan. Clint Eastwood (who else?) stars--and produces. Buddy Van Horn directs. With Evan Kim as Eastwood’s partner in crime-fighting. (Warner Bros.)

“Die Hard” --Bruce Willis is a tough New York City detective who proves the only hope for a small group of hostages--one of whom just happens to be his estranged wife--trapped in a Los Angeles high-rise when it is seized by terrorists. Lawrence Gordon and Joel Silver (“Predator”) produce. Actionmeister Steven E. de Souza (“Commando”) co-scripts. John McTiernan directs. With Alan Rickman and Bonnie Bedelia (20th Century-Fox)

“Ella” --George A. Romero writes/directs. But this time the horror’s more psychological--involving a young law student (Jason Beghe), confined to a wheelchair, who finds an alter ego in little Ella, the monkey who’s specially trained to assist him. Ah, but this twisted scientist is tampering with Ella--who’ll soon take to acting out man’s darkest, most animal-like instincts. (Orion)

“A Fish Called Wanda” --John Cleese scripts/co-directs Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, Michael Palin and himself in what’s dubbed an “offbeat, evenball, out-of-right-field look at the love-hate relationship between the British and Americans.” Well, OK. (MGM/United Artists)

“Fresh Horses” --Andrew McCarthy and Molly Ringwald in a grown-up tale about obsessive love. He’s a college senior whose life choices have been conservative--until he meets Ringwald, who plays Jewel of rural Kentucky. David Anspaugh directs; Larry Ketron scripts from his Off-Broadway play. With Patti d’Arbanville, Ben Stiller and Doug Hutchison. (Weintraub Entertainment Group)

“License to Drive” --Corey Haim and Corey Feldman--who teamed to battle vampires in “The Lost Boys”--this time team to get their drivers’ licenses and the sense of freedom that can bring. And there’s the possibility that a license--and some hot wheels--can result in a date with the dreamiest girl at school. (Wouldn’t you know--her name is Mercedes.) Greg Beeman directs. With Heather Graham, Carol Kane and Richard Masur. (20th Century Fox)

“Midnight Run” --Martin Brest produces/directs Robert De Niro, as an ex-cop-turned-bounty-hunter who tracks bail-jumping mob accountant Charles Grodin. What should have been an easy job (a 5-hour flight to L.A.) becomes a 5-day cross country chase involving assorted cops and bad guys. George Gallo scripts. With Yaphet Kotto, John Ashton and Wendy Phillips. (Universal)

“The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking” --The beloved redheaded mischief-maker (kids who read books know all about her) is up to her pigtails in adventure. It all begins when she’s separated from her father . . . . Ken Annakin writes/directs. With 12-year-old Tami Erin as Pippi--and Eileen Brennan, Dennis Dugan, Dick Van Patten, Dianne Hull, George Di Cenzo and John Schuck. (Columbia)

“Pascali’s Island”-- Set on an Aegean island during the decline of the Ottoman Empire, Ben Kingsley, Charles Dance and Helen Mirren find their fates becoming entwined. James Dearden (“Fatal Attraction”) writes/directs. (Avenue Entertainment)

“Patty Hearst” --Patty Hearst acted as a consultant on this film, which is based on her book “Every Secret Thing.” Paul Schrader directs; Nicholas Kazan scripts. Natasha Richardson plays the California heiress-turned-bank-robbing urban guerrilla. With William Forsythe and Francis Fisher. (Atlantic Releasing)

“Short Circuit II” --That rowdy robot, No. 5, is still alive. Hey--how else to do the sequel? S.S. Wilson and Brent Maddock--who wrote the original--repeat. Fisher Stevens returns from the original. Michael McKean, Cynthia Gibb and Jack Weston also star. Kenneth Johnson directs. (Tri-Star)

“Spike of Bensonhurst” --Sasha Mitchell makes his film debut as a wisecracking, street smart, brawn-over-brains youth who dreams of becoming a lightweight boxing champion. He also has mob kingpin (Ernest Borgnine) to contend with. Paul Morrissey directs. (FilmDallas Pictures)

“Split Decisions” --Gritty streets of New York City and boxing are backdrops for this story of family conflicts and divided loyalties starring Gene Hackman, Jennifer Beals, Craig Sheffer, Jeff Fahey and John McLiam. David Drury directs. (New Century/Vista Film Co.)

“Teen Witch” (tentative title)--Robyn Lively, a shy high school sophomore, dreams about being the most popular girl in her class. A chance encounter with a fortune teller (Zelda Rubinstein) makes it happen. With Shelley Berman. Song, dance, and direction by Dorian Walker. (Trans World Entertainment)

“Vibes” --Rocker Cyndi Lauper, in her film debut, and Jeff Goldblum are mismatched psychics who are brought together by bumbling entrepreneur Peter Falk. Soon they’re involved in adventure--and romance--on a mysterious mission in Ecuador. Ken Kwapis directs from a script by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel (they did “Splash”). Ron Howard exec produces. With Julian Sands and Googy Gress. (Columbia)

“The Wizard of Loneliness” --All about a cynical boy (Lukas Haas) who’s packed off to live with his grandparents in Vermont following his mother’s death and his father’s enlistment in the Army. Set in early ‘40s, film follows the boy’s humanization via his eccentric extended family. Jenny Bowen directs. John Nichols scripts, based on his semi-autobiographical novel. With Lea Thompson, Lance Guest, John Randolph, Dylan Baker and Anne Pitoniak. (Skouras)

“A World Apart” --Chris Menges, who won an Academy Award as cinematographer of “The Mission,” makes his directorial debut. Set in Johannesburg in 1963, this film is based on a true story of a woman and her family’s struggle to survive and triumph amidst the turmoil of the early days of South African activism. Barbara Hershey stars. Sarah Radclyffe (“My Beautiful Laundrette”) produces. (Atlantic)

“The Year My Voice Broke” --Two childhood friends face the harsh choices of adulthood. Set in a small Australian town in the early ‘60s, this film won best picture, director and screenplay awards at this year’s Australian Film Institute awards. George Miller co-produces. With Noah Taylor and Loene Carmen. (Avenue Entertainment)

AUGUST

“Backfire” --A veteran is haunted by memories of Vietnam. Meanwhile, wife Karen Allen schemes of a way to inherit his estate. But her plans backfire. Gilbert Cates directs. With Keith Carradine, Jeff Fahey and--in his final performance--Dean Paul Martin. (Atlantic Releasing)

“Betrayed” --Costa-Gavras directs Tom Berenger, Debra Winger and John Heard in the story of an FBI agent who goes undercover to investigate a radical organization. Joe Eszterhas scripts. Irwin Winkler produces. (MGM/United Artists)

“Caddyshack 2” --Jackie Mason slips into Rodney Dangerfield’s role in this sequel to the 1980 hit. Film sticks to the country-club setting of the original and deals again with golf, greed, gophers--and mayhem. Neil Canton, Peter Guber and Jon Peters produce. Allan Arkush directs. “Caddyshack” director Harold Ramis returns as a co-writer. (Warner Bros.)

“Crusoe” --Aidan Quinn is Robinson Crusoe; Ade Sappara is Friday. Caleb Deschanel--who proved, with “The Black Stallion,” that he knows his way around a desert island--directs. Adapted from the classic Daniel Defoe tale. (Island Pictures)

“The Deceivers” --Pierce Brosnan stars in this adaptation of John Masters’ novel, playing a 19th-Century British officer who infiltrates the Thuggee cult. The band of Indian murderers is bent on knocking off Western visitors, so Brosnan sets out to destroy them from within. Nicholas Meyer directs. Ismail Merchant produces. (Cinecom)

“Eight Men Out” --From Eliot Asinof’s book, the story of the 1919 Chicago “Black Sox” scandal. Certain players were cajoled into accepting gamblers’ money to alter the outcome of that year’s World Series. Adapted and directed by John Sayles. With Charlie Sheen, D. B. Sweeney, John Cusack, Christopher Lloyd. And--in cameos--author Asinof, Studs Terkel and Sayles. (Orion)

“Elvira, the Movie” --The sinister sultress (Cassandra Peterson) heads to a small New England town to sell a rundown mansion she’s inherited. An outraged city council and a mysterious stranger from her past combine to present a dilemma for the Mistress of the Dark. Jim Signorelli directs. (New World)

“Felix the Cat” --The intrepid animated feline utilizes magic to travel to a different dimension in order to rescue a beautiful princess from the evil Duke of Zill. Directed by Tibor Schneider. (New World)

“Field of Honor” --The youngest man in a farming family offers to enlist in the armed forces, thus enabling his older brother to avoid the military. When war breaks out and the family is unsure of the young man’s whereabouts, the brother who shirked the military enlists and subsequently learns of his brother’s fate. Jean-Pierre Denis directs. (Orion Classics)

“Fright Night: Part 2” --Roddy McDowall (as Peter Vincent, fearless TV horror-show host) and William Ragsdale return for more tongue-in-cheek terror in the sequel to the 1985 summer hit. This time they are tormented by the beautiful Julie Carmen, who hits town with a nightmarish entourage. Tommy Lee Wallace directs. (New Century/Vista)

“Going Undercover” --Inept private eye Chris Lemmon, whose cases range from tracking down pink poodles to finding lost patio furniture, is hired to accompany Lea Thompson on a trip to Europe. Wouldn’t you know it--amidst adventure (mad scientists) and squabbling--they fall in love. With Jean Simmons. Eddie Arno and Markus Innocenti direct. (Miramax)

“Ground Zero” --In an attempt to uncover the truth about the effects of British nuclear testing in Austrialia, one man uncovers facts about his father’s death. Michael Pattinson and Bruce Myles direct Colin Friels, Jack Thompson and Donald Pleasence. (Avenue Entertainment)

“Hero” --A fiendish murderer escapes from a mental institution, intent on tracking down the cop who sent him away. Little does he know that the cop is . . . Chuck Norris! William Tannen directs. Also stars Brynn Thayer, Steve James and Jack O’Halloran (the massive mute in “Superman II”). (Cannon)

“Kansas” --Andrew McCarthy is Wade Corey, a fellow en route to New York who ends up on a freight train when his possessions and wheels are destroyed by fire. He hooks up with Doyle Kennedy (Matt Dillon), who talks him into visiting a small town--and into an adventure that will change his life. Directed by David Stevens. Also stars Leslie Hope. (Trans World Entertainment)

“Last Rites” --Tom Berenger is a New York priest who offers the protection of his church to a girl (Daphne Zuniga) marked for death by an organized-crime family. His efforts to save her are complicated by their fiery and erotic attraction to each other. Don Bellisario directs. With Ann Twomey, Dane Clark, Chick Vennera and Paul Dooley. (MGM/United Artists)

“Married to the Mob” --”Something Wild” director Jonathan Demme continues to explore dark humor. This time he guides Michelle Pfeiffer as a hit-man’s wife who tries to go legit when he’s iced. She flees to Manhattan’s Lower East Side but can’t quite shake the mob boss. To make things worse, she falls for an undercover FBI agent (Matthew Modine) who’s assigned to keep an eye on her. With Dean Stockwell, Mercedes Ruehl, Oliver Platt and Alec Baldwin. (Orion)

“Moon Over Parador” --Richard Dreyfuss is a struggling actor who has just finished shooting a film in Parador and decides to stay on for the carnival. Then along comes “the role of a lifetime.” This after the country’s dictator keels over of a heart attack. Talk about a challenge: After taking “office,” Dreyfuss is seduced by the dictator’s mistress (dishy Sonia Braga), shot at by revolutionaries and plotted against by the CIA. Paul Mazursky directs/co-writes (with frequent collaborator Leon Capetanos). Also stars Raul Julia. (Universal)

“My New Car” (tentative title)--Director David Beaird takes a tongue-in-cheek look at American rituals as a young groom-to-be leaves the safe confines of his rural family on the eve of his wedding in order to purchase his first car. Peel out! Stars George Newbern, Leslie Hope, Kimberly Foster and Anthony Geary. (MGM/United Artists)

“Nam” --All about men and combat--and a young lieutenant (Michael Dudikoff) in Vietnam. Aaron Norris--Chuck’s younger bro’--directs. Also stars William Smith and Robert F. Lyons. (Cannon)

“Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master” --Fast Freddy (Robert Englund) finally meets his match as the last of the (surviving) Elm Street children confronts the powerful “Dream Master” and puts a fitting end to his evil ways. Or does he . . . (New Line Cinema)

“976-EVIL” --Robert Englund (see above) this time makes his devilish presence known behind the camera, directing a tale of telephone terror. When a wimpy kid finds a card with the aforementioned phone number, he begins calling it. His calls become more and more frequent. The devil at the other end transforms him from an innocent kid into a vicious creature who commits hideous acts. Stars Stephen Geoffreys, Jim Metzler, Maria Rubell, Pat O’Bryan and Sandy Dennis as Aunt Lucy. (CineTel)

“1969” --It’s the final year of the tumultuous ‘60s and that era’s disparities are reflected in best friends Robert Downey Jr. and Kiefer Sutherland, who are graduating from their small-town high school. Downey Jr.’s the fiery pragmatist; Sutherland has bohemian sensibilities. Ernest Thompson (“On Golden Pond”) writes/directs. Also stars Bruce Dern, Mariette Hartley, Joanna Cassidy and Winona Ryder. (Atlantic Releasing)

“Outer Heat” --Los Angeles has become home to 300,000 newcomers from another planet. Tough cop James Caan --who’s searching for his partner’s killer--is teamed with one of those aliens (Mandy Patinkin). Along with crime-fighting, they overcome some of their prejudices. Graham Baker directs. Gale Anne Hurd co-produces. With Terence Stamp. (20th Century Fox)

“Prime Evil” --All about centuries-old, devil-worshipping monks who have surfaced in New York. Since breaking away from the church during the Black Plague in England, they have kept their strength and flourished through human sacrifices that take place every 13 years. Ah, but the church has decided, once and for all, to rid the city of this sect before the next sacrificial bloodbath. Roberta Findlay directs William Beckwith, Christine Moore and Mavis Harris. (Crown International)

“The Prince of Pennsylvania” --An idiosyncratic teen concocts a zany scheme to kidnap his macho dad in order to more fairly distribute the family’s new-found wealth. Ron Nyswaner directs Keanu Reeves (who seems to be in everything these days!), Amy Madigan, Bonnie Bedelia and Fred Ward. (New Line Cinema)

“Pulse Pounders” --A trilogy comprised of “The Evil Clergyman” ; “Trancers II: The Return of Jack Deth” ; “Dungeonmaster II.” In the opener, a disgraced priest (Jeffrey Combs) returns from the dead to haunt his lover (Barbara Crampton) while David Warner portrays a fellow priest who tries to dissuade him from these unpleasant tactics. In the second segment, a sequel to 1985’s “Trancers,” Tim Thomerson is Jack Deth, a cop from the future who returns to the 23rd Century to stalk a legendary villain. The finale stars Lee Ving, who cuts a deal with the demon Mestema to trick the powerful Merlin into a battle of supernatural powers. Charles Band directs the lot. (Empire)

“The Rescue” --A group of heroic teens undertake a dangerous rescue mission when their fathers are captured by the North Koreans on a naval maneuver. Ferdinand Fairfax directs Charles Haid, Edward Albert, Kevin Dillon, Ned Vaughn, Christina Harnos. (Buena Vista)

“Robojox” --Stuart Gordon (“Re-Animator”) is at it again. The time: the future world, in which global wars are forsaken for battles by proxy. The Common Market and the Confederation stage battles involving massive robotic war machines, or Robojox, which can wage carnage by land, by sea or by air. Stars Gary Graham, Anne-Marie Johnson and Paul Koslo. (Empire)

“Running on Empty” --Sidney Lumet directs Christine Lahti, Judd Hirsch, Martha Plimpton and River Phoenix in the story of ‘60s-era campus “revolutionaries” on the run from the FBI. The thrust is their son, who’s grappling over choosing a life of his own or sticking with his fugitive folks. Amy Robinson and Griffin Dunne produce. (Lorimar)

“Smoke” --Burt Reynolds and Theresa Russell in the story of a down-and-out cop who’s being tried for murder and his confident attorney, who hopes to make a name for herself on this case. Murder, suspense and double-dealing punctuate this scenario, directed by Michael Crichton. Marty Ransohoff produces. Also stars Ned Beatty and Kay Lenz. (Columbia)

“State Park” --A trio of pals embark on a weeklong adventure at a state park, where the possibilities are limitless. Outrageous rocker Ted Nugent heads an ensemble cast, directed by Rafal Zielinski. Party time! (Atlantic)

“Stealing Home” --Mark Harmon is Billy Wyatt, a reclusive fading athlete. When a tragedy forces him to return home, he relives the bittersweet memories of his youth. Steven Kampmann and Will Aldis co-write/co-direct. Also stars Jodie Foster, Blair Brown, John Shea and Jonathan Silverman. (Warner Bros.)

“The Trouble With Dick” --Tom Villard is a promising science-fiction writer suffering writer’s block--and romantic travails. See, there’s this old college heartthrob (Susan Dey) living in his boarding house, which is run by a dilettante landlady and her Lolita-like daughter . . . Meanwhile, the hero of Dick’s new sci-fi novel becomes trapped on a hostile prison planet. Pretty soon, events in the story are paral- leling those in Dick’s household. Gary Wal- kow produces/directs this Grand Prize win- ner (Best Narrative Film) from the ’87 Park City, Utah film festival. (FilmDallas Pictures)

“Tucker: The Man and His Dream” --George Lucas exec produces, Francis Coppola directs and Jeff Bridges plays title character Preston Tucker--the real-life innovative auto designer and family man who overcame extraordinary obstacles to realize his life’s dream. Also stars Joan Allen, Martin Landau, Frederic Forrest, Mako, Lloyd Bridges, Dean Stockwell, Elias Koteas and Peter Donat. (Paramount)

“War Party” --Kevin Dillon and country singer Dwight Yoakam star as modern-day Indians who are chased across North America by the law after their reenactment of a 100-year-old battle inadvertently causes death. Producers are John Daly, Derek Gibson and Bernie Williams. England’s Franc Roddam directs. Also stars Billy Wirth and M. Emmet Walsh. (Tri-Star)

“The Wash” --A Japanese woman in her 60s leaves her husband of 40 years and discovers--after decades of being known simply as “Nobu’s wife”--who she is. But even though she begins to see other men, she finds it difficult to completely break the tie to Nobu. Each week, she visits his apartment and picks up clothes to wash. Michael Uno directs Nobu McCarthy, Mako and Sab Shimono. (Skouras Pictures)

“Young Guns” --Saddle up! Emilio Estevez plays Billy the Kid. Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips and Charlie Sheen are part of his gang. All about the making of a Western legend. Chris Cain directs. With Terence Stamp, Jack Palance and (as Billy’s other buddies) Casey Siemaszko and Dermot Mulroney. (20th Century Fox)