****Excellent ***Good **Fair *Poor : VIDEOCASSETTES

“Bayanihan.” Masterworks. $39.95. Audiences who saw the Bayanihan Philippine Dance Company on its recent American tour will recognize the components of this worthy, hourlong 1965 film, written and directed by Allegra Fuller Snyder of the UCLA Dance Department. Skillfully shot in a New York studio, it includes vibrant suites drawn from Filipino aboriginal, Muslim and Spanish traditions. It also makes an honorable attempt, through narration, to sketch in the dances’ sociocultural contexts. Unfortunately, the explanations run on top of the music and often prevent the dances from making their intended effect. If only the sound track could be remastered for less talk, the exciting performances preserved here would become more suitable for repeated home viewing. Information: (213) 459-8682. ***