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

“R.E.M. Succumbs.” A&M.; $19.98. Georgia-based R.E.M. is one of the few rock groups whose videos don’t consistently betray the entertaining, yet artful intent of its music. Rather than literal interpretations of the songs or stiff concert/sound stage presentations (an exception is the performance video of “So. Central Rain”), the band relies on intriguing locales and grainy film devices to give the footage a ragged, home-movie feel that fits in well with the quartet’s themes about the search for traditional values. Some of these videos have been shown on MTV but others are released here for the first time. Information: (213) 469-2411 *** 1/2