Visions Other Than Sugarplums

With two home video packages each from Guns N’ Roses and Metallica and one or two releases that might not be suitable for family viewing, it’s a tough season for a rock ‘n’ roll Santa. The Calendar Video Shopping Guide of releases by some of pop’s biggest names offers some help. The videos, listed alphabetically, are rated on a scale from one star (poor) to four stars (excellent).

* 1/2 Prince & the N.P.G., “Diamonds and Pearls,” Warner Reprise Video. The one wholesome number and the one socially conscious entry are like pauses for breath from the orgiastic goings-on that dominate this hourlong tour through Prince’s libidinous world. The flesh ‘n’ funk fantasies are cold, cloying and self-important.

* * * Queen, “Classic Queen,” Hollywood Music Video. These 17 clips, spanning two decades and ranging from classy concept pieces to mismatched concert collages, capture much of the English band’s inspirational grandeur. Freddie Mercury’s recent death lends much of it an inevitable poignancy.