Remembering Kelly Preston through Kino Lorber’s Blu-ray library

Preston Barta // Features Editor

To me, Hawaiian-born actress Kelly Preston, who died on July 12 at age 57 after a two-year battle with breast cancer, was a lot of things. 

She was Avery Bishop, the cutthroat lioness who knocked Tom Cruise on his butt in 1996’s Jerry Maguire. Anyone who has seen enough Tom Cruise movies knows that it is very seldom that he goes down without some savage payback on the way. Although she only appears in a handful of scenes, as Avery, Preston brought forward a comical beatdown with such ease, devouring the frame in a fashion that sticks to the memory wall.

Additionally, Preston portrayed Kevin Costner’s low-key love in 1998’s For Love of the Game, Rachel in Alexander Payne’s 1996 underrated satire Citizen Ruth, and the caring mother in the 1998 family tear-jerker Jack Frost.

Preston may have never gotten the prominent roles from a surface glance, but she made her presence known, often elevating the narrative. The proof is scattered across her filmography. 

If you’re looking to familiarize yourself with her talent, look no further than what home entertainment distribution company Kino Lorber offers in their Blu-ray library.

Here are three titles that you should pick up for your discovery:

SPACECAMP

Rated PG, 107 minutes.
Director: Harry Winer
Cast: Kate Capshaw, Tate Donovan, Lea Thompson, Kelly Preston, Larry B. Scott, Joaquin Phoenix and Tom Skerritt

Of all of Preston’s work, this is the movie that I have appreciated the most. As the cheesy saying goes, SpaceCamp certainly inspires to reach for the stars to see what happens. It also happens to be one of Preston’s first major screen appearances. 

In the 1986 sci-fi adventure, Preston plays Tish – a free-spirited, Ogilvie-permed camper whose cute-blonde-girl looks are merely a disguise. Behind the cheerful Valley Girl facade is a mega brain built with a photographic memory that helps rescue her troop of cosmonauts (including Lea Thompson, Tate Donovan, and a 10-year-old Joaquin Phoenix) from the terrors of outer space. 

While it may look like a forgettable kid’s tale (the goofy robot character may sell it as such), there are many life lessons to pick up and so much thrill to experience. Seriously. I forgot just how intense SpaceCamp is. There are moments that it even touches Gravity level. No joke.

SpaceCamp is currently $9.99 on both Blu-ray and DVD. Purchase here.

Extras: The single-disc Blu-ray includes interviews with star Lea Thompson and director Harry Winer and original theatrical trailers (such as 1986’s Solarbabies).

SPELLBINDER

Rated R, 99 minutes.
Director: Janet Greek
Cast: Kelly Preston, Tim Daly, Rick Rossovich, Audra Lindley, Anthony Crivello, Diana Bellamy and M.C. Gainey

Next to Jerry Maguire, this 1988 occult thriller may be Preston’s most impressive outing. It’s a haunting rollercoaster of a ride, which may come as a surprise. 

At first glance, Spellbinder appears to take the shape of a ridiculous male fantasy. It involves a pretty woman (Preston) being abused by her boyfriend (Anthony Crivello) in a parking lot. Wings’ Tim Daly hears the commotion and steps in to save the day, and Preston and Daly fall fast for each other. 

Daly’s attorney character goes to work, while Preston stays at his house to clean, cook him dinner, and wait for him to return with nothing but one of his button-ups on. Little does he know, Preston’s lovely but mysterious character is wrapped up in a Satan-worshipping cult that gets their jollies by sacrificing lambs and trapping poor chaps in their web.

For a significant portion of Janet Greek’s film, it seems problematic and aged. Suddenly, Spellbinder morphs into an experiment that plays you for a fool and leaves your mouth agape. There’s a lot under the hood of this horror vehicle that drives it right into your nightmares. 

Spellbinder is currently $17.97. Purchase here.

Extras: The single-disc Blu-ray includes an audio commentary with director Janet Greek, on-camera interview with star Anthony Crivello and original trailer.

HOLY MAN

Rated PG, 114 minutes.
Director: Stephen Herek
Cast: Eddie Murphy, Jeff Goldblum, Kelly Preston, Robert Loggia, Jon Cryer, Eric McCormack, Morgan Fairchild and Betty White

Admittedly, Holy Man isn’t part of Preston’s most exceptional block of work. However, it’s better than it gets credit for. Perhaps it was the expectations of the time. It was released when Eddie Murphy was on fire – and it brings together the likes of Jeff Goldblum, Jon Cryer, and Robert Loggia, to name a few A-listers.

The plot attempts to break into how shopping via television is, for many, a religious experience, especially before the internet age. Enter G (Murphy), a footloose mahatma who meets Preston and Goldblum’s Kate and Ricky while changing a flat on a crowded highway. Ricky, a mid-level executive at a shopping network, recognizes potential in G at the station. And like that, G is a televangelist who sends ratings through the roof.

Important messages unfold along the way, and while they may be a bit cheesy and on-the-nose, they have value. The stark contrast between the personalities is what gives Holy Man some staying power. 

Two decades later, perhaps it’s time to give this movie another go. You might smile – that’s all I’m saying.

Holy Man is currently $8.97 on Blu-ray and $7.17 on DVD. Purchase here.

Preston makes an appearance in another Kino Lorber release, 1986’s 52 Pick-Up (an effective sleazy thriller starring Roy Scheider and John Glover). However, the trio of Blu-rays above showcase the roles that most accurately showcase her range as a performer.

The Kino Lorber films include consistent packaging for a collector and feature interviews with select cast and crew who share stories of Preston’s talent. 

To purchase any of these titles, visit kinolorber.com.