Worth noting on television this week

Judy Nichols

Thursday, March 21, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

SUNDAY

The Little Riders (Disney, 7-8:50 p.m.): Filmed in the Netherlands, this movie follows a young American girl's struggle to save the honor of an embattled Dutch village during World War II. Paul Scofield, Malcolm McDowell, and Noley Thornton star.

World of Audubon (TBS, 10-11 p.m.): The dog is "man's best friend," the saying goes, but this program looks at two other animals - an eagle and an elephant - that have forged special friendships with people. The first part of this program tells the story of Tengere, a royal eagle in the Tian Shan mountains of central Asia. His close companionship with a hunter named Alik keeps alive a relationship passed down through generations - and which dates back to when the Kazakhs ruled all of central Asia.

The program then travels to the Malabar Coast in southern India, where a rich family has employed a man named Chami for more than 40 years to care for their elephant, Ana. As Chami and Ana attend an annual elephant festival, the close ties between the two are unmistakable.

MONDAY

68th Annual Academy Awards Presentation (ABC, 9 p.m.-12 midnight EST): Second only to the Super Bowl in audience viewership, the Oscars promise some exciting drama this year, since no clear winners have emerged in many categories. Hollywood's most glamorous night of the year will be hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, who returns to the emcee platform after David Letterman's one-time stint as host last year.

Films vying for Best Picture include the Scottish epic "Braveheart"; "Apollo 13," the story of a space mission gone awry; "Babe," the comedy starring a pig; and the adaptation of Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility." Already-announced honorary awards will be presented to actor Kirk Douglas, animator Chuck Jones, and John Lasseter, director and co-writer of "Toy Story."

Please check local listings for these programs.