[CentOS] How to properly install VLC?

Hi all,

My colleagues and friends from time to time send me .wmv files and I'd 
like to be able to view them under CentOS.

VLC was recommended to me, and AFAIR about a half year ago I tried 
installing it. I don't remember the exact details, but I do remember 
that the Red Hat and Fedora binary distributions didn't work without 
giving all sorts of errors. I _think_ I then did a source compilation, 
and managed to get VLC at least to start up from the command line.

However... It is still a brute text interface only, and when I try to 
add a wmv file to the playlist it gives me all sorts of errors and 
nagging about 'file format probably not supported' etc. :(

I just tried to install the Red Hat binary distribution again from 
FireFox (from: http://www.videolan.org/vlc/), and I didn't see it 
complain about anything, but still it doesn't work any differently from 
the above. :(((

Does anyone know how to go about this (I don't mind doing a source 
compilation, just as long as I now which version to grab and how to get 
it properly installed)?

Cheers,
Olafo