VCR Boom Expected to End Year With a Bang; Consumers Union to Enter Cassette Market

This year’s VCR boom, various experts predict, will end with a bang, with between 2 million and 2.5 million VCRs sold during the last six weeks of the year.

According to the Electronic Industries Assn.’s Consumer Electronics Group, VCR sales are up 55% over the first 10 months of 1984--8.6 million versus 5.5 million. A little more than 1 million VCRs were sold last month, compared to 720,000 in October, 1984.

BETA SHRINKAGE: Sanyo, which formerly sold only Beta VCRs, will also start selling VHS recorders next year. That leaves just Sony and its affiliate Aiwa as the companies still marketing only Beta VCRs.

Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports magazine, is branching into the how-to videocassette market. Six one-hour tapes, selling for $19.95 and released by Karl/Lorimar, are scheduled for release next year. The first two guides--one for auto buyers and another for home safety and security--are due in March. One reason Consumer Reports is entering the videocassette market is a built-in audience. According to research figures, half of its 2.5 million subscribers will own a VCR by the end of the year.

OPERA RELEASES: The first four titles of Paramount’s new fine arts label, Bel Canto, have just been released. All are operas from PBS’ “Live at the Met” series. “La Boheme” (1982) and “Un Ballo in Maschera” (1980) are $59.95. “Don Carlo” (1983) and “Centennial Gala” (1983) are $79.95.

OLD MOVIES: Next week, RCA/Columbia is releasing “Shampoo” (1975) at $59.95. This funny, provocative comedy--one of the best of the ‘70s--is usually butchered in TV showings because of sexy scenes and language. Carrie Fisher’s role as a teen-age tart has been completely edited out of some TV versions. Directed by Hal Ashby, it co-stars Warren Beatty, Julie Christie and Goldie Hawn and features Jack Warden’s finest screen performance.

For Three Stooges aficionados, “The Three Stooges, Volume XIII” is a must. It includes three short comedies--”Three Little Pigskins,” “Dizzy Detectives” and “Sock-a-Bye Baby.” The gem of this collection is “Three Little Pigskins,” which offers Moe, Larry and Curly as football heroes. To me, it’s the best of all the trio’s shorts. “The Three Stooges, Volume XIII” was just released by RCA/Columbia at $29.95.

NEW AND COMING MOVIES: “Gremlins” is the last blockbuster movie to make its home video debut this holiday season. It’s available this week, on Warner Video at $79.95. By Christmas this is likely to be in the Top Five on the rental chart.

Next week’s main releases should also be popular rentals--the James Bond movie, “A View to a Kill,” and “Fletch,” the comedy starring Chevy Chase. In two weeks, Clint Eastwood’s “Pale Rider” will be in the stores. Disney’s “Return to Oz” and “The Heavenly Kid” will also be out that week.

January releases: “Prizzi’s Honor,” “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome,” “Mask,” “Rambo: First Blood Part II” and “My Science Project.” On Feb. 25, “Return of the Jedi” is due.

TOP CASSETTES, RENTALS

1--”Ghostbusters” (RCA/Columbia).

2--”Beverly Hills Cop” (Paramount).

3--”The Breakfast Club” (MCA).

4--”Amadeus” (Thorn).

5--”Ladyhawke” (Warner Video).

6--”Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment” (Warner Video).

7--”The Killing Fields” (Warner Video).

8--”Desperately Seeking Susan” (Thorn).

9--”Gotcha” (MCA).

10--”Missing in Action 2: The Beginning” (MGM/UA).

TOP CASSETTES, SALES

1--”Beverly Hills Cop” (Paramount).

2--”Ghostbusters” (RCA/Columbia).

3--”Jane Fonda’s New Workout” (Karl/Lorimar).

4--”Pinocchio” (Disney).

5--”White Christmas” (Paramount).

6--”Jane Fonda’s Workout” (Karl/Lorimar).

7--”Dumbo” (Disney).

8--”Amadeus” (Thorn).

9--”Mary Poppins” (Disney).

10--”Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever” (MGM/UA).