‘Sleepless’ Awakens ‘Affair’ Popularity

Watching “Sleepless in Seattle,” the hit romantic comedy starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, you can’t help being intrigued by another movie, “An Affair to Remember,” which is referred to often.

And so the 1957 love story has suddenly become the hottest film classic on the home-video market. Available on video for about five years, the FoxVideo title sells for $15.

A spot-check of stores around the country indicates that, in some cases, they haven’t been able to accommodate the demand. “Affair” is either checked out or was never stocked in the first place. Smaller outlets often limit their stock almost exclusively to recent hits.

“There aren’t as many copies of the movie on the market as we would like,” lamented Bob DeLellis, president of FoxVideo. “Still, it was always a big seller--one of the most popular movies in our classics line. But reorders are way up all of a sudden, thanks to ‘Sleepless in Seattle.’ ”

“Affair” starts with a shipboard romance between a playboy (Cary Grant) and an elegant singer (Deborah Kerr)--both already locked in serious relationships. They plan to restructure their lives and rendezvous at the Empire State Building, but fate tragically intervenes. “Sleepless,” fueled by the same dreamily romantic spirit, also uses the Empire State Building to play out its story of fate.

DeLellis saw a screening of “Sleepless” several weeks before it opened and got a stock of “Affair” tapes ready for the anticipated wave of new interest. The company plans to do some further promotional efforts in the form of trade and consumer advertising.

“Affair is also available in its original wide-screen version on laser disc from CBS-Fox ($60).

Videobits

McDonald’s isn’t the only non-video outlet peddling videos these days. In the Southern California area, Ralph’s supermarkets--which don’t have video departments--are offering New Line’s “City Slickers” for $6 with meat purchases. The comedy/drama, starring Billy Crystal and supporting actor Oscar-winner Jack Palance, features cattle--hence the meat tie-in. The movie, though, is in the EP mode, which generally means the visuals are sub-par. Video retailers, of course, oppose this invasion of their turf.

Another popular video will be available soon at a low price and in EP mode--but not at your local supermarket. Orion is dropping the price on “Silence of the Lambs,” the Oscar winner starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, to $9.98 and releasing it on Aug. 25--to the usual video outlets.

What’s New

Here are some new releases:

“A Few Good Men” (Columbia TriStar, no set price). Slick, fairly riveting military courtroom drama about a lawyer (Tom Cruise), battling his own demons, who defends two Marines accused of killing a fellow soldier. Suspecting a cover-up, he and his support team--including a woman (Demi Moore) who pushes him to get better--take on a vicious colonel, played by Oscar-nominated Jack Nicholson.

“Matinee” (MCA/Universal, no set price). In Key West in 1962, a teen horror fan (Simon Fenton) becomes buddies with an outrageous producer of schlock horror films (John Goodman) in town to promote “Mant,” which is about a rampaging half-man, half ant. The “Mant” scenes are hilarious while the rest of it, set against the background of the Cuban missile crisis, has the pleasant, relaxed tone of a “Wonder Years” episode.

“Leap of Faith” (Paramount, no set price). The adventures of a brash, con-man preacher (Steve Martin) with a traveling revival show that preys on rural townsfolk. The centerpiece is Martin’s flashy performance, but this feebly plotted, cynical comedy movie doesn’t offer much else. Debra Winger co-stars as the preacher’s assistant.

Upcoming

Just announced: Wesley Snipes and Dennis Hopper star in the urban drama “Boiling Point,” due Aug. 25.

Also: “Unforgiven” and “The Crying Game” (Wednesday); “The Bodyguard,” “Lorenzo’s Oil” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III” (July 14); “Malcolm X,” “1492: Conquest of Paradise,” “Passion Fish,” “Amos and Andrew” and “Love Field” (July 21); “Home Alone 2” (July 27); “Scent of a Woman” and “Nowhere to Run” (July 28); “Sommersby,” “Sniper,” “Untamed Heart,” “Bad Lieutenant” and “Swing Kids” (Aug. 4); “Benny & Joon,” “Falling Down” and “The Vanishing” (Aug. 11); “Chaplin,” “Mad Dog and Glory” and “The Crush” (Aug. 18); “Groundhog Day” (Aug. 25); “Aladdin” (Oct. 1).