A Merry Christmas for Retailers Is Likely

Many of last summer’s biggest movies will be available on home video for the holidays, but some retailers insist it will be a blue Christmas without MCA/Universal’s monster hit “Jurassic Park.”

It’s fairly certain that two more other summer hits won’t be released for the holiday season either: “In the Line of Fire” and “The Fugitive.”

Still, a very merry Christmas for retailers--and, consequently, for renters--is likely. The period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is generally a rental bonanza, with all the family gatherings and so many people on vacation.

The many summer hits that are scheduled for home-video debut are all nicely staggered so that each can have a week or two of dominance. Warner’s “Free Willy,” the heart-warming family-oriented tale of a boy and a whale, opens the season, bowing on Nov. 16. Geared to the sales market, this movie, which grossed $70 million in theaters, carries a $25 price tag.

“Cliffhanger,” the Sylvester Stallone action-adventure that grossed $80 million, comes out Nov. 24, the day before the long Thanksgiving weekend--one of the most lucrative of the year for video stores.

Then, on Dec. 8, Columbia TriStar’s “Sleepless in Seattle,” starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, makes its premiere. It grossed $117 million in theaters and is the kind of wholesome, feel-good love story that’s especially appealing during that feel-good season.

On Dec. 16, “The Firm,” starring Tom Cruise, will be released. Though its $153-million gross far exceeds the “Sleepless” total, “The Firm” may not be as popular a rental. Not only is “Sleepless” more prone to repeated viewings, it’s also family fare that fits the season--unlike the heavy theatrics of “The Firm.”

Due Dec. 22 is “Dave,” the political comedy starring Kevin Kline. This crowd-pleaser, which pulled in $61 million, will be among the top three rentals through early next year.

“Rising Sun,” the thriller featuring Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes, also will be a dominant rental after it comes out Dec. 1.

Others due during the holiday season: “Made in America” and “The Adventures of Huck Finn” (Nov. 24); “Super Mario Bros.” (Dec. 8); “Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story” (Dec. 8); “Guilty as Sin” (Dec. 8). And summer’s big bust, “Last Action Hero,” is also expected sometime in December.

Videobits

Good news for renters of Paramount’s “Indecent Proposal,” due out next week: There will be more copies of the movie on the market, largely because Paramount has extended the time between its home-video release and its debut on pay-cable to 80 days, instead of the usual 30 to 35. Without the threat of losing customers to pay-per-view for several months, retailers have ordered more copies--more than 525,000 so far, according to distributors.

One of the big holiday sellers will certainly be “The Bodyguard,” currently available only as a rental--unless you care to shell out about $100. But on Nov. 24, the price of the romantic thriller, starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston, drops to $20. This is a quick price turnaround for a movie--still a Top 10 rental--that just came to home video in July.

What’s New On Video

“Jack the Bear” (FoxVideo, $95). A movie about the struggles of a screwball single father (Danny DeVito) in a shabby section of Oakland raising two young boys--one nicknamed Jack the Bear (Robert Steinmiller). It starts out as an interesting examination of quirky relationships and then is buried under the weight of many contrived crises.

“The Night We Never Met” (HBO, $93). A romantic comedy about young New Yorkers on different schedules sharing an apartment. Due to a mix-up, the morose married woman (Anabella Sciorra) confuses the identities of the other two dwellers (Matthew Broderick and Kevin Anderson). Despite efforts of a talented, likable cast, the movie is strained--often to the point of aggravation.

“The Pickle” (Columbia TriStar, no set price). A film director (Danny Aiello) whose career is crumbling seeks answers through probing his past and by making a far-out sci-fi movie about a flying pickle. Director Paul Mazursky’s apparently autobiographical satire is flat and often just plain silly.

“King Tut: The Face of Tutankhamun” (A&E;, $80). Fascinating four-tape set that shows how a pharoah whose tomb is dug up in the 1920s impacted our culture.

Upcoming on Video

“Indecent Proposal” (Wednesday); “Happily Ever After” (Oct. 19); “Three of Hearts,” “The Sandlot” and “Cop and a Half” (Oct. 20); “Dennis the Menace” and “Tom and Jerry: The Movie” (Oct. 26); “Posse,” “The Dark Half” and “Born Yesterday” (Oct. 27); “Who’s the Man?” (Nov. 3); “The Muppet Christmas Carol” (Nov. 5); “Sliver” (Nov. 10); “Lost in Yonkers” and “American Heart” (Nov. 17).