Home Video Rentals Drop but Revenues Are Still Up

The number of rental transactions in the home video industry plunged 8.7% in 1995, from 4.59 billion in 1994 to 4.19 billion last year, according to an annual study of the business by the New York research firm Alexander & Associates.

But according to Barbara McNamara, a manager at the company, the video industry is still thriving despite the drop in rental income. Video revenue increased more than 2% in 1995 over 1994.

The reason? Consumers purchased more videocassettes--682.9 million in 1995, a 17.7% increase from 1994. “[People] are buying tapes and watching them a couple of times rather than going to the video store [to rent something new],” McNamara explained. “The dollars are still in the market.”

McNamara reports that, so far in 1996, the rental market is on an even pace with last year and even exceeded it during several weeks in March. One reason for the increase, she says, was the availability of such Oscar-nominated films as “Apollo 13,” “Braveheart” and “Babe.” Cold weather in much of the country also was a factor, she added.

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Documentaries: The informative “Idols of the Game” (Turner, $40; $20 each), a four-part examination of 20th century American sports heroes, features vintage clips and interviews with such sports figures as Mickey Mantle and Joe Namath.

New on Tuesday is MPI’s “Blood & Iron: The Story of the German War Machine” ($80), a compelling three-volume examination of the 20th century German military regime.

Back in 1954, director Sam Fuller (“The Steel Helmet”) traveled to Brazil’s Amazon rain forest to scout locations for an action film to star John Wayne, Ava Gardner and Tyrone Power. The film was never made and the footage Fuller shot sat in a living-room closet in his L.A. house. The entertaining “Tigero--A Film That Was Never Made” (Arrow) follows the journey taken 40 years later by the deliciously outspoken Fuller and his friend, the laconic director Jim Jarmusch (“Stranger Than Paradise”), back to the rain forest.

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Sports: New York Ranger Luc Robitaille hosts “Ice and Asphalt: The World of Hockey” (Paramount, $15), a fast-paced, slick guide to the sport.

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From TV: The seven-volume collector’s gift set of “I, Claudius” (CBS/Fox, $130) includes scenes omitted when the award-winning BBC miniseries originally aired on PBS’ “Masterpiece Theatre.” Derek Jacobi stars.

America’s favorite moronic teens star in the new video “Beavis and Butt-head: Feel Our Pain” (Sony, $15). Need we say more?

“Singled Out: The Dirt on the Dates” (Sony, $13) follows contestants of MTV’s “Singled Out” series on their dates. Vapid and inane.

CBS Video has released the remaining four episodes of “The Lucy & Desi Comedy Hour” ($10 each): “Lucy Wants a Career,” “Lucy’s Summer Vacation,” “Milton Berle Hides Out at the Ricardos” and “The Ricardos Go to Japan.”

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Killer Bs: There’s plenty of action and little else in “Terminal Impact” (New Line), a thriller about two men (martial arts champ Bryan Genesse and Frank Zagarino) trying to save the world from high-tech warriors.

Lance Henriksen’s funny turn as a sadistic hit man is the only reason to watch “Baja” (Republic), an arid action-thriller starring Molly Ringwald and Donal Logue.

A pre-”Frasier” Kelsey Grammer has a supporting role in the goofy, muddled comedy “Galaxies Are Colliding” (Paramount). Dwier Brown stars.

Patsy Kensit is a detective tracking down a serial killer in “Tunnel Vision” (Triboro), a predictable, bloody Australian-made thriller.

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Special Interest: If you’re dying to learn ballroom, Latin and country style dancing, there’s the “Dance Magic” video series (H&F; Dance Inc., $20 each). Instructor Nick Felix knows a heck of a lot about cutting a rug, but has the annoying habit of calling his wife and dance partner, “girl.” To order: (800) 60-DANCE.

Coming Next Week: Walt Disney Home Video is releasing the 1970 animated musical “The Aristocats” ($27), the last animated feature selected for production by Walt Disney himself. Set in turn-of-the-century Paris, “Aristocats” follows the adventures of a fancy feline named Duchess and her three cute kittens, which are catnapped.

Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep star in “The Bridges of Madison County” (Warner), the acclaimed adaptation of Robert James Waller’s novel.

Angela Bassett, Whitney Houston, Loretta Devine and Lela Rochon star in “Waiting to Exhale” (FoxVideo, $20), the box-office hit based on Terry McMillan’s novel.

Henry Czerny stars in “The Boys of St. Vincent” (New Yorker Video), the controversial Canadian drama about child abuse in a Catholic orphanage.

Also new: “Steal Big, Steal Little” (HBO); “Wild Side” (Evergreen); and “The Immortals” (Evergreen).