Oscar Nods Pack a Big Punch for Videos

Everyone knows an Academy Award--or even a nomination--can boost a movie’s box-office take. But the Oscars are also big business for the video industry.

Tuesday’s early morning announcement of the nominees begins what Chris Saito, director of rental marketing for Orion Home Video, called “the Hollywood equivalent of the Super Bowl.” Customers hound video stores looking for the nominated films. Studios consider how to parlay Oscar buzz into the most advantageous video release. And retailers fuel film buffs’ Oscar-mania with special displays promoting past winners for sale or rent.

Of the movies nominated for the top awards this year, none are available on video. This is mostly a matter of timing. It takes an average of six months before a film is released on video. “As Good as It Gets” and “Good Will Hunting,” for example, first appeared at year’s end. Studios will simply release no film on video before its time.

Does front-runner status hasten the timetable? Not necessarily. If you’re scanning the video horizon for signs of “Titanic,” it will be some time before that ship comes in. The film, No. 1 at the box office for eight weeks running, is maintaining a steady course up the list of all-time box-office champs (it just sailed past “Forrest Gump” in the No. 4 spot), and it is premature, a Paramount spokesperson said, to talk about a video release.

But once the Academy Awards are distributed on March 23, audiences will not have long to wait before several of the year’s top contenders are available in stores. “L.A. Confidential,” “Mrs. Brown” and “Boogie Nights” are slated for April releases.

The Academy Award is Hollywood’s supreme prize, but for critically acclaimed independent films, Oscar speculation, critics’ association awards and inclusion on year-end 10-best lists can be enough to propel the video.

Orion Home Video is hoping for such momentum for the critical favorite “Ulee’s Gold.” With Peter Fonda’s best actor nomination, the release date on March 24--the day after the Oscars--is “perfect timing for us,” said Orion’s Saito.

The film comes to video after a platform theatrical release that extended beyond the conventional six-month window. “We’re maximizing our potential in the awareness of the film,” he said. “The video release is timed to capitalize on the Oscar publicity. We announced it after Peter won the Golden Globe.”

“Mrs. Brown” is another film that was nurtured in theaters to maximize awareness prior to the video release. Its April 21 release date comes nine months after it opened in theaters. “Its Oscar potential was taken into consideration,” said Mitch Koch, Buena Vista general manager of North America. “We may hold a title released earlier in the year to coincide with the increased awareness and generate more excitement at the retail level.”

Retailers, especially in Southern California, make the most of Oscar hoopla dreams by dressing up special sections highlighting past winners, as well as selected films starring or directed by the nominees.

“It’s the film buff’s season,” said John Thrasher, vice president of video purchasing and distribution for Tower Records and Video. “It’s a great opportunity to re-promote great films that have won Academy Awards in the past 70 years.”

“We try to get our customers excited about the awards past and present,” said Jennifer Brauder, director of marketing and advertising for the Hollywood Video chain. “It’s good business all around to spark interest in the classics and to open up the world of movies to them.”

Studios, in turn, build on a rental title’s Oscar success by reintroducing it at a lower price for the consumer market. Miramax, for example, will offer on March 24 last year’s best picture winner, “The English Patient,” in full frame and wide-screen editions for $19.99 retail. A DVD version will be released for $29.99.

And here’s a tip for Academy Award nominees and presenters: Video retailers will be watching you on Oscar night with special interest, and hoping you make the most of your time at the podium. Because if you conduct yourselves memorably, they can count on intrigued viewers seeking your films out on video.

“When Jack Palance won the Academy Award and pulled that stunt [performing one-armed push-ups], young people who had seen him for the first time in ‘City Slickers’ started renting ‘Shane’ and ‘Requiem for a Heavyweight,’ ” said Marupong Chuladul, assistant manager of Vidiots in Santa Monica. “Last year, when Cuba Gooding Jr. won best supporting actor [for “Jerry Maguire”], his speech was so energetic and so nice that our customers asked us for recommendations of his earlier films.”