`TITANIC' HOME VIDEO A SMASH ABROAD.

Byline: Dave McNary Daily News Staff Writer

``Titanic'' continues to steam full-speed ahead, with the home video version of the disaster epic breaking records in a half-dozen overseas markets recently.

The double-cassette video, believed to have sold 20 million copies domestically after seven weeks, began hitting foreign store shelves earlier this month. 20th Century Fox said Wednesday that it already has sold more than 6.3 million units in five major markets.

The highest figure came from France where more than 1.8 million copies were sold in the first five days. Sales in the United Kingdom hit 1.7 million in its first two days. The Italian and Benelux markets each have topped 1 million; Spain sold out its initial shipment of 800,000 units in two days; and the video set records in Australia and Mexico.

``We are delighted with the results thus far, equaling or surpassing the highest-selling video of all time in each market,'' Stephen Moore, president of Fox's foreign video operations, said in a statement. ``And this is only the beginning.''

If total foreign home video sales equal the domestic performance, ``Titanic'' could generate an additional $800 million in revenues. Domestic box office topped $600 million while the foreign side topped $1.2 billion.

Paramount invested $65 million in James Cameron's $200 million extravaganza, the most expensive film ever made, and handled the domestic markets. Fox paid for the rest of the movie and oversaw the foreign release. The studios have not disclosed exactly how they are dividing profits, which likely will wind up in the $1 billion range.