DVD SALES ECLIPSE RENTALS INDUSTRY MARKETING HOT TITLES FOR HOME COLLECTIONS.Byline: Greg Hernandez Staff Writer When the DVD DVD: see digital versatile disc. DVD in full digital video disc or digital versatile disc Type of optical disc. The DVD represents the second generation of compact-disc (CD) technology. version of ``Spider-Man'' arrived in stores in late October, the movie quickly zoomed to the top of the video sales charts. But the most popular DVD rental that same week was ``The Sum of All Fears,'' Ben Affleck's first outing as CIA CIA: see Central Intelligence Agency. (1) (Confidentiality Integrity Authentication) The three important concerns with regards to information security. Encryption is used to provide confidentiality (privacy, secrecy). agent Jack Ryan Jack Ryan may refer to:
Fast-forward three weeks: ``Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones'' was enjoying its ride as the top-selling DVD while the dragon- slaying adventure ``Reign of Fire'' dominated the rental arena. A similar split occurred the very next week with ``Ice Age'' becoming the top seller and ``Men in Black II'' taking over as the most-popular rental title. Until this fall, the top-selling DVD title was almost always the most- popular rental during its debut week as well. But that has changed in recent months as skyrocketing sales of some DVD titles has begun to eat into a movie's strength as a rental option, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. industry experts. ``With prices so affordable on DVD, there's been a shift and we are all feeling it,'' said Brad Hackley, director of research for the Video Software Dealers of America. ``Historically rental had the predominant share, but there's been aggressive marketing from studios to propel pro·pel tr.v. pro·pelled, pro·pel·ling, pro·pels To cause to move forward or onward. See Synonyms at push. [Middle English propellen, from Latin the sell-through market.'' A recent illustration of retail thumping rental is a comparison of the first-week sales and rental figures for ``Spider-Man,'' the year's top-grossing film at the box office. The heavily promoted DVD version of the movie made an estimated $144.4 million in sales out of the gate compared with a mere $4.2 million in DVD rentals. ``That's a clear-cut example of sell-through cannibalizing the rentals,'' Hackley said. ``For big titles that are visually exotic pieces to look at like 'Spider-Man' and 'Men In Black II,' people want to own those. It's kind of a must have.'' Fueling the trend are red-hot DVD titles such as ``Spider-Man,'' ``Clones,'' ``Ice Age'' and ``Austin Powers in Goldmember'' which are more affordable than ever with some major retailers slashing slash·ing adj. 1. Bitingly critical or satiric: slashing wit. 2. Dashing; pelting: a slashing hailstorm. 3. first-week prices of DVD titles to as low as $14.99. ``The prices for DVDs are significantly lower than consumers are used to seeing,'' said Kelly Sooter, domestic head of home entertainment at DreamWorks SKG SKG Stichting Kwaliteit Gevelbouw (Dutch) SKG Spielberg, Katzenberg,and Geffen (DreamWorks Studios) SKG Thessaloniki, Greece - Thessaloniki (Airport Code) SKG Smith and Kraus Global . ``You are seeing people rush out during week one because it is registering that they will see the best price opening week.'' Other recent titles that have dominated in retail this fall with far more muscle than in the rental market have been ``The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,'' ``Scooby-Doo,'' ``E.T. The Extra Terrestrial,'' and ``Beauty and the Beast Beauty and the Beast is a traditional fairy tale (type 425C -- search for a lost husband -- in the Aarne-Thompson classification). The first published version of the fairy tale was a meandering rendition by Madame Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, published in .'' Those are among the titles that are top sellers but are ranking a mere fifth or sixth in rentals. ``Characteristically they would be coming in at No. 1,'' Hackley said. Other family titles such as the animated ``Spirit: Stallion stallion 1. an entire male horse aged 4 years and over. 2. in UK, applied to a male donkey (jack). stallion ring see stallion ring. teaser stallion stallion used to detect those mares which are in estrus. of the Cimarron'' have also been among the movies that have garnered far more purchases than rentals this fall. ``A movie that is PG-13 or had a box office of $150 million-plus is absolutely a sell-through title,'' said Sooter, whose studio released ``Spirit.'' ``You want to know that someone is going to watch it again and again.'' Blockbuster Inc., the nation's biggest video-store chain, has been so cognizant cog·ni·zant adj. Fully informed; conscious. See Synonyms at aware. [From cognizance.] Adj. 1. of the DVD buying trend that it has set out to become a retail center as much as a rental store. ``We want to be the complete source for movies and games for our customers,'' said Blockbuster spokesman Randy Hargrove. ``If they want to rent it, we will have it for rental, and if they want to buy it, we will have it ready for them to purchase.'' Hargrove said the chain's goal is to increase its current 3 percent share of the retail market to 9 percent by 2006. To do so, the chain has reorganized re·or·gan·ize v. re·or·gan·ized, re·or·gan·iz·ing, re·or·gan·iz·es v.tr. To organize again or anew. v.intr. To undergo or effect changes in organization. its stores in a way that gives its expanded array of retail offerings far more prominent display. In recent months, the stores have even featured life-size replicas of Spider-Man with its displays of the ``Spider-Man'' film. ``We are promoting the top box-office titles,'' Hargrove said. ``We've seen the trends. We see that people like DVD to buy as well as rent and we want to give them that option. Before, retail was an afterthought af·ter·thought n. An idea, response, or explanation that occurs to one after an event or decision. afterthought Noun 1. .'' Sooter said DreamWorks and other studios begin conducting studies a few weeks into a movie's theatrical run to try to determine whether consumers would be more interested in buying or renting a title. It's not a given that a top-grossing movie will be something a fan will want to watch over and over again. Witness ``Ocean's Eleven,'' which topped both the rental and sales charts when it debuted in May. But the George Clooney/Brad Pitt caper caper, common name for members of the Capparidaceae, a family of tropical plants found chiefly in the Old World and closely related to the family Cruciferae (mustard family). was far more popular as a rental, making $7.3 million in rental revenue in its first week. ``Ocean's'' did only average business as a retail title. The decision to rent or own comes down to whether a fan wants to plunk down Verb 1. plunk down - set (something or oneself) down with or as if with a noise; "He planked the money on the table"; "He planked himself into the sofa" plonk, flump, plank, plump, plump down, plunk, plop nearly $20 to own a movie forever or about $3.50 to watch it once or twice before it's due back at the video store. ``There are certain types of films that are inherently repeatable and collectible,'' said Steve Feldstein, vice president of communication for Fox Home Video, which distributed both ``Ice Age'' and ``Clones.'' ``Not every movie is worth owning.'' CAPTION(S): 4 photos, box Photo: (1 -- 4 -- color) no caption (Ice Age, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, Monsters, Inc., Spider-Man) Box: TO RENT OR OWN? Sources: Video Software Dealers Assn. and published reports Jon Gerung/Staff Artist |
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