Because children can watch the same program many times, kid vid continues to be the most popular way to sell, rather than rent, videotapes. This fall`s line-up seems busier than ever.
Even Disney, which has already flooded stores with bargain-priced tapes aimed at children and families, is beefing up its release schedule. While the Sept. 18 date for ”The Rescuers” and the Oct. 30 arrival time for ”Beauty and the Beast” were announced months ago, the company recently added three more tapes to its pre-holiday season.
”Alvin and the Chipmunks,” a Disney collection of six half-hour tapes that arrived this weekend (at $13 apiece), includes Chipmunk parodies of several popular movies, including ”Funny, We Shrunk the Adults” and ”Back to Alvin`s Future.” Michael Jackson dances to ”Beat It” in one tape,
”Rockin` With the Chipmunks,” and ”A Chipmunk Christmas” features Alvin`s Top-40 song, ”Christmas Don`t Be Late.”
”So Dear to My Heart,” available for the first time at a sell-through price ($25), bows the same day as ”The Rescuers.” A nostalgic mixture of live-action and animation starring Beulah Bondi, Luana Patten, Burl Ives and Bobby Driscoll (the voice of Disney`s Peter Pan), the 1949 film has not been in video release for nearly five years.
”Sister Act,” the Whoopi Goldberg comedy that turned out to be this summer`s most durable word-of-mouth hit with both children and adults, will arrive on tape in mid-November. It has grossed around $130 million in theatrical release, and it`s still going strong. Disney is pricing it to sell at $20.
Also aimed at the kid-vid market:
– ”Adventures in Dinosaur City” (Republic Home Video, $30). An adventure movie about three teenagers who are accidentally zapped into prehistoric times.
– ”Shelley Duvall`s Bedtime Stories” (MCA Home Video, $13 apiece). Duvall hosts these 25-minute cartoons narrated by celebrities. Bette Midler does ”Weird Parents,” Bonnie Raitt narrates ”Choo Choo,” and Dudley Moore tells the story of ”Bill and Pete.”
– ”Trollies Radio Show Sing-a-Long” (Peter Pan Video, $13). A 34-minute puppet show featuring gnome-like creatures who star in their own radio program.
– ”The Greatest Stories Ever Told” (Rabbit Ears, $13 apiece). Morgan Freeman narrates ”The Savior Is Born” and Kelly McGillis tells the story of ”Noah and the Ark” in the first half-hour tapes in this series. Still to come: Mel Gibson`s ”David and Goliath” and Jason Robards` ”Jonah and the Whale.”
– ”Musical Classics For Children” (Bogner Entertainment Inc., $15 apiece). This collection of half-hour tapes includes Jim Gamble`s puppet interpretations of ”Peer Gynt,” ”Carnival of the Animals,” ”The Nutcracker” and ”Peter and the Wolf,” as well as ”Introduction to Puppet Making with Jim Gamble.”
– ”Christopher Columbus: The Commemorative Series” (Strand Home Video, $10 apiece). Three 45-minute cartoons about Columbus` voyages and discoveries. – ”GreenToons: Environmentally Aware Animation” (Picture Start, $20). A 45-minute tape including ”Ladytree,” ”Water,” ”Food Additives,” ”Whale Songs,” ”Global Warming” and a clay-animated short, ”Do You Care About Earth?”
– ”Kidsongs: We Wish You a Merry Christmas” (Warner Reprise Video, $13). The latest installment in the popular Kidsongs series will be available Oct. 27.
