BY MARGARET A. McGURK
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Brace yourself for another Titanic tidal wave.
The record-shattering, Oscar-winning, star-making 1997 epic about young lovers on a sinking ship hits video shelves Tuesday. Video retailers are thrilled at the prospect of breaking new records with the home version of a movie that sold $1.8 billion worth of theater tickets worldwide, won 11 Oscars and made Leonardo DiCaprio a superstar.
If merchants are happy, fans are ecstatic. The same moviegoers whose repeat trips to the theater pushed box-office numbers into the stratosphere have filed hundreds of thousands of advance orders for their own private copies.
One of them is Ashley Austin of White Oak, a seventh-grader at St. Ignatius. Her mother, Karen, ordered a copy of the movie from Movie Gallery in Monfort Heights for Ashley's 12th birthday, Aug. 22. "I saw it twice," Ashley said. "I was invited to go three or four more times, but I wasn't allowed. My mom just said, that's enough. Plus, I didn't have any money."
She is quick to distance herself from the really rabid Titanic crowd, like the friend who saw it seven or eight times.
"I kinda got over it a while ago," Ashley said. "There's other people that are more into it than I am . . . But probably when I get the movie I'll be like that again. It's been a long time since I watched it. The last time I saw it was about March."
Paramount Home Video spokeswoman Dorrit Ragosine said the company will release more than 20 million copies at a list price of $29.95.
If its video performance mirrors its theatrical popularity, Titanic could outpace the 27.5 million copies sold of the No. 1 video title, The Lion King, released in March 1995.
"Whether it breaks any records remains to be seen. In a week or so, we'll know," Ms. Ragosine said. She noted at some stores advance sales have been three times those of The Lion King.
"Even the industry pundits couldn't anticipate what it would do theatrically," she said. "That's the reason we're not talking about numbers now, because, how high is up?"
Many retailers are selling the two-tape Titanic at a discount, or offering special promotions.
Online retailer Big Star Entertainment -- http: - - www.bigstar.com -- is giving away Titanic with the purchase of any other movie.
Reel.com online video store 000 has been taking advance orders since June at the loss-leader price of $9.99.
Blockbuster Video outlets, which normally would close around 10 p.m. Monday, will stay open until 2 a.m. to sell and rent the tape and to offer contests and gifts for customers.
West Coast Video stores are promoting advance sales with a bonus of 12 free rentals for each Titanic purchase. Some West Coast stores will also stay open late Monday night.
Steve Apple, spokesman for West Coast Videos, said his chain has ordered 100,000 copies. "This is the biggest title this chain has ever experienced. . . . It's much bigger than Jurassic Park or anything like that."
Mr. Apple said retailers consider Titanic a boon because it appeals to adults as much as to youngsters. Kid-friendly movies, like The Lion King, are typically the biggest selling videos, he said, because children watch their favorites over and over.
"I think titles like this bring people into the stores," including people who have never purchased a movie on tape before, he said. "It's a great thing for the video business . . . The keystone of our business are these great family titles."
Where can you buy a copy? Anywhere, apparently. "You are going to see it in drug stores, grocery stores, mass merchants, video specialty stores, online," Ms. Ragosine said. "This is truly an event title for the video industry."
