studios will join together for "Heat Wave 1997," a summer rental promotion that will highlight 10 hit movies in June and July. The titles collectively grossed almost $300 million at the box office.
Participating will be Warner Home Video, here, New Line Home Video, Los Angeles, MGM Home Entertainment, Santa Monica, Calif., and HBO Home Video, New York.
The titles are "Michael" from Warner, with a June 10 street date and a May 20 pre-order date; "Mars Attacks!" and "My Fellow Americans" from Warner, streeting June 17 and pre-ordering May 27; "In Love and War" from New Line, "Turbulence" from HBO and "Touch" from MGM, streeting June 24 and pre-ordering June 3; "Jackie Chan's First Strike" and "Dangerous Ground" from New Line, streeting July 1 and pre-ordering June 10; and "Vegas Vacation" and "Absolute Power" from Warner, streeting July 8 and pre-ordering June 18.
The promotion is timed to build on the awareness generated by Warner's upcoming theatrical release, "Batman & Robin." Customers will receive a free "Batman & Robin" poster when they rent any two of the movies in the summer promotion.
VAN NUYS, Calif. -- Live Home Video here is supporting the June 17 rental release of "Hotel de Love" by guaranteeing that the title will provide a break-even return on investment for retailers. Pre-order on the title is June 3.
Retailers will receive a 15% rebate on the romantic comedy if it does not provide a break-even ROI by the end of the first 90-day period after the street date, which is Sept. 17. Retailers must submit a qualifying proof of purchase.
RICHARDSON, Texas -- Lyrick Studios released "Barney's Musical Scrapbook" earlier this month. The second Barney sing-along video has a suggested retail price of $14.95. It runs 52 minutes.
The title is supported by the Barney's Fly-Away Summer contest. Four round-trip flights on Southwest Airlines, each for a family of four will be awarded in a drawing. Special arrangements will be made if a winner lives in an area not serviced by Southwest. The promotion runs from May 6 through Feb. 28, 1998. Specially marked videos include coupons for the contest.
SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- MGM Home Entertainment will release a wide array of collector's sets July 8 that feature 18 films starring Elvis Presley. Individual tapes will be remastered and repackaged, retailing at $14.95 each, and will include the original theatrical trailer. Order date is June 3.
Among the titles in the collection are "Clambake," "Double Trouble," "Jailhouse Rock" and "Viva Las Vegas." The titles will be divided into two nine-movie Deluxe Edition Elvis Gift Sets, each retailing at $134.92. One will include a commemorative booklet and the other a behind-the-scenes photo set. Three smaller sets of four movies each will retail at $44.92.
Marketing support for the program will include a cross promotion and sweepstakes with Foster Grant sunglasses.
REDMOND, Wash. -- Sales of Nintendo 64 video game systems have doubled since Nintendo of America here cut the price of the hardware to $149.95, said Peter Main, executive vice president of sales and marketing. In the five months since its initial launch, the company has sold almost 2.5 million of the units.