'FLUBBER' TO BOUNCE AT HEAD OF DISNEY LINEUP

DAN ALAIMO

BURBANK, Calif. -- The $85 million box-office comedy "Flubber," starring Robin Williams, will lead a mid-year release slate from Buena Vista Home Entertainment here that also will include a direct-to-video sequel to "Pocahontas" and a collection of Mickey Mouse cartoons.

"The good news about this lineup is that virtually everything is attractive to the supermarket demographic," said Mitch Koch, senior vice president and general manager at Buena Vista Home Entertainment North America. "It is a wide range of new and classic Disney fare that will appeal to all supermarket shoppers."

Marketing support for "Flubber" will include a $5 mail-in rebate from Lever 2000, and tie-ins with General Mills, Dr Pepper and McDonald's. There also will be $2 instantly redeemable coupons attached to the front of four titles in "The Don Knotts Collection" of the Walt Disney Film Classics line.

"There is a lineup of strong promotional partners that are focused on the grocery channel," Koch noted. Suggested retail for "Flubber" will be $22.99, with a street date of April 21 and a prebook of March 21.

Buena Vista also will release two high-profile direct-to-video titles this year -- "Pocahontas: Journey to a New World," due out Aug. 4, and "The Lion King: Simba's Pride," streeting Oct. 27 -- along with three others, "Kiki's Delivery Service," "Mowgli's Story" and "The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit."

Marketing details on the "Lion King" sequel are not available yet, but the "Pocahontas" title will have a suggested retail of $26.99 and prebook June 23. The original 1995 movie earned $347 million internationally at the box office. National advertising on behalf of the title is geared to hit 95% of women ages 25 to 54 and 90% of children ages 2 to 11 an average of seven times. There also will be a cross promotion with a national quick-service restaurant and a tie-in with Mattel.

"Spirit of Mickey," a collection of classic Mickey Mouse cartoons, will be released July 14 with a June 2 prebook. Marketing support for the title includes a $5 instant rebate with the purchase of the title and two eligible Sea & Ski products, a $7 mail-in rebate on the purchase of the title plus Disney Infant Preschool Toys from Mattel totaling $15 or more, and a $2 instantly redeemable coupon good on the purchased "Mickey" title and one of three others: "A Goofy Movie," "The Three Caballeros" or "The Return of Jafar."

"We think this is the definitive Mickey Mouse video," said Koch. "It goes right to the core of the Disney consumer profile and is going to be a hot title in the time period where there is a clear window."

The summer tends to be a slower season for video sales, he said. "But we have made video a 12-month business at retail and we are demonstrating that commitment by bringing out a major title in the July time period," said Koch.