PRICING RECEIVES RAVE REVIEWS

JUDY CORCORAN

Many suppliers are giving two thumbs up to videos priced under $10.

"With these lower-priced videos, I see our penetration in supermarkets expanding," said Richard Pinson, director of marketing at Turner Home Entertainment, Atlanta. "I see us gaining more shelf space because we'll offer more promotions and a more constant product."

Turner Home Video, Atlanta, has rereleased two series: "The Greatest Adventure Stories of the Bible" and "Timeless Tales from Hallmark." Titles in both series sell for $9.98 each. It also plans to release a comedy series for children in the summer that features titles that will sell for less than $9.99 each.

As reported, MGM/UA Home Entertainment, Santa Monica, Calif., is offering a new line of $9.98 videos. Like others to follow, the titles are not new but are high quality and feature big stars. Under the program, 10 new titles are being released each quarter.

Among MGM/UA's February under-$10 releases were "Blue Steel" and "Not Without My Daughter." On April 16, MGM/UA will offer each of the five videos in the "Rocky" collection at $9.98 for a limited time. MGM/UA doesn't heavily promote the titles, nor do other suppliers, including Buena Vista Home Video, Burbank, Calif. This is because many suppliers feel the low price point will help the videos sell themselves.

Columbia TriStar Home Video, Culver City, Calif., is releasing "big hits reduced to rock-bottom low prices" with titles such as "Starman," "Body Double," "Casualties of War" and "Absence of Malice," all priced at $9.95.

Buena Vista's first batch of "movie deals" totals 49 titles at $9.99 and includes "Outrageous Fortune," "Cocktail," "Three Men and a Baby" and "Good Morning Vietnam."

Warner Home Video, Burbank, Calif., was unavailable for comment.

Paramount Pictures, Hollywood, Calif., has had an ongoing, under-$10 promotion called the Gateway Video label since June 1992. Most of these movies are horror films. Other videos priced under $10 from Paramount include television products such as several episodes of "The Brady Bunch," "Cheers" and Peanuts cartoons.

MCA Home Video, Universal City, Calif., which has enjoyed recent sell-through success with "Casper" and "Apollo 13," is one of the few studios that is not releasing a value-priced line. "We've tried not to go in that direction," said Evan Fong, MCA's director of publicity.

Fong contends that the few dollars' price difference between a new theatrical release and a high-quality older release won't sway customers from one to the other.

"People buy based on the desirability of the titles, and not by what's cheaper," Fong said. He said the quality of the movie is maintained at a higher price.

MCA feels differently about children's titles, though. For instance, it will release "Earthworm Jim" under $10 on April 9th.

"Children's titles at these lower prices lend themselves to being collectibles," Fong said.

As for other titles retailing for under $10, Orion Home Video, Los Angeles, has just reduced the price on its Japanese animation Video Comic collection titles to $9.98. Aimed at children, these titles include "Lupin III: Tales of The Wolf," "8 Man After" and "3X3 Eyes."