Video buyers guide July-November 1998

Drug Store News, July 6, 1998

The following titles may be of special interest to chain drug stores and may be ordered from. mid-July through October:

Best Film & Video Home Video will feature the 25th anniversary edition of "Benji The Movie" and will also re-release "For the Love of Benji" ($9.95 each, street date Aug. 15), both starring the dog who was cited at this year's Academy Awards as one of the top animal actors of all time. A special purchase promotion includes a Benji Fan Club pack with photo, adoption papers and a free collector's video, "Benji's Life Story."

Buena Vista Home Entertainment will offer Disney's new 25th animated masterpiece, "The Black Cauldron" ($26.99; street date Aug. 4). A big title from this studio for fail, released for the first time in many years, is "Lady and the Tramp" ($26.99; pre-book Aug. 4, street date Sept. 15). Among the new titles are "The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story" ($22.99; pre-book Aug. 18, street date Sept. 29) and "Pocahontas: Journey to a New World" ($24.99; pre-book July 14, street date Aug. 25). Also coming later this fall are the animated sequel to "The Lion King," "The Lion King II: Simba's Pride" ($26.99; pre-book Sept. 15, street date Oct. 27), the re-release of the animated family adventure, "The Rescuers" ($26.99; pre-book Sept. 15, street date Oct. 27) and a live-action boy's coming-of-age tale, "Summer of the Monkeys" ($19.99; pre-book Nov. 10 for street date Dec. 22).

In time for Oct. 31 is the Disney Halloween special promotion, including "Happy Haunting Sing Along," "Boo to You! Winnie the Pooh," "Spookable Pooh," "Frankenpooh," "Hocus Pocus" and the "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" (pre-book July 14, street date Aug. 25).

Other titles include "Kiki's Delivery Service" ($19.99; pre-book July 21, street date Sept. 1) and a slate of September re-priced titles, including "G.I. Jane," "Marvin's Room," "Prefontaine," "Substance of Fire," "Albino Alligator" and "She's So Lovely" ($19.99 each; pre-book July 21, street date Sept. 1). Re-priced Disney Family Films include "George of the Jungle," "Air Bud" and "Gordy" ($14.99 each; pre-book Aug. 18, street date Sept. 29).

Disney's Holiday Hits program includes "Beauty and the Beast," "The Enchanted Christmas," "How the Toys Saved Christmas," "Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too!" and 'The Santa Clause" ($14.99-$22.99; pre-book Aug.25 for street date Oct. 6). The Holiday Toons promotion includes the new "101 Dalmatians Christmas," "Walt Disney Christmas," "Spot's Magical Christmas," "Very Merry Christmas Sing-Along Songs" and 'The Twelve Days of Christmas SingAlong Songs" ($12.99 each; pre-book Aug. 25, street date Oct. 6).

BMG Video presents eight new singles, including "Cabbage Patch Kids: Sing Along" ($12.98), 'The Firm: Fat Blaster" ($19.98), 'The Firm: Better Body & Buns" ($19.98), and three Yoga Zone titles: "Introduction to Yoga," "Conditioning and Stress Release" (both $14.98) and "Postures for Pregnancy" ($19.98).

Columbia Tristar Home Video will feature the direct-to-video sequel to "Swan Princess," the new 'The Swan Princess III and the Mystery of the Enchanted Treasure," featuring a bonus sing-along at the end of the tape ($14.95; street date Aug. 4), as well as two never-before-released volumes of Jim Henson Television's preschool series, currently airing on the Disney Channel: "Bear in the Blue House" ($14.95, Sept. 15). Columbia will launch a new "Musicals" line in August with three initial titles: "1776," "Godspell" and 'Three for the Show" ($19.95 each; street date Aug.11). Also from Columbia Tristar is "Les Miserables-In Concert," a 10th anniversary celebration of the musical, re-priced at $19.95.

Also from CTHV are "Three Ninj as: High Noon at Mega Mountain" (pre-book July 30, street date Sept. 1) and "Buster and Chauncey's Silent Night" (pre-book Sept. 10, street date Oct. 13). For the holidays, CTHV will re-release "Muppet Family Christmas," "Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas" and "The Christmas Toy."

Family Home Entertainment, a division of Artisan Home Entertainment, will release the feature-length animated film, "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," based on the story by Mark Twain. The film features the voices of Christopher Lloyd and other stars, with original songs by award-winning songwriter Robert Merrill ($14.98, street date July 14).

Golden Books Family Entertainment launches a new series based on the classic cartoon character in the "Little Lulu Show," appearing on home video for the first time in "Bogeyman" and 'Potato Kids" ($9.98 each; prebook July 9, street date Aug. 11). Coming in time for Halloween are "Mad, Mad, Mad Monsters," an animated remake of the Bride of Frankenstein but with humorous changes involving other scary kid favorites like the Wolfman and the Mummy ($12.98; street date Aug. 18). For its Christmas selection, Golden Books will release for the first time on video the animated Christmas tale, "Cricket on the Hearth," which debuted on 'The Danny Thomas Show" in 1967 and features the voices of Thomas and his daughter Marlo ($12.98), as well as a program of popular holiday titles: "Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer," "Frosty the Snowman," "Frosty Returns," "Santa Claus Is Comm' to Town" and 'The Little Drummer Boy" ($12.98 each). Also from Golden Books are two new Precious Moments titles featuring Timmy the angel: 'Timmy's Special Delivery" and "Timmy's Gift" ($9.98 each) and three new Madeline holiday titles, including "Madeline's Holiday Adventures," "Madeline and the Toy Factory" and "Madeline's Winter Vacation" ($9.98 each; all the above Christmas titles pre-book Aug. 6 with street date of Sept. 1).