'Rouge' DVD sales swell

Oscar boosts musical nominee video numbers

By SCOTT HETTRICK

HOLLYWOOD -- "Moulin Rouge," the lone best picture Oscar nominee available on homevideo, rose 160% in DVD sales from the week prior to the nominations, sparking retailers to increase re-orders of the title by 1,400%, according to 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

With an additional 40% increase in video rentals, overall consumer spending on the rental and purchase of the DVD and VHS rose to $3 million, Fox estimated, raising total spending on the video to $70 million, surpassing the $59 million in domestic box office gross. The DVD has already sold 2 million copies.

"Consumers have really embraced this film whether it's in theaters or in homes," Fox spokesman Steve Feldstein said. "It continues to enchant, delight and outperform."

"Rouge" will also get two more promotional pushes before the awards are announced. A new multimillion-dollar TV marketing campaign for the DVD that began this week and another in mid-March when the videocassette is repriced to move from rental stores to the sales market.