DVD sales of the cult hit "Napoleon Dynamite" have been explosive at supermarkets nationwide, and a pleasant surprise across the video business.
A runaway hit at the Sundance Film Festival and named Best Feature Film at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, the film is raising eyebrows among retailers and movie industry insiders for its enduring popularity. It has been on Supermarket News' list of top-10-selling DVDs for an extraordinary 25 weeks. The list is provided by Ingram Entertainment, La Vergne, Tenn.
"'Napoleon Dynamite' has a strong teen and young-adult following, which has maintained the demand for this Fox release," said Bill Bryant, vice president, sales at Ingram. "It was a 'breakout' title when it was released and has continued to sell consistently when merchandised properly."
Fox, added Bryant, is re-promoting the title to continue its momentum. "This title is nothing short of a phenomenon, and has proved itself to have staying power in a very competitive environment," Bryant said.
"This caught everyone by surprise," said Greg Rediske, president, Video Management Co., Tacoma, Wash. "It was a grass-roots kind of thing, not unlike the surprise success of 'Blair Witch Project.' I'd call it lightning in a bottle: tough to project, just ride the wave when it happens."
McMaken's Supermarkets McVideo, Brookville, Ohio, stocks the film in its comedy section.
"I just keep buying more," video manager Theresa Daniels said. "I started out with probably 10, and went to 20 to rent. I would buy four or five at a time to sell, and I don't know if I even still have that in there."
She has not, however, been able to take advantage of the licensed merchandise. "We're just a small video store and haven't found that necessary."
B&R Stores, Lincoln, Neb., has stocked the film solely for rental, where it has, according to video buyer/coordinator Bob Gettner, "done very, very well for us. People are coming in to get it, and we've pretty much been able to satisfy demand."
People in the video industry expect the popularity of "Napoleon Dynamite" to endure.
"Every once in a while a film comes out of nowhere and really strikes a chord with viewers because it explores something totally off the wall. 'Napoleon Dynamite' is one of those rare, innovative films," said Peter Byrne, executive vice president, Fox Licensing & Merchandising, Beverly Hills, Calif. "Being a geek has never been so cool."
The Fox division developed a strong merchandising program to support the film, which includes licensed apparel and novelty gifts.
"'Napoleon Dynamite' is simply a total cult classic at the moment," said Brian Reinert, account manager, Consumer Products Division, Bender/Helper Impact, Los Angeles. Its surprising popularity, he feels, is due to "a combination of word of mouth, grass-roots marketing and an effective merchandising campaign that reaches out to core fans."
