Small 'Chance' of Finding New Product

5 Jul, 2016 By: John Latchem

Walmart's 'Emma's Chance/The Dog Lover' DVD two-pack

Studios used the day after the July 4 holiday as a dumping ground for a number of low-profile DVD and Blu-ray titles, with Sony Pictures' fourth-season disc of "House of Cards" being the only title consistently available at most stores. Best Buy offered a $5 discount with the purchase of the new season with a previous season on disc.

In one sense, the biggest title of the week could be considered to be The Mermaid (Mei Ren Yu), a Chinese film that has earned $553.8 million at the global box office. But with just $3.2 million in U.S. theaters, the retail distribution of the Sony Pictures DVD and Blu-ray will likely maintain the film's Stateside obscurity. Of the major retailers, only Target had a slot for it on its shelves, for the DVD version. Best Buy's website indicates the title isn't available in its stores, while the Walmart and Barnes & Noble websites list it on DVD only as a double feature with Kung Fu Hustle.

Another potentially high-profile title, the Hank Williams biopic I Saw the Light, starring notable "Avengers" actors Tom Hiddleston and Elizabeth Olsen, was also scarce at retail. Best Buy didn't have the DVD version on shelves, Walmart kept the Blu-ray online only, and Target skipped stocking the title altogether.

The only retailer exclusive for the week was Walmart's DVD two-pack of Sony Pictures' Emma's Chance and The Dog Lover.

Small 'Chance' of Finding New Product

About the Author: John Latchem