"Departed" shoots to top of video charts

By Thomas K. Arnold

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Best picture contender "The Departed" rode Oscar buzz to take the top spot on the latest national DVD sales and rental charts.

The crime drama, with a $126.8 million box office take, debuted at No. 1 on Nielsen VideoScan's First Alert DVD sales chart and Home Media Magazine's DVD rental chart for the week ending February 18, easily outdistancing any and all competitors.

On the sales chart, "Departed" bumped incumbent champ "Cinderella III," to No. 2, outselling Disney's direct-to-video sequel by a margin of 5-to-1.

On the rental chart, "Departed" also pushed last week's No. 1 title, "Flags of Our Fathers," to No. 2, generating rental revenue estimated at $9.9 million to $6.3 million earned by "Flags" in its second week in stores.

"Flags" also dipped a spot on the sales chart, to No. 3, just ahead of the week's second-highest-selling newcomer, "School for Scoundrels." Two other new theatrical releases bowed in the top 10: "Marie Antoinette" at No. 7 and "Zoom" at No. 9.

On the rental chart, "Marie" debuted at No. 7 with $3.3 million, and "School" at No. 10 with $3 million. "Zoom" finished out of the money at No. 19 with $2.1 million.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter