Titanic Sales

Wed., Sept. 2, 1998

They all knew the ship sinks and that one of the stars dies in the icy water. They all knew that if they just waited a few hours they could have bought the same video for the same price without waiting in line and losing any sleep. And yet they all came, just after midnight Monday, and soon “Titanic” was well on its way toward becoming the biggest-selling live-action video in Hollywood history. Blockbuster Video announced it had pre-sold 1 million copies. Best Buy said it sold 50,000 copies between midnight and 2 a.m., when stores closed until later in the morning. Video Store Magazine, a trade publication, estimated Paramount had shipped out 24 million “Titanic” sets, which the magazine called a record for a live-action video, beating the previous leader, “Jurassic Park.”

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.

Titanic Sales

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

NASA picks Blue Origin to deliver lunar rovers to the moon

Garden Grove chemical tank no longer threat for catastrophic explosion, officials say

Iran begins lifting monthslong Internet blackout, officials say