Pope's death prompts DVD interest

Ten DVDs about the Pope have been in demand since his passing

The death of Pope John Paul II has prompted a surge of interest in the US in DVD releases about his life.

A three-part film about the Pontiff has attracted more interest since his death on Saturday than its original release last May, according to US distributors.

"Judging by the overwheling requests, I expect it to do very, very well," said Paul Colberg of Goldhil Entertainment.

He added the surge in demand coincided with a growth in spiritual titles in recent years.

"Titles like Left Behind and Mel Gibson's The Passion Of The Christ have had huge success," said Mr Colberg.

"But there are a whole lot more products out there that have really grown the market beyond a niche to become mainstream," he added.

Healthy sales

The Passion Of The Christ has sold more than 20 million DVDs and videos.

The film sold 2.5 million copies within the first 12 hours of it being placed on the shelves in October, according to figures from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Mr Colberg said the documentary about Pope John Paul II's life is unlikely to match those figures, but recent demand is expected to translate into healthy sales.

The three-part collection covers the early life of the Pope in Poland, and his decision to join the priesthood during the Nazi occupation of the country.

The DVD also includes interviews with Mikhail Gorbachev and Henry Kissinger, and assess the Pontiff's role in events that led to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe in 1989.

Another 10 titles about the late Pope are also said to be in considerable demand.