HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Home video sales of the 1983 movie adaptation of Jean Shepherd's "A Christmas Story" have made it a top U.S. moneymaker for Warner Bros., executives say.
Warner Home Video says the picture, starring Peter Billingsley as 9-year-old Ralphie Parker who wants a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas despite being told repeatedly by adults in his Indiana neighborhood, "You'll shoot your eye out, kid!" has sold more than 6.5 million copies on DVD and Blu-ray in the past decade, Variety reported.
"'A Christmas Story' has achieved cult status and is an evergreen film," said Jeff Baker, senior vice president and general manager of theatrical catalog for Warner Home Video. "The annual multiple airings that drive high ratings on Turner networks only serve to feed the demand for the film in packaged media."
The movie, set in 1941, was based on the semi-autobiographical history of Shepherd's childhood in Indiana.
It has become a Christmas staple alongside "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Miracle on 34th Street" due to its annual airings on Turner Broadcasting Services, Variety reports.
