Most bargain-priced, holiday-oriented videos start turning up as early as August and September, but a few come straggling in just in time for last-minute Christmas purchases.

Some were not even scheduled to arrive this year. But the idea of cashing in on the lucrative gift market proved irresistible, and release dates have been moved up.The most visible example is "Lucky Vanous: The Ultimate Fat-Burning System," which CBS/Fox Video had originally scheduled to release Jan. 4. Vanous is the shirtless hunk who was ogled by office women in a Diet Coke commercial. The television spot earned him enough notoriety to land on the most recent cover of Psychology Today, which used his face to push a lame essay on men as sex objects.

In this 50-minute tape, he demonstrates fitness expert Kacy Duke's exercise routine and talks about the circumstances that led to his instant fame. Due to "overwhelming demand," CBS/Fox has moved the release date up to Dec. 21. It's priced at $15.

Several other exercise tapes have also turned up just in time for Christmas: "The ABCs of Fitness" (also due Dec. 21), "Joan Lunden: Workout America" (in stores Dec. 15), "Fabio Fitness," Scott Cole's "Abs of Steel 2," Tony Little's "Fat Free Upper Body and Abdominal Reduction," Dixie Carter's "Yoga For You Unworkout II," Jane Fonda's "Step and Stretch Workout" and "The Reebok Winning Body Workout," with Nancy Kerrigan.

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Disney, which has so cannily marketed "The Lion King" in theaters that the current reissue is outgrossing all other G-rated movies, is releasing a couple of crucial clips from the film to the video market: the majestic opening song, "Circle of Life," and the playful comedy number, "I Just Can't Wait to Be King." (The complete movie won't make it to video until Feb. 28.)

They're part of the latest Disney Sing Along Song tape, which runs 25 minutes, sells for $13 and includes songs from "The Aristocats" ("Everybody Wants to be a Cat"), "Beauty and the Beast" ("Belle") "The Little Mermaid" ("Part of Your World"), "Pinocchio" ("When You Wish Upon a Star") and "Aladdin" ("Prince Ali"). Also included is a preview of next summer's Disney cartoon, "Pocahontas." This is the 12th tape in the Sing Along Song series, which has sold more than 18 million tapes to date.

MGM/UA Home Video has a collection of $15 music tapes aimed at several kinds of audiences. For Pink Floyd fans, there's a new letterboxed edition of Alan Parker's 1982 movie of "The Wall." Two volumes of "Swing, Swing, Swing" feature Artie Shaw, Woody Herman and Desi Arnaz in big-band Warner Bros. musical shorts from the 1930s and 1940s.

Among tapes available only by mail is producer Scott Marshall's "You Could Be a Cowboy," designed for children 3-13. It's narrated by John Cullum of "Northern Exposure," and so is a CD of a Will James short story, "Young Cowboy." They're part of a $50 kit, created by Marshall's company, Scattergood, that includes a "beginner's rope" for making lariats. Information: 800-422-2554.

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