Disposable DVDs look and play like normal DVDs, except that their playable surface is dark red.

Each disc contains a chemical time-bomb that begins ticking once it's exposed to air. Typically, after 48 hours, the disc turns darker, becoming so opaque that a DVD player's laser can no longer read it. (Discs can live as little as one hour or as long as 60 hours.)

The format has been around for a few years but hasn't generated much interest from movie studios, video rental companies — or customers — despite experiments to deliver movies directly to consumers and eliminate late fees.

Enter "Noel," an emotional Christmas story starring Susan Sarandon, Penelope Cruz and Robin Williams. The independent film was shown at this year's Toronto Film Festival but didn't attract interest from mainstream distribution companies.

So the Atlanta-based Convex Group bought distribution rights and is releasing the film on a few dozen screens.

Then, starting mid-month, the movie will be available in the disposable EZ-D format for $4.99 on Amazon.com. On cable, it will air once, on TNT, during Thanksgiving weekend.

Convex sees it as an alternative for video rental stores and Netflix-type mail-based subscription services. After the movie is watched, the consumer tosses it into the trash, eliminating late fees and the cost of return mail — but creating a potentially large new source of trash.

The potential to add to landfills may be the least of reasons disposable DVDs have so far been a dud.

The discs can be illegally copied and pirated, just like regular DVDs. And while they are made of recyclable plastic, consumers would have to mail them to a special center for processing.

Blockbuster Inc. hasn't embraced disposable DVDs because it says it does not want to confuse its customers. Instead, the company has adopted a Netflix-like subscription approach to video rentals.