Video Rental Chart : ‘City Slickers’ Lassos One of Top Spots

As expected, the smash-hit comedy “City Slickers” vaulted up the Billboard magazine rental chart to No. 5. It might get a chance for at least one week on top, possibly toppling “Backdraft,” before being muscled out by “Terminator 2,” which hasn’t charted yet but should be No. 1 by the beginning of the year. “Hudson Hawk,” the box-office stiff starring Bruce Willis, climbed up two notches to No. 10, but according to some retailers, it’s not likely to get much higher. Despite the presence of Robert De Niro--hot now because of “Cape Fear”--”Guilty By Suspicion,” a drama about the Hollywood blacklist, has done only modest business in the rental market. This week, it slipped a notch to No. 19. “Problem Child 2” debuted at No. 24 but should leap into the Top 10 next week.

* One of the few new major-star comedies to hit the home-video market this holiday season, “Only the Lonely” should do good business. Starring John Candy, with Maureen O’Hara in an acclaimed performance as his dominating mother, it raked in a respectable $19 million at the box office and has jumped to No. 12 on the rental chart.

Ranking Ranking 2 Weeks Top Rentals Last Week Ago 1. “Backdraft” (MCA/Universal) 1 1 2. “The Silence of the Lambs” (Orion) 2 2 3. “What About Bob” (Touchstone) 4 4 4. “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” (Warner) 3 3 5. “City Slickers” (Columbia TriStar) 39 ... * “Only the Lonely” (FoxVideo) 21 ...

Weeks On Rental Top Rentals Chart 1. “Backdraft” (MCA/Universal) 6 2. “The Silence of the Lambs” (Orion) 7 3. “What About Bob” (Touchstone) 6 4. “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” (Warner) 7 5. “City Slickers” (Columbia TriStar) 2 * “Only the Lonely” (FoxVideo) 2