Weekend Box Office : Hey, Chevy, the British Are Coming

An independent British comedy that has been gradually adding theaters unceremoniously pushed aside a new suitor starring Chevy Chase and Jack Palance to lead the box-office procession. But, overall, filing tax returns apparently did not put the public in a film-going mood, and attendance dipped to its lowest point in nearly a year. Other new entries, including “White Fang 2,” the sequel to a popular 1991 film, also failed to catch on.

* “BackBeat,” the tune-filled story of the friendship between John Lennon and Stuart Sutcliffe, the original fifth Beatle, got off to a rousing start in limited release.

Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average 1. “Four Weddings and a Funeral” $4.2 721 (Gramercy) $14.0 $5,773 2. “Cops and Robbersons” $3.7 1,831 (TriStar) $3.7 $2,034 3. “The Paper” $3.3 1,577 (Universal) $26.3 $2,115 4.”D2 the Mighty Ducks” $3.3 2,119 (Buena Vista) $34.3 $1,563 5. “Major League II” $3.0 2,092 (Warners) $21.8 $1,443 6. “Surviving the Game” $2.9 1,025 (New Line) $2.9 $2,837 7. “Naked Gun 33 1/2” $2.7 1,744 (Paramount) $43.5 $1,566 8. “White Fang 2” $2.7 1,853 (Buena Vista) $2.7 $1,453 9. “Threesome” $2.6 1,218 (TriStar) $7.9 $2,160 10.”Schindler’s List” $2.3 1,343 (Universal) $83.0 $1,705 * “BackBeat” $126,740 10 (Gramercy) $126,740 $12,674

Weeks in Movie (Studio) Release 1. “Four Weddings and a Funeral” 6 (Gramercy) 2. “Cops and Robbersons” 0 (TriStar) 3. “The Paper” 5 (Universal) 4.”D2 the Mighty Ducks” 4 (Buena Vista) 5. “Major League II” 3 (Warners) 6. “Surviving the Game” 1 (New Line) 7. “Naked Gun 33 1/2” 5 (Paramount) 8. “White Fang 2” 1 (Buena Vista) 9. “Threesome” 2 (TriStar) 10.”Schindler’s List” 18 (Universal) * “BackBeat” 1 (Gramercy)

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.