VIDEO RENTALS : “Die Hard 2’ Falling Flat at the Stores

“Die Hard 2” died fast in the video rental market. The Bruce Willis action/adventure movie, touted as the winter’s major rental title, shot up to No. 1, but surprisingly had no staying power. Though it figured to rule the Billboard magazine rental chart until early next month, when “Ghost” takes over, “Die Hard 2,” on the chart six weeks, has been sinking the last two weeks. Now it’s No. 3. America’s love affair with Julia Roberts is partly to blame. Her “Flatliners,” which unseated “Die Hard 2,” is camped in the top spot for the second straight week, trailed by “Air America,” starring Mel Gibson. Jean-Claude Van Damme’s latest martial-arts movie, “Death Warrant,” is off to a fast start, barging up to No. 9 in just two weeks. On the sales chart, which measures sales to video stores, “Rocky and Bullwinkle” has taken over the Top 15. The six volumes of the old TV cartoon series are up there in that select group.

* This comedy/thriller, which preys on our fear of spiders, scampered up the chart from No. 28 to No. 7 and should land in the Top Five next week. Starring Jeff Daniels and John Goodman, it grossed over $53 million at the box office.

Ranking Weeks Ranking 2 Weeks On Rental Top Rentals Last Week Ago Chart 1. “Flatliners” (RCA/Columbia) 1 2 4 2. “Air America” (LIVE) 7 9 3 3. “Die Hard 2” (CBS-Fox) 2 1 6 4. “Darkman” (MCA/Universal) 4 4 4 5. “Days of Thunder” (Paramount) 3 3 5 * “Arachnophobia” (Hollywood) 28 ... 2