VIDEO RENTALS : ‘Flatliners’ Makes ‘Pretty’ Move to Top

“Flatliners,” the drama that owes its rental-market popularity to the enormous popularity of star Julia Roberts, continues to top the Billboard magazine chart. Its days on top, however, are numbered. “Flatliners” will soon be spirited out of the No. 1 position by “Ghost,” currently the hottest rental by far, but not due to make its chart debut until next week. Meanwhile “Arachnophobia” skittered up five rungs to No. 2. It has a outside chance at ousting “Flatliners” and spending a week at No. 1 before “Ghost” takes over. All the “Chinatown” fans who missed the director-star Jack Nicholson’s sequel, “The Two Jakes,” in theaters are renting it now. “Jakes” climbed two notches to No. 8--a remarkable chart performance for a box-office flop. “White Hunter, Black Heart,” starring Clint Eastwood, debuted at No. 23.

* One of the rare teen-oriented movies to get good reviews, “Pump Up the Volume” is making a strong showing in the rental market, jumping from No. 31 to No. 15. Starring Christian Slater as a teen pirate-radio deejay, the film grossed a modest $11.4 million in theaters, but it may have enough appeal to reach the video Top 10.

Ranking Weeks Ranking 2 Weeks On Rental Top Rentals Last Week Ago Chart 1. “Flatliners” (RCA/Columbia) 1 1 5 2. “Arachnophobia” (Hollywood) 7 28 3 3. “Air America” (LIVE) 2 7 4 4. “Die Hard 2” (CBS-Fox) 3 2 7 5. “Darkman” (MCA/Universal) 4 4 5 * “Pump Up the Volume” (RCA/Columbia) 31 ... 2