Video Rentals : ‘Fear’ Fending Off Challengers

The performance of “Cape Fear,” hanging on to the top spot of the Billboard magazine chart for three weeks, is surprising, considering that the runners-up, “Father of the Bride” and “The Addams Family,” are comedies with broad youth and family appeal. It’s possible that “Cape Fear,” a grisly thriller, may cling to the top spot until “Bugsy” or “Star Trek VI,” which should chart next week, reaches No. 1. “Grand Canyon,” the drama starring Kevin Kline and Danny Glover, opened a strong No. 9 and may crack the Top 5.

* It’s quite an accomplishment for this 1970 documentary, focusing on a killing during a Rolling Stones concert in Northern California, to make the rental Top 40. Documentaries of any kind--even recent ones--rarely make the rental chart. Besides its stature as a great documentary, it undoubtedly has nostalgia appeal for aging baby boomers.

Rank Weeks Last on the Week Chart 1. “Cape Fear” 1 4 2. “Father of the Bride” 2 5 3. “The Addams Family” 6 2 4. “JFK” 3 6 5. “My Girl” 4 5 6. “For the Boys” 5 5 7. “Frankie & Johnny” 7 9 8. “Kuffs” 13 2 9. “Grand Canyon” ... 1 10. “The Last Boy Scout” 9 11 * “Gimme Shelter” --- 1

Source: Billboard Publications, Inc.