Just Another ‘Day’ in the Top Spot

“Independence Day” again trampled the competition, stopping shy of the $200-million mark. Though overall box office is still 15% ahead of last summer, none of the newcomers got off to a good start.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, the Olympic Games seemed to have little impact on nationwide moviegoing patterns, according to the box-office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations Inc.

* “Trainspotting”--an in-your-face offering about four Scottish drug addicts--turned in a strong opening for Miramax Films. “We’re rolling it out faster and wider than a pure art-house film since this movie has obvious crossover appeal,” said Mark Gill, president of marketing for Miramax. “That’s what we did with ‘Flirting With Disaster’ and ‘Muriel’s Wedding,’ each of which went on to gross $15 million domestically.”

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Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “Independence Day” $21.3 2,972 3 (Fox) $199.0 $7,158 2.”Phenomenon” $8.1 2,016 3 (Disney/Touchstone) $61.5 $4,033 3.”Courage Under Fire” $8.0 2,001 2 (Fox) $26.0 $4,010 4.”Nutty Professor” $7.6 2,239 4 (Universal) $93.7 $3,380 5.”The Frighteners” $5.6 1,669 1 (Universal) $5.6 $3,335 6.”Fled” $5.4 2,104 1 (MGM/UA) $5.4 $2,569 7.”Multiplicity” $5.1 2,134 1 (Columbia) $7.0 $2,378 8.”Kazaam” $5.0 2,012 1 (Disney/Touchstone) $7.1 $2,486 9. “Hunchback of Notre Dame” $3.6 1,934 5 (Walt Disney) $84.4 $1,886 10.”Eraser” $3.4 2,317 5 (Warner Bros.) $87.1 $1,484 * “Trainspotting” $262,673 8 1 (Miramax) $262,673 $33,250

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SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.