‘Sense’ Scares Off Challengers

Over the weekend, Disney’s “The Sixth Sense” accomplished what no movie since “Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace” has been able to do all summer long: hold onto the No. 1 slot for more than one week running.

Even more impressive, the psychological thriller with a twist is showing all the earmarks of an “Omen”-type hit, remaining almost dead even with its first weekend and racking up an estimated $26.1 million on 2,395 screens for a sensational 10-day total of $70 million and almost $11,000 a theater. It will join the elite summer $100-million club in the next week or so.

Due to its hot holding power, “Sixth Sense” relegated the Steve Martin-Eddie Murphy comedy “Bowfinger” to a second-place debut with a better-than-good estimate of $18.2 million in 2,700 theaters--nearly $7,000 a screen, playing well to older and younger audiences, according to Universal Pictures.

The two other weekend arrivals, “Brokedown Palace” and “Detroit Rock City,” were barely noticed.

“Brokedown,” starring Claire Danes, eked into the top 10 with an estimated $4-million debut in 1,740 theaters, while “Detroit” landed in 13th place with only $2 million in 1,802 theaters.

The top five films again each sold $10 million or more in tickets over the second weekend in August, contributing the lion’s share of the nearly $116 million grossed by the top dozen movies--nearly 33% ahead of the same weekend last year, as summer 1999 roars to a conclusion that may reach $3 billion for the first time. The inevitable slowdown begins this week with schools reopening in 25% of the country.

“The Blair Witch Project” crossed the $100-million mark on Saturday in its third weekend of national release, the ninth film this summer to do so (“The General’s Daughter” got there during the past week). “Witch” is that rare film that will be a blockbuster without ever having inhabited the No. 1 slot.

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Grosses declined an acceptable 37%, as the low-budget phenomenon showed no sign of lagging, easily outperforming even the heartiest horror movies with $15.25 million estimated in 2,412 theaters for the weekend and $108 million so far.

The 10th film to achieve $100-million status will be “Runaway Bride,” which is still seducing romantics, riding to a strong $14.2-million weekend in 3,212 theaters, topping $98 million after three weeks.

“The Thomas Crown Affair” is luring older couples aplenty, generating a sexy $10.2 million in its second weekend in 2,427 theaters for a total of $31 million in its first 10 days.

“Deep Blue Sea” took a 40% hit, sinking to a predicted $6.7 million in 2,710 theaters in its third weekend, for a 17-day total of $57 million.

“Inspector Gadget” continues to satisfy the little tykes with a healthy forecast for its fourth weekend of $6.2 million in 2,591 theaters, bringing its monthlong tally to an impressive $76 million, meaning the film should end up just this side of $100 million.

The remaining films in the top 10 were fairly anemic. “Mystery Men” plummeted more than 50% in its second weekend, sagging to about $4.9 million on 2,140 screens for a two-week total of only $19 million. In 10th place was “The Iron Giant,” which is only playing to the very young, grossing a wan $3.8 million in its second weekend in 2,179 theaters for a 10-day total of less than $13 million.

Of the limited-release films, the debut of “Better Than Chocolate” was semisweet with about $89,000 in 15 theaters.