‘Nature,’ ‘Analyze’ Outpace Newcomers

Two holdovers, “Forces of Nature” and “Analyze This,” topped the weekend box office, but the news was grim for three new films.

“EDtv,” a Ron Howard comedy about a video store clerk whose life is chronicled on live television, took in $8.3 million to debut in third place.

Paul Dergarabedian, president of the box-office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations Co., said the film might have been hurt by comparisons to “The Truman Show,’ which had a similar theme.

Claire Danes’ attempt to establish herself in an action-oriented film got off to a stumbling start as “The Mod Squad” grossed $6.1 million for a fourth-place finish. And “Doug’s 1st Movie” grossed $4.5 million to debut in fifth.

Meanwhile, the top 12 films this weekend took in 19.1% less than the same weekend last year, when “Titanic” ruled the waves.

Weekend Box Office

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Three-day gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “Forces of Nature” $9.4 2,224 2 (DreamWorks) $26.8 $4,244 2. “Analyze This” $8.7 2,537 4 (Warner Bros.) $69.3 $3,418 3. “EDtv” $8.3 2,626 1 (Universal) $8.3 $3,165 4. “The Mod Squad” $6.1 2,290 1 (MGM) $6.1 $2,648 5. “Doug’s 1st Movie” $4.5 2,268 1 (Disney) $4.5 $1,971 6. “Shakespeare in Love” $4.3 1,931 16 (Miramax) $79.3 $2,219 7. “True Crime” $3.4 1,852 2 (Warner Bros.) $10.5 $1,810 8. “Life Is Beautiful” $3.2 1,121 23 (Miramax) $40.7 $2,894 9. “Baby Geniuses” $2.7 1,702 3 (Sony/TriStar) $15.3 $1,605 10. “Cruel Intentions” $2.3 1,951 4 (Sony/Columbia) $33.4 $1,166 * “A Walk on the Moon” $78,709 7 1 (Miramax) $78,709 $11,244 ** “Among Giants” $13,269 2 1 (Fox Searchlight) $13,269 $6,635

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SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.