WEEKEND BOX OFFICE : Tough Times for the Movies

One of the film industry’s cyclical doldrums--between the end of the prestige spring films’ runs and before the blockbusters of summer--hit with a vengeance over the weekend, with business for many films plunging more than 30% from the previous weekend. Even the weekend’s openers, though finishing in the Top Five, had less than salutary debuts, and films with strong repeat business, such as Warner Bros.’ “Beetlejuice” and Orion’s “Colors,” were hit almost as hard as the less well-known pictures.

* “Above the Law,” an action film that has shown strong staying power, stars newcomer Steven Seagal. It’s been keeping up with better-known films for the past three weeks. But the doldrums slowed its momentum, too, with receipts dropping 35% from the previous weekend.

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.

Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average in Release 1. Colors $4.0 1,386 4 (Orion) $25.1 $2,891 2. Beetlejuice $3.4 1,569 6 (Warner Bros.) $51.2 $2,150 3. Shakedown $3.0 1,580 1 (Universal) $3.0 $1,910 4. Salsa $2.6 1,125 1 (Cannon) $2.6 $2,335 5. Dead Heat $1.7 1,012 1 (New World) $1.7 $1,647 * Above the Law $1.4 822 5 (Warner Bros.) $14.0 $1,761