ARTICLES

American Pie still on top
Monday, 27 August, 2001 http://www.news.bbc.co.uk

Teen comedy American Pie 2 has held on to the top spot in the US film charts for the third consecutive week. 
It is only the third film all year to stay at number one for three weekends running, according to Los-Angeles-based Exhibitor Relations. 

US box office top five 
1. American Pie 2
2. Rush Hour 2
3. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
4. The Others
5. Rat Race 

But on the whole the US movie business is feeling low key - going through the usual late summer doldrums. 

"It feels like summer is over," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Exhibitor Relations. 

American Pie 2 made $12.8m (£8.87m) in its third weekend, bringing its cumulative box office receipts to $109.6m (£75.96m). 

Only Hannibal and Spy Kids have managed the same feat this year. 

The number two spot was also unchanged, with martial arts comedy Rush Hour 2 bringing in $11.4m (£7.9m) between Friday and Sunday. 

Both the chart-topping films focus on the summer escapades of sex-obsessed young men and easily saw off competition from new movies released this week. 

The comedy Jay and Silent Bob Strike back is the latest offering from writer-director Kevin Smith which drew $11.1m (£7.69m). 


The film stars Jason Mewes and Smith as the title characters, who were background roles in his previous movies including Dogma and Chasing Amy. 

At number four is The Others, the Nicole Kidman film that was produced by her ex-husband Tom Cruise, which took $8.6m (£5.96m). 

Another new release Summer Catch with Freddie Prinze Junior ranked sixth with $7.5m (£5.19m). 

The Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz vehicle Captain Corelli's Mandolin - mauled by British film critics - dropped to eighth place in its second week, making $3.87m (£2.68m). 

It was a slow weekend compared with others this summer but overall box office earnings still rose, with the top dozen films grossing more than $82.5m (£57.2m) between them. 

Woody Allen's latest offering, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion, made $2.5m (£1.73) to take 11th position, but it was showing at far fewer movie houses than other films. 

Rounding out the top 10 are John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars and Planet of the Apes with $3.8m (£2.63m) and $3.5m (£2.4m) respectively.