It’s Scary, but That’s What Audiences Like

The chill factor was clearly in evidence at the nation’s box office over the weekend.

“Stigmata,” a new supernatural thriller from MGM, debuted with $18.3 million, finally dislodging Disney’s surprise hit “The Sixth Sense,” a thriller about ghosts that had spent five weeks atop the charts. The Bruce Willis film earned $16.5 million and has grossed $197.7 million in North America.

Artisan’s “Stir of Echoes,” yet another supernatural thriller, debuted in third place with $5.8 million.

“Audiences right now are insatiable when it comes to this kind of thriller,” said Paul Dergarabedian, president of the box-office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations Co. “These aren’t your typical slasher movies. They are more psychological. The public wants to be scared, but more in a mental way than a physical way.”

“Love Stinks,” the only other new film to open wide, couldn’t break into the Top 10, grossing only $1.3 million for Independent Artists.

Dergarabedian said the 1999 box office to date is up about 9%, and he predicted that Hollywood will surpass last year’s record of $6.95 billion.

“We’ll easily pass the $7-billion mark this year,” he said. “We’re looking at a strong fall and Christmas holiday season.”

Weekend Box Office

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Three-day gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “Stigmata” $18.3 2,899 1 (MGM) $18.3 $6,316 2. “The Sixth Sense” $16.5 2,782 6 (Disney/Hollywood) $197.7 $5,935 3. “Stir of Echoes” $5.8 1,888 1 (Artisan) $5.8 $3,078 4. “Runaway Bride” $3.8 2,773 7 (Paramount) $140.5 $1,383 5. “Bowfinger” $3.6 2,452 5 (Universal) $60.4 $1,470 6. “The 13th Warrior” $3.0 2,283 3 (Disney/Touchstone) $26.8 $1,326 7. “The Thomas Crown Affair” $2.7 1,849 6 (MGM) $61.4 $1,460 8. “Mickey Blue Eyes” $2.2 1,975 4 (Warner Bros.) $30.3 $1,120 9. “Chill Factor” $1.9 2,558 2 (Warner Bros.) $9.6 $758 10. “The Blair Witch Project” $1.6 1,937 9 (Artisan) $136.3 $842 “Love Stinks” $1.3 1,325 1 (Independent Artists) $1.3 $1,011 “B. Monkey” $17,436 5 1 (Miramax) $17,436 $3,487

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SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.