‘Bulletproof’ Tops Lackluster Field

Despite the start of school, a spate of sports events and a weak crop of film offerings, the traditionally slow post-Labor Day weekend was up over last year. Total 1996 box office is about 10% ahead of last year’s record-breaking pace.

Universal’s “Bulletproof,” a buddy film starring Adam Sandler and Damon Wayans, arrived in first place with an unspectacular $6 million, but another new entry, “Bogus,” failed to make the Top 10. Columbia’s “Spitfire Grill” managed to maintain its per-screen average after expanding its run, and “Tin Cup,” “First Kid” and “A Time to Kill” held strong.

Despite a dismal August, this summer was a record-setter, said Dan Marks, senior vice president of product management at Entertainment Data Inc.

“Though the initial momentum wasn’t sustained, the summer was a phenomenal one,” he said. “Six movies broke the $100-million mark and three are on the verge, compared to only four--’Casper,’ ‘Batman Forever,’ ‘Pocahontas’ and ‘Apollo 13’--in the summer of 1995. Even ‘Cable Guy’ did $60 million ... and that was considered to be a ‘flop.”’

*--*

Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “Bulletproof” $6.0 2,240 1 (Universal) $6.0 $2,685 2. “Tin Cup” $4.7 2,058 4 (Warner Bros.) $42.0 $2,267 3. “First Kid” $4.4 1,878 2 (Disney/Hollywood) $13.7 $2,317 4. “A Time to Kill” $3.8 2,056 7 (Warner Bros.) $97.0 $1,862 5. “Spitfire Grill” $3.4 1,047 3 (Columbia) $3.9 $3,251 6. “Jack” $2.9 1,967 5 (Disney/Hollywood) $49.4 $1,451 7. “Independence Day” $2.85 1,852 10 (Fox) $285.6 $1,538 8. “Island of Dr. Moreau” $2.83 2,020 3 (New Line) $22.5 $1,399 9. “The Crow: City of Angels” $2.7 2,405 2 (Miramax) $14.0 $1,134 10. “A Very Brady Sequel” $2.3 2,038 3 (Paramount) $17.7 $1,124

*--*

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.