AGCtTF.UFF. Page 4 THE BATTALION Eye of the Beholder tops slow weekend LOS ANGELES (AP) — The thriller Eye of The Beholder, starring Ashley Judd, survived a dull Super Bowl weekend for movie theaters to be No. 1 with $6 million in its debut. The previous weekend’s leader in North American movie houses. Next Fri day, dropped to second with $5.75 mil lion. The film has made almost $40 mil lion in three weeks. The Hurricane was third at $5.7 mil lion, according to final weekend figures released Monday. The top 12 films took in just $43.9 million Friday to Sunday, compared to $58.6 million the previous weekend and $56 million during the last week end of January 1999, Exhibitor Rela tions Co. Inc., which tracks movie earnings said. The top 10 movies at North Amer ican theaters Friday through Sunday, followed by distributing studio, gross, number of theater locations, average receipts per location, total gross and number of weeks in release, as com piled by Exhibitor Relations Go. Inc. Box office Top weekend movies Weekend of Jan. 28-30, 2000 All dollar figures in millions Gross to date, weeks in Weekend release, number ot screens gross O Eye of the Beholder $6.0 $6.0, one week, 1,751 screens 9 © © © Next Friday $5.8 $39.5, three weeks, 1,335 screens The Hurricane $5.7 $30.9, five weeks, 2,135 screens Stuart Little $4.8 $123.0, seven weeks, 3,041 screens | The Green Mile $4.02 $115.2, eight weeks, 2,371 screens Down to You $4.01 $13.0, two weeks, 1,977 screens Galaxy Quest $3.4 $58.8, six weeks, 2,209 screens d Girl, Interrupted $3.3 $21.2, six weeks, 1,935 screens 4^ The Talented Mr. Ripley $ 2 - 8 $72.2, six weeks, 2,142 screens A Toy Story 2 $2.3 $234.3, eleven weeks, 1,796 screens Source: Exhibitor Relations Co. AP Singer Garth Brooks visits dental charity BROOKS SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Hundreds of dentists showed their pearly whites when Garth Brooks made a surprise appear ance to announce his support of a children’s charity. Brooks told a meeting of about 750 members of the Crown Council, an alliance of North American dentists, that his Touch ’em All Foundation would join in their Smiles for Life Charity Campaign. “We have 14 charities to start,” the country mu sic singer told the group Saturday. “The money is for children, and the areas we will use it for is medical, education and inner-city projects since those needs are so great.” For the next three months, dentists participating in the fund raising will provide discounted teeth whiten ing procedures to their patients. No progress made in race relations says Cochran ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Johnnie Cochran doubts whether civil rights icons like the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. or W.E.B. DuBois would say that race relations in America have made significant progress. PEOPLE IN THE NEWS “I’m afraid if they dropped in here right now, they would be greatly disappointed," the formerO.J. Simp son attorney said Saturday. Cochran told a group of law students at the University of New Mexico that racial profiling had created such terms as “jogging while black” or “living while black” and needs to end. Telvision sitcom influenced career choice of Pauley NEW YORK (AP) — Jane Pauley said she might owe her career in television journalism to the "Man Tyler Moore” show but not because Moore’s char acter inspired her to work in TV news. “Mary and the rest of the CBS Saturday-night lineup delivered huge audiences to the 11 o’clock broadcast when I was a weekend anchor in Indi anapolis,” Pauley told the Feb. 5 issue of TV Guide. But the Moore character of Mary Richards, a tele vision news producer, influenced Pauley as well. “Remember the big M on the wall of her studio apartment? I put a big numeral 5 on mine when 1 got my job on Channel 5 in Chicago,” Pauley said “It was not a coincidence.” Figure skater Cousins retires after final show BRIGHTON, England (AP) — Figure skater Robin Cousins has glided into the sunset. Cousins gave his final public performance Sunday I uesday, Fd in his hometown, saying the time had comeiV, to retire from the ice. The 1980 Olympic gold w inner performs r last time with Holiday on Ice, the company he rr^ professional debut with 20 years ago. Cousins said he would leave to work beb r scenes as a producer. “At some point, you have to say enc v enough. Something has to give,” Cousins» Cousins, 42, said his back and knees haves;* __ over the years. "1 am happy to be leaving,"k, ^ “There will be no comebacks.” U)/)IT/y LAVRA, $o Busy Kmu : 7>f SErtEW Fame will not ruin ne Fox sitcom child stc NEW YORK (AP) The star of the offle, comedy "Malcolm in the Middle” said he is i mined not to end up in trouble with the law hi • other child TV stars. "1 know some kids who are on TV andc' up in trouble, but I’m not gonna be hkcihaCh' Muni/, 14, tells the Feb. 5 issue of TV Gudt Much like the character he plays, franks, get harassed by bullies until he started hoe^ mg in the sixth grade. "Frankie used to gel picked on bec*K , size, said his mother. Denise, thoughheri. T 5 inches last summer. “But he would always stand up for fa . could always come up with something doe; 1 them up.” Exclusive video deals help independent PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Director S. Lee Taylor admits that “Social Intercourse,” his in dependent film about a cybergeek looking for love, has limited appeal. But there it is, on video shelves alongside Hol lywood’s top hits. Taylor could not be more thrilled. The film is one of the first 10 movies in Hol lywood Video’s First Rites program, an effort launched this month to showcase independent films that generally have only been seen on the festival circuit. Hollywood Video picks up the movies as ex clusive rentals available only at its stores. Block buster, the nation’s largest video chain, has been doing the same for the past year. In an indie world where only a fraction of films ever get seen outside festivals — and even those that make it to theaters rarely pack in big crowds — such direct-to-video deals offer film makers a new shot at reaching a wide audience. “I’m assuming I won’t garner a following from this. I don’t think anyone’s going to be look ing for the next Steve Taylor film,” Taylor said. “But when you have someone really champi oning your film like this, it makes a difference.” Blockbuster, which bills itself as the biggest independent film distributor, picked up seven films tliat played at last year’s Sundance Film Fes tival and expects to cut deals for 10 to 12 from this year’s festival, which ends Sunday. Hollywood Video also expects to go home w ith new films from Sundance and is sponsoring a contest during the festival, asking filmmakers to drop off copies of their movies. At least one of those films will be added to the retailer’s inde pendent movie catalog. Both video chains have been trolling other film festivals looking for movies, and they receive a steady stream of movie submissions by mail. The companies say adding exclusive independent titles gives consumers a wider selection and ex- filmmakers gain audieno posure to quality films that otherwise might nc\ - er have been seen. “We want to make sure our customers are satisfied and keep coming back," said Dean Wilson, Blockbuster executive vice president for merchandising. Blockbuster offered 70 exclusive titles last year and plans on 120 more this s ear. Ihe deals range from outright purchase of movies to short term contracts where filmmakers receive a per centage of rental fees in lieu of money upfront. Hollywood Video cuts six-month exclusive deals for its movies, offering filmmakers a share of rental fees. After the initial jO titles, the com pany plans to add six new movies cadi" “More customers are looking fatal:; j films," said Jonae Kurfcnhach-Woodri w ix*d Video rental marketing director “I? ) just w ant to see big studio films. Peopkr ested in movies they can’t see anyufa W'hilc independent filmmakers dree - theatrical releases, landing their mov* ' stores can bring them exposure and. > helps get their next films going. “This sounds really magnanimou 1 weren’t to see a penny, it wouldn't h Tay lor said. “My movie’s gotten exp lhaCs worth it all right there.” ^ I DOF r