Newsday from New York, New York • 10

iftfslaterie or A Box-Office Killing HOUDAY HAPPENINGS sets December record with $392 million opener Horror movie topped the weekend box-office charts with a record $392 million in ticket sales the highest total for a movie opening in December Steven highly anticipated chronicling an 1839 slave revolt came in fifth with $46 million on only 322 movie screens according to box office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations Co By contrast played on 3112 screens has all the blood gore and slasher scenes of the first which became a sleeper hit among teenagers because it was as much a spoof of horror movies as one itself The sequel directed by Wes Craven also shares some of the youthful stars like Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox while adding fresh faces such as Jada Pinkett John Krier president of Exhibitor Relations called the opening weekend: This was a highly competitive Indeed two other new movies helped round out the top five grossing film over the weekend Only one current film was among the group David Arquette and Courteney Cox in the box-office bit 2" the Robin Williams comedy fin- the slasher sequel tbat is directed by Wes Craven idled second with $69 million in ticket sales In the third spot was Richer or starring Far Richer er Poorer $6 miMon What do you expect going into the third week of December? Fourth of July fireworks? The St Petersburg State Ice Ballet has performed twice over the past year at Gateway Playhouse And the and were as elegant as any show likely to see on ice anywhere With the familiar Tchaikovsky score expect no less of the Russian ice ballet first performance of in the New York area Sunday at the Fine Arts Theater of Queensborough Community College Choreographed by Konstantin Rassadln formerly of the Boehoi Ballet will be skated at 2 and 6 pm For tickets for kids under 12) call 718-631-6311 The theater is on the Queensborough campus Springfield Boulevard at 56th Avenue Bayside If you visit the Vanderbilt mansion for its holiday party Thursday evening be greeted by mom Alva (Actually actress Anno Mario Finney) The annual holiday-season event a fund-raiser for the Vanderbilt Museum in Centerport includes champagne hors and a serenade of holiday music as you arrive a tour of the lavishly decorated mansion and a buffet supper followed by desserts in the nursery For reservations ($50) to the Beatings from 5 to 9 pm call 516-854-5511 Mannheim Gtyamraller (no not a highway-construction gang for those of you unfamiliar with the multi-platinum Christmas albums) is coming to Nassau Coliseum for a Steamroller Christmas in the concert tomorrow night at 7:30 For tickets call 516-888-9000 or pick them up at the coliseum box office in Uniondale Musics Sacra led by Richard Wutonbori presents its lOth-anniversaiy performance of Handel's at Tilles Center Friday night at 8 For tickets call the box office on the CW Post Campus of Long Island University at 516-299-3100 fret if you missed it during the second annual Dickens Festival in Port Jefferson (It rained again this year) 15-Minute Christmas by Jeffrey SnbzsI will be performed Dec 20 and 27 immediately after this full-length 8 pm performance of Christmas The quarter-hour production presented with apologies to Mr Dickens is free at Theatre Three 412 Main St Pert Jeff Call 516-928-9100 MUSICAL TRIBUTE Queens Theatre in the Jewish Theatre Series resumes Wednesday with Return a salute to the diminutive Yiddish theater and film star The musical ty $arah Blichar Cohon (she cowrote will play at the theater in Flushing Meadows Corona Park through Sunday Performances are 3 pm Wednesday Thursday and Sunday as well as 8 pm Saturday For tickets call 718-760-0064 Steve Parks 4 Hosm Uses $51 miffion 5 Aaristad $46 million 0 Jobs Srisbaafs lie RahuMker $34 million 7 Alisa Issarrsctlea $325 miOkm 1 Anastasia $31 mURon I ns Jackal $25 miKon It Mldalgtt la the Sartsa af BssA and $1 8 million Reuters Variety Tim Allen and Kirstie Alley selling $6 million worth of tickets Alone came in fourth with $51 million in sales Following are weekend ticket sales for the top 10 movies according to studio estimates 1 Scrsasi 2 $392 miflion 2 Flubber $69 miHion LA Completes Sweep THE ASSOCIATED PRESS On Tuesday the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures gave best movie best director and best screenplay honors to Other best picks by Los Angeles Film Critics Association: ACTRESS: Mans Bonhan-Cartar of Sis Dow" ACTOR: Robert Duval SDFPORTlNf ACTRESS: JiAmne Moore "Boogie SOPTORTIHR ACTOR: Burt Reynolds "Boogie NEW RENERA1MM: Paul Thomas Andaraon Nights" Eight" F0REI8N FILM: Jam-Plena A Luc Dardanrw 'la OOCUMERTART: Michael Uys Laxy Lovel "Ridng the Rais" PRODUCTION DESIGN: Petar Lamort ANIMATION: John Muskar Ran Clements and Tray Pahar Mas Stone "The Spirit of Christmas" MUSIC SCORE: PhKp Glass CAREER ACHIEVEMENT: Joseph Lewis SPECIAL CITAT10R: Petar Bogdanovich for contributions sines I960 Meraiews of (tractors and Ms 1997 book "Who Sw Devi Made From coast-to-coast was the best movie of 1997 as the Los Angeles Film Critics Association added its vote Saturday to those already bestowed by the New York Film Critics and National Board of Review Curtis Hanson also was chosen by Los Angeles film critics as best director for the film noir about crooked cops in 1950s Los Angeles which was adapted from the James Ellroy novel also took nods for best screenplay (Hanson and Brian Helgeland) and best cinematography (Dante Spinotti) On Thursday the New York Film Critics gave best film and director nods PEOPLE NEWSDAY MONDAY DECEMBER 15 1997 ing on good terms folks top executives could not have been nicer hut CNN is almost like having the ultimate playground an incredible array of One of those opportunities will be as for King In addition Greenfield will anchor one of the at-least five weekly prime-time magazines not definite which one he says The magazines are to be launched in the spring Verne Gay CBS SWITCHEROO Well this time-slot swap last long CBS decided to return to Thursdays at 10 pm effective this week which earlier this month traded time periods with moves back to its original Tuesday at 10 slot beginning tomorrow night GREENFIELD TO CNN And another one bites the dust at ABC News which has lately had its share of morale problems and employee departures: Jeff Greenfield the respected media correspondent contributor and political commentator for the last 15 years will join CNN in February Greenfield becomes the second high-level ABC News veteran to leave for CNN (Judd Rose is also joining) and a fair bet more will follow CNN president Rick Kaplan is intent on raiding the Big Three networks for people who will help launch his first mqjor initiative since joining from' ABC News last summer: a 10 pm prime-time magazine series based on Time Warner magazines which include Fortune Sports Illustrated and Entertainment Weekly Greenfield who would only say that his deal is is apparently leav- Jiff Greenfield 7 Image Award Nods The southern drama received seven NAACP Image Awards nominations last week including best picture best actor (Samuel Jackson) and best actress (Lynn Whitfield) received six nominations including best picture and two for best actress (Vanessa Williams and Vivica A Fox) The other best-picture nominees were and The 29th annual Image Awards which honor positive portrayals of blacks in motion pictures TV music and literature will be presented Feb 13-14 In addition to Jackson best actor nominees are Djimon Hounsou Larenx Tate Laurence Fiahburne and Ving Rhames The other best actress nominees are Nia Long and Pam Grier roe a crahcm a-s ctO 10-: ai r-io run? to cKxi a Jf3t bARV HSA bJtuifS' sis' wn vlixir rwninM iKlofl-OKj Irs-nra.