MOVIEGOERS FEAST IN RECORD FORM.

Byline: Donna Huffaker Staff Writer

Shattering records and rescuing Tinseltown from a lackluster year for box office receipts, Thanksgiving weekend movie revenues hit an all-time high for any holiday weekend ever with a Grinch, some Rugrats and scores of spotted puppies.

The top 12 movies, with a host of family films at the helm, grossed $236.3 million, gliding past last year's record of $225.5 million for all movies a year ago and setting a new revenue record for any holiday weekend, according to studio estimates released Sunday.

``It's amazing - this is the biggest holiday weekend ever,'' said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Exhibitor Relations Co., a box office tracking firm in Los Angeles.

Domestic film grosses through last weekend had been dead even with last year's $6.42 billion, he said, noting he projects 2000 totals to pull past $7.5 billion with each weekend through New Year's Eve expected to take in more than that weekend last year.

``We're on record pace to do that, and I don't see it diminishing,'' he said.

Dergarabedian named the Denzel Washington October release ``Remember the Titans'' as the first movie to turn around a slumping box office, which continued to thrive with ``Meet the Parents,'' ``Charlie's Angels'' and ``Rugrats.'' Ticket sales exploded last weekend with ``The Grinch.''

Holding the No. 1 spot for the second consecutive weekend, ``Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas'' brought in $73.8 million from Wednesday to Sunday. ``The Grinch,'' starring Jim Carrey and directed by Ron Howard, has grossed $137.4 million in 10 days.

At AMC Promenade 16 Theaters in Woodland Hills, flocks of families crowded in front of the box office, which flashed red lettered ``sold out'' messages over early afternoon showings of ``The Grinch'' and ``102 Dalmatians.''

``We'll just see a later movie,'' Christine Seaton assured her 3-year- old daughter Megan, who clutched a stuffed green Grinch doll. The two had already seen the film once but wanted to see it again. Seaton and her friend Cathy Hanzelik, who brought her 4-year-old son Austin, watched the cartoon as children and said they wanted to see how well it translated to the big screen.

Seaton obviously approved.

Marla and Stephen Axelrode of Agoura thought ``The Grinch'' might be a tad too frightening for their 3-year-old twins Madison and Justin, so the whole family opted to see ``102 Dalmatians.''

``I liked when (Cruella de Vil) turned into a cake in the end. That was funny,'' Madison chuckled, holding on to her mom's leg.

Given Sunday's beautiful weather, Marla Axelrode said they considered going to the park, but decided on the movie theater because the kids like the Dalmatians, she said.

Starring Glenn Close, ``102 Dalmatians'' took third place at the Box Office this weekend with $26.8 million. But that's far less than the $45.1 million ``101 Dalmatians'' raked in during Thanksgiving weekend in 1996.

Debuting in second place for the weekend movie totals was ``Unbreakable,'' a dark fantasy whose main character learns he may possess comic-book superpowers. The film, starring Bruce Willis, took in $47.2 million.

Hanging out in fourth place was ``Rugrats in Paris - The Movie,'' with $22.8 million.

HOT TICKET

Estimated ticket sales for Wednesday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc.

1. ``Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas,'' $73.8 million.

2. ``Unbreakable,'' $47.2 million.

3. ``102 Dalmatians,'' $26.8 million.

4. ``Rugrats in Paris: The Movie,'' $22.8 million.

5. ``Charlie's Angels,'' $14 million.

6. ``Bounce,'' $11 million.

7. ``The 6th Day,'' $10.2 million.

8. ``Men of Honor,'' $9.3 million.

9. ``Meet the Parents,'' $9 million.

10. ``Little Nicky,'' $6.5 million.

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Box: HOT TICKET (See text)