DATE=5/6/2002

TYPE=ENGLISH FEATURE

NUMBER=7-36260

TITLE=HOLLYWOOD HIGHLIGHTS 2002-19a (Top 5 Films)

BYLINE=ALAN SILVERMAN

TELEPHONE=619-1024 (editor)

DATELINE=HOLLYWOOD

EDITOR=vicki swaney

CONTENT=

( INSERTS AVAILABLE FROM AUDIO SERVICES; VOICED VERSION 4:07vo, 7:21mo )

Intro: A web-swinging superhero captures a new box office record and swoops to number one on the North American box office chart. Alan Silverman has this week's top five films starting with an uplifting sports drama at number five:

CUT ONE: "THE ROOKIE" CLIP

"DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY GUYS CAN THROW THE BALL 98 MILES AN HOUR?"

"N-O-T MANY." (MUSIC)

TEXT: "THE ROOKIE" stars Dennis Quaid as a Texas high school teacher who gets to live out his dream of playing major league baseball. Based on the true story of Jim Morris, "THE ROOKIE" slides into fifth place.

CUT TWO - "MURDER BY NUMBERS" CLIP

"NO FINGERPRINTS OFF THE GIRL'S SKIN. THE KILLER MUST HAVE BEEN WEARING GLOVES."

"THEN IT'S N-O-T A HUSBAND OR A BOYFRIEND."

"WHY N-O-T?"

"WHEN YOU KILL YOUR WIFE YOU DON'T STOP TO PUT ON GLOVES."

"UNLESS YOU PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT INTO IT."

TEXT: In "MURDER BY NUMBERS," over-privileged teenagers think they've committed the perfect crime, but homicide detectives Sandra Bullock and Ben Chaplin are determined to track down the killers. "MURDER BY NUMBERS" ends up at number four.

There's no change for "CHANGING LANES," held over at number three. Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson co-star as New Yorkers whose lives change dramatically after their cars collide in Manhattan traffic. /// OPT /// Affleck believes the film has several messages that resonate with audiences:

CUT THREE AFFLECK

I THINK PROBABLY ONE OF THE CHORDS IT STRIKES IS IT'S ABOUT THE GREY AREAS AND THE WAY THAT WE FEEL IN SOME WAYS DEHUMANIZED, STRIPPED AWAY OF OUR DECENCY BY ALL THE FORCES AND STRESSES IN OUR LIVES: THE COURTS, THE WORKPLACE, SOMETIMES EVEN MARRIAGE. THEY CULTIVATE THIS DESIRE TO BE COMPETITIVE AND DOG-EAT-DOG. 'YOU GET OUT FOR YOU AND DO YOUR THING.' ALL THESE MESSAGES CAN REALLY STRIP AWAY WHAT'S REALLY DECENT ABOUT US AND LEAVE US MUCH CLOSER TO THIS VULGAR, SELFISH, ANIMAL EXISTENCE. NOBODY WANTS TO LIVE THAT WAY. /// END OPT ///

CUT FOUR "CHANGING LANES" CLIP

"I'M GOING TO WRITE YOU A BLANK CHECK AND YOU CAN GET YOUR CAR FIXED AND BUY LUNCH . . ."

"NO, I DON'T WANT YOUR CHECK. IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE DO THIS RIGHT AND IT SHOULD BE IMPORTANT TO YOU, TOO."

TEXT: "CHANGING LANES" remains in third place:

CUT FIVE "THE SCORPION KING" CLIP

"IF YOU FACE MEMNON, YOU WILL DIE. THAT IS YOUR DESTINY."

"I MAKE MY OWN DESTINY." (MUSIC)

TEXT: An action star is born in "THE SCORPION KING" as pro wrestler "The Rock" proves he can pull in film audiences, too. After two weeks on top of the chart "THE SCORPION KING" abdicates his throne; the action-adventure set in ancient times is bumped to second place by the record-setting debut of a comic book superhero come to life:

CUT SIX "SPIDERMAN" CLIP

"THIS IS MY GIFT. IT IS MY CURSE. WHO AM I? I'M SPIDER-MAN." (MUSIC)

TEXT: Yes, "SPIDER-MAN," strange visitor from our own planet with powers far beyond those of ordinary teenagers. Tobey Maguire stars as young Peter Parker who, after a bite by a mutated spider, becomes the masked web-slinger in this dazzling adaptation. Kirsten Dunst co-stars as his spunky red-haired girlfriend Mary Jane. /// OPT /// The two share a memorable onscreen first kiss with Maguire updside-down and in full "SPIDER-MAN" suit and mask as rain showers down on both of them:

CUT SEVEN MAGUIRE

IT WAS INTERESTING AND CHALLENGING. I WAS HANGING UPSIDE DOWN. IT WAS FIVE IN THE MORNING AND THERE WAS RAIN POURING UP (OR DOWN) MY NOSE. I COULDN'T BREATHE AND I WAS GASPING FOR BREATH OUT OF THE CORNER OF KIRSTEN'S MOUTH. THE POOR GIRL: I WAS GIVING HER MOUTH-TO-MOUTH RESUSCITATION RATHER THAN KISSING HER.

CUT EIGHT DUNST

OH YES, HE COULDN'T BREATHE. HE WOULD GASP AND THEN KISS. IT WAS REALLY UNROMANTIC, BUT IT LOOKED REALLY GREAT, SO THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS.

CUT NINE "SPIDER-MAN" CLIP

"DO I GET TO SAY THANK YOU THIS TIME?" (MUSIC)

TEXT: "SPIDER-MAN" sets a slew of records including the best opening day ever, the best single day box office take for any film in Hollywood history and the fastest any film has ever reached more than 100-million-dollars in ticket sales (it only took three days to surpass that mark with an estimated 114-million dollar domestic opening weekend) along with record-setting debuts in Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines. /// END OPT /// Directed by Sam Raimi (who is already at work on a sequel), "SPIDER-MAN" swings into first place: the new most popular movie at North American theaters. (signed)

MUSIC: "HERO" by Chad Kroeger and Josey Scott from "SPIDER-MAN" soundtrack