Kong is king at British box office

LONDON - Three-hour blockbuster King Kong clambered to the top of the British film charts in its first weekend of release, Screen International said today.

The remake of the 1933 classic, directed by New Zealand's Peter Jackson, the man behind "The Lord of the Rings", roared ahead of last week's number one "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe".

King Kong, which cost over $200 million to make and boasts extensive special effects, has so far failed to ape the success at the US box office achieved by Jackson's previous films.

Its opening weekend UK take of 6 million pounds compares with the British record of 14.9 million set by the fourth Harry Potter movie "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" last month.

But the film, which stars Naomi Watts as the damsel in distress -- the role played by Fay Wray in the original -- has won largely favourable reviews.

"Narnia", the big screen adaptation of the C.S. Lewis children's fantasy, continued to enchant audiences, taking another 4.8 million pounds putting it in second spot.

Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire dropped to third but has now taken more than 42 million pounds in the UK alone.

Aviation thriller "Flightplan", which stars Jodie Foster as a mother whose daughter vanishes on a transatlantic flight, was in fourth spot ahead of a new release, festive comedy "The Family Stone".

Loyal collie dog "Lassie" made a return to the big screen in sixth place in a tale of the canine hero battling adversity to return to the family that loves her.

"March Of The Penguins", a documentary about the long journey Emperor penguins make to their Antarctic breeding grounds, waddled up to seventh place ahead of the re-release of animated Christmas movie "The Polar Express".

Bollywood romantic-comedy "Bluff Master" was new in ninth with thriller "The Constant Gardener" making up the top 10.

- REUTERS