Grudging success in US box office

American cinemagoers have surprised critics again, by shooting horror remake The Grudge to the top of the charts.

The film, a low-budget remake of the Japanese film Ju-On: The Grudge, was expected to have a moderate opening but instead stormed to the number one spot taking $40 million (£21.7 million) in its first three days.

"If we would have done 20 [million dollars], we would have been ecstatic," said Rory Bruer, president of domestic distribution at Columbia Pictures.

In the film Sarah Michelle Gellar portrays an American in Tokyo who must outwit a ghostlike being.

The remake which was directed by Takashi Shimizu, who helmed the Japanese original, cost a modest $10 million.

Shark Tale, top for the last three weeks, made $14.3 million - taking its total earnings to $136.9 million.

DreamWorks made the top ten for a second time this week with Surviving Christmas, which stars Ben Affleck and James Gandolfini. The critically panned film opened in seventh - taking $4.5 million.

I Heart Huckabees, the only other new entry to the chart, came in tenth taking $3 million.

<b>Top Ten</b>
1 - The Grudge
2 - Shark Tale
3 - Shall We Dance?
4 - Friday Night Lights
5 - Team America: World Police
6 - Ladder 49
7 - Surviving Christmas
8 - Taxi
9 - The Forgotten
10 - I Heart Huckabees

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