The Boxtrolls hit the number 1 spot at the UK box office this week, but it had a little help from previews screenings the previous week.

In a similar vein to Bad Neighbours from earlier in the year, The Boxtrolls' official gross for the weekend is £2 million, but £600,000 was achieved with the previous weeks previews.

A £1.6 million weekend would have still seen it at the top but with a much reduced opening, last weeks top film, Lucy falls to second place £811,936, still £800,000 behind.

Regardless of how figures are worked out it was still a very quiet weekend at UK cinemas, only one film over a million and film number 15 under £100,000.

With no major blockbuster out this week either, we might see a similar picture this time next week.

Historical box office.

This time last year things looked far better at the box office, Insidious Chapter 2 topped the box office knocking About Time down to 4th, Rush and White House Down also debuting at 2 and 3.

Five years ago District 13 was still at the top while the highest new film was Dorian Gray which entered at 3.

Ten years ago low budget factual drama Open Water took over at the top of the chart, The Terminal few from 1 to 2 on it;s second week of release.

Fifteen years ago Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman starred in Stanley Kubrick final film before his death which entered at the top knocking South Park Bigger Longer and Uncut from the top.

After 2 weeks at the top Lucy gets knocked down the chart by Sex Tape which makes it's debut in the Uk at number 1.

Starring Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel this Jake Kasdan directed comedy about a couple trying to spice up their sex life by making a movie, which then gets shared to everyone debuts with £1.4 million.

Not a great opening gross especially for the 2 leads, Diaz has enjoyed great success with the Shrek franchise while Segel has seen big grosses with the likes of The Muppets, Gullivers Travels and Knocked Up.

Lucy has been having a great cinema run and after 3 weeks of release has taken a very respectable £10.46 million.

Also new this week is

Before I go to Sleep at 3 - The Hundred Foot Journey at 4 - The Guest at 8

Chart History - One year ago this week Richard Curtis's About Time made it's debut at the top of the box office knocking the One Direction boys to 3rd.

Five years ago District 9 was the debut film for Neill Blomkamp and it debuted at the top knocking The Final Destination into second.

Ten years ago Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks team up agin to debut the Terminal at the top knocking Dodgeball to second place.

Fifteen years ago so a very static box office with South Park Bigger Louder and Uncut staying at the top while the top new film was Go right down at six.

Finally twenty years ago this month Speed and Forest Gump where the big film at the box office while twenty five years ago Dead Poets Society and Young Einstein were the big grossing films of September.