‘Graveyard’ Comes to Life at Box Office : Movies: The Paramount Pictures release took in $5.1 million over the weekend for the No. 1 earnings spot.

During an especially sleepy weekend at the box office, “Stephen King’s Graveyard Shift”--which was not screened in advance for the critics--managed to scare up $5 million for the No. 1 spot.

But the Paramount Pictures release averaged only about $3,170 on 1,603 screens--a poor figure for a just-out title.

Columbia Pictures’ “Sibling Rivalry,” directed by Carl Reiner, also had a weak opening--though its $4 million in ticket sales earned it the No. 2 niche. In release at 1,448 screens, the comedy starring Kirstie Alley had a per-screen average of $2,775.

In third place, with an average of $3,990 on 864 screens--the highest for the top five films--was Universal Pictures’ “White Palace.” Starring James Spader and Susan Sarandon as mismatched lovers, the romantic drama grossed $3.4 million in its second week of widened release.

In fourth place was 20th Century Fox’s “Marked for Death,” with ticket sales of $3.4 million. Starring action star Steven Seagal, the film has earned $33.9 million after four weeks.

Paramount Picture’s enduring romantic fantasy “Ghost” was fifth with grosses of $3.1 million. This brings its grosses--after 16 weeks--to nearly $177 million.

Rounding out the top 10:

“Memphis Belle” (Warner Bros.), sixth place, with weekend ticket sales of $3 million; “Quigley Down Under” (MGM/UA), seventh, $2.6 million; “Avalon” (Tri-Star Pictures), eighth, $2.1 million; “Fantasia” (Buena Vista), ninth, $2 million; “Mr. Destiny” (Buena Vista), 10th, $1.9 million.