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.