UPDATE 1-'Christmas Carol' off to slow start at box office

* "A Christmas Carol" earns disappointing $31 million

* Gritty drama "Precious" debuts strongly

* Clooney, Diaz films overshadowed (Updates with additional movies, including "Precious")

LOS ANGELES, Nov 8 (Reuters) - If it's the second weekend in November, it must be Christmas in Hollywood.

Walt Disney Co's (DIS.N) high-tech adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" topped the North American box office on Sunday with lower-than-expected ticket sales of $31 million.

For moviegoers in the mood for darker material, "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire," opened at No. 13 after earning a hefty $1.8 million in just four cities. Lionsgate's acclaimed tale of a young, black, overweight, illiterate incest survivor will expand nationally on Nov. 20.

Both movies overshadowed new releases featuring such big names as George Clooney and Cameron Diaz. Clooney's military comedy "The Men Who Stare At Goats" opened at No. 3 with a solid $13.3 million. "The Box," a thriller starring Diaz, opened at No. 6 with just $7.9 million. Also new was the alien-abduction thriller "The Fourth Kind" at No. 4 with $12.5 million.

Last weekend's champion, the Michael Jackson concert documentary "This is It" slipped to No. 2 with $14 million, taking its 12-day total to $57.9 million. The foreign total for the Columbia Pictures release rose to $128.6 million.

"A MARATHON RATHER THAN A DASH"