Domestic Box Office For 1988
Limited releases are those released in fewer than 600 theaters.
| Rank | Release | Gross | Max Th | Opening | % of Total | Open Th | Open | Close | Distributor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beaches | $57,041,866 | 1,122 | $198,361 | 0.3% | 7 | Dec 23 | - | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 2 | Dangerous Liaisons | $34,670,720 | 762 | $84,451 | 0.2% | 3 | Dec 23 | - | Warner Bros. |
| 3 | Mississippi Burning | $34,603,943 | 1,134 | $225,034 | 0.7% | 9 | Dec 9 | Jun 15 | Orion Pictures |
| 4 | The Accidental Tourist | $32,632,093 | 954 | $97,578 | 0.3% | 3 | Dec 23 | Apr 6 | Warner Bros. |
| 5 | Crossing Delancey | $16,262,415 | 303 | $46,711 | 0.3% | 1 | Aug 26 | - | Warner Bros. |
| 6 | School Daze | $14,545,844 | 224 | $1,802,656 | 12.4% | 220 | Feb 12 | - | Columbia Pictures |
| 7 | Stand and Deliver | $13,994,920 | 472 | $411,884 | 2.9% | 30 | Mar 11 | - | Warner Bros. |
| 8 | The Milagro Beanfield War | $13,825,794 | 437 | $47,271 | 0.3% | 3 | Mar 18 | - | Universal Pictures |
| 9 | I'm Gonna Git You Sucka | $13,030,057 | 266 | $543,588 | 4.2% | 135 | Dec 16 | - | United Artists |
| 10 | Mystic Pizza | $12,793,213 | 440 | $1,163,939 | 9.1% | 401 | Oct 21 | - | The Samuel Goldwyn Company |
| 11 | Bloodsport | $11,806,119 | 124 | $515,721 | 4.4% | 123 | Feb 26 | - | Cannon Film Distributors |
| 12 | The Unbearable Lightness of Being | $10,006,806 | 140 | $202,189 | 2% | 13 | Feb 5 | - | Orion Pictures |
| 13 | Without a Clue | $8,539,181 | 491 | $1,246,772 | 14.6% | 280 | Oct 21 | - | Orion Pictures |
| 14 | The Last Temptation of Christ | $8,373,585 | 123 | $401,211 | 4.8% | 9 | Aug 12 | - | Universal Pictures |
| 15 | A Cry in the Dark | $6,908,797 | 334 | $1,561,793 | 22.6% | 334 | Nov 11 | - | Warner Bros. |
| 16 | Hairspray | $6,671,108 | 227 | $577,287 | 8.7% | 79 | Feb 26 | - | New Line Cinema |
| 17 | 1969 | $5,979,011 | 520 | $1,709,120 | 28.6% | 520 | Nov 18 | - | Atlantic Releasing Corporation |
| 18 | Eight Men Out | $5,680,515 | 349 | $1,129,491 | 19.9% | 147 | Sep 2 | - | Orion Pictures |
| 19 | Clara's Heart | $5,194,491 | 315 | $588,869 | 11.3% | 74 | Oct 7 | Dec 1 | Warner Bros. |
| 20 | Torch Song Trilogy | $4,865,997 | 135 | $70,022 | 1.4% | 6 | Dec 16 | Jun 1 | New Line Cinema |
| 21 | Bat*21 | $3,966,256 | 516 | $982,080 | 24.8% | 248 | Oct 21 | - | TriStar Pictures |
| 22 | Sweet Hearts Dance | $3,790,493 | 246 | $1,116,902 | 29.5% | 246 | Sep 23 | - | TriStar Pictures |
| 23 | Imagine: John Lennon | $3,753,977 | 561 | $1,412,213 | 37.6% | 561 | Oct 7 | - | Warner Bros. |
| 24 | Tougher Than Leather | $3,582,760 | 130 | $748,193 | 20.9% | 130 | Sep 16 | - | New Line Cinema |
| 25 | Madame Sousatzka | $3,548,238 | 123 | $172,740 | 4.9% | 20 | Oct 14 | - | Universal Pictures |
| 26 | Things Change | $3,527,886 | 99 | $600,809 | 17% | 99 | Oct 21 | - | Columbia Pictures |
| 27 | Talk Radio | $3,468,572 | 653 | $80,547 | 2.3% | 6 | Dec 23 | - | Universal Pictures |
| 28 | Pumpkinhead | $3,385,516 | 353 | $686,567 | 20.3% | 351 | Oct 14 | - | United Artists |
| 29 | Wings of Desire | $3,210,139 | 29 | $17,301 | 0.5% | 1 | Apr 29 | May 11 | Orion Classics |
| 30 | White Mischief | $3,107,551 | 87 | $24,538 | 0.8% | 1 | Apr 22 | - | Columbia Pictures |
| 31 | Dominick and Eugene | $3,076,031 | 76 | $280,763 | 9.1% | 61 | Mar 18 | - | Orion Pictures |
| 32 | Messenger of Death | $3,074,681 | 450 | $1,035,279 | 33.7% | 450 | Sep 16 | - | Cannon Film Distributors |
| 33 | Running on Empty | $2,835,116 | 238 | $215,157 | 7.6% | 22 | Sep 9 | - | Warner Bros. |
| 34 | The Manchurian Candidate 1988 Re-release | $2,757,256 | 49 | $87,850 | 3.2% | 5 | Feb 12 | - | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) |
| 35 | A World Apart | $2,326,860 | 42 | $20,815 | 0.9% | 1 | Jun 17 | Feb 2 | Atlantic Releasing Corporation |
| 36 | Bird | $2,181,286 | 93 | $27,116 | 1.2% | 1 | Sep 30 | Feb 23 | Warner Bros. |
| 37 | Salaam Bombay! | $2,080,046 | 27 | - | - | - | Oct 7 | May 11 | Cinecom Pictures |
| 38 | Pelle the Conqueror | $2,053,931 | 42 | $45,985 | 2.2% | 10 | Dec 21 | May 18 | Miramax |
| 39 | The Moderns | $2,011,497 | 28 | $20,283 | 1% | 1 | Apr 15 | - | Alive Films |
| 40 | Stormy Monday | $1,791,328 | 49 | $44,734 | 2.5% | 2 | Apr 22 | Nov 17 | Atlantic Releasing Corporation |
| 41 | Little Nikita | $1,733,070 | 376 | $866,398 | 50% | 376 | Mar 18 | - | Columbia Pictures |
| 42 | Lady in White | $1,705,139 | 107 | $282,652 | 16.6% | 90 | Apr 22 | - | New Century |
| 43 | Vincent | $1,577,480 | 16 | $4,632 | 0.3% | 1 | Aug 19 | - | Roxie Releasing |
| 44 | Another Woman | $1,562,749 | 24 | $75,196 | 4.8% | 4 | Oct 14 | - | Orion Pictures |
| 45 | A Handful of Dust | $1,560,700 | 29 | $35,470 | 2.3% | 1 | Jun 24 | Nov 24 | New Line Cinema |
| 46 | Two Moon Junction | $1,547,397 | 458 | $558,908 | 36.1% | 458 | Apr 29 | - | Lorimar Motion Pictures |
| 47 | Pascali's Island | $1,451,857 | 55 | $24,979 | 1.7% | 1 | Jul 22 | - | Avenue Pictures Productions |
| 48 | Patty Hearst | $1,223,326 | 460 | $601,680 | 49.2% | 460 | Sep 23 | Nov 17 | Atlantic Releasing Corporation |
| 49 | Mr. North | $1,221,366 | 29 | $37,036 | 3% | 2 | Jul 22 | - | The Samuel Goldwyn Company |
| 50 | A Time of Destiny | $1,212,487 | 220 | $509,397 | 42% | 216 | Apr 22 | Jun 23 | Columbia Pictures |
| 51 | The Thin Blue Line | $1,209,846 | 23 | $17,814 | 1.5% | 1 | Aug 26 | Feb 2 | Miramax |
| 52 | The Lair of the White Worm | $1,189,315 | 32 | $22,155 | 1.9% | 2 | Oct 21 | - | Vestron Pictures |
| 53 | Aria | $1,028,679 | 34 | $7,580 | 0.7% | 1 | Mar 18 | Aug 11 | Miramax |
| 54 | Five Corners | $969,205 | 13 | $78,602 | 8.1% | 12 | Jan 22 | - | Cineplex Odeon Films |
| 55 | Appointment with Death | $960,040 | 465 | $603,650 | 62.9% | 465 | Apr 15 | - | Cannon Film Distributors |
| 56 | Watchers | $940,173 | 161 | $260,820 | 27.7% | 161 | Dec 2 | - | Universal Pictures |
| 57 | Bulletproof | $807,947 | 268 | $421,302 | 52.1% | 268 | May 13 | - | Universal Pictures |
| 58 | And God Created Woman | $717,376 | 385 | $393,647 | 54.9% | 385 | Mar 4 | - | Vestron Pictures |
| 59 | Split Decisions | $695,822 | 405 | $423,303 | 60.8% | 405 | Nov 11 | - | New Century |
| 60 | Maniac Cop | $671,382 | 50 | - | - | - | May 13 | - | Shapiro-Glickenhaus Entertainment |
| 61 | Spellbinder | $657,446 | 326 | $657,446 | 100% | 326 | Sep 23 | - | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) |
| 62 | Da | $644,532 | 1 | $11,085 | 1.7% | 1 | Apr 29 | - | FilmDallas Pictures |
| 63 | Powaqqatsi | $589,244 | 22 | $27,899 | 4.7% | 1 | Apr 29 | - | Cannon Film Distributors |
| 64 | Buster | $540,000 | 217 | $265,038 | 49.1% | 217 | Nov 23 | - | Hemdale |
| 65 | Full Moon in Blue Water | $450,726 | 56 | $212,963 | 47.2% | 56 | Nov 23 | Feb 2 | Trans World Entertainment (TWE) |
| 66 | Track 29 | $429,028 | 13 | $19,304 | 4.5% | 2 | Sep 9 | - | Island Pictures |
| 67 | Aloha Summer | $418,379 | 123 | $259,867 | 62.1% | 123 | Feb 26 | - | International Spectrafilm |
| 68 | Some Girls | $401,421 | 23 | $11,704 | 2.9% | 2 | Sep 9 | - | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) |
| 69 | The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years | $373,743 | 21 | $45,008 | 12% | 21 | Jun 3 | - | New Line Cinema |
| 70 | Gandahar | $370,698 | 7 | $48,665 | 13.1% | 7 | Jan 29 | - | Miramax |
| 71 | The Family | $346,730 | 1 | $10,590 | 3.1% | 1 | Jan 22 | - | Vestron Pictures |
| 72 | The Deceivers | $346,297 | 68 | $18,245 | 5.3% | 1 | Sep 2 | Oct 13 | Cinecom Pictures |
| 73 | Prison | $345,704 | 42 | $63,792 | 18.5% | 42 | May 6 | - | New World Pictures |
| 74 | Tapeheads | $343,786 | 138 | $133,330 | 38.8% | 138 | Oct 21 | - | Avenue Pictures Productions |
| 75 | Promised Land | $316,199 | 67 | $31,401 | 9.9% | 6 | Jan 22 | - | Vestron Pictures |
| 76 | The Chocolate War | $303,624 | 11 | $14,351 | 4.7% | 2 | Nov 18 | Feb 16 | Management Company Entertainment Group (MCEG) |
| 77 | Rent-a-Cop | $295,000 | 193 | $295,000 | 100% | 193 | Jan 15 | - | Kings Road Entertainment |
| 78 | Plain Clothes | $289,323 | 193 | $222,681 | 77% | 193 | Apr 15 | Apr 21 | Paramount Pictures |
| 79 | Judgment in Berlin | $229,556 | 81 | $113,743 | 49.5% | 81 | May 6 | - | New Line Cinema |
| 80 | Bellman and True | $226,944 | 8 | $21,428 | 9.4% | 4 | Apr 1 | - | Island Pictures |
| 81 | The Year My Voice Broke | $213,901 | 20 | $5,487 | 2.6% | 1 | Aug 25 | Nov 3 | Avenue Pictures Productions |
| 82 | Beatrice | $211,821 | 8 | $11,781 | 5.6% | 1 | Mar 18 | - | The Samuel Goldwyn Company |
| 83 | Mondo New York | $193,209 | 1 | $10,752 | 5.6% | 1 | Apr 22 | - | Fourth and Broadway |
| 84 | Miles from Home | $188,964 | 32 | $72,872 | 38.6% | 32 | Sep 16 | - | Cinecom Pictures |
| 85 | Rocket Gibraltar | $187,349 | 5 | $60,523 | 32.3% | 5 | Sep 2 | - | Columbia Pictures |
| 86 | Seven Hours to Judgment | $177,820 | 73 | $66,352 | 37.3% | 73 | Sep 16 | - | Trans World Entertainment (TWE) |
| 87 | My Best Friend Is a Vampire | $174,380 | 170 | $174,380 | 100% | 170 | May 6 | - | Kings Road Entertainment |
| 88 | Taffin | $159,969 | 204 | $107,303 | 67.1% | 204 | Feb 26 | - | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) |
| 89 | Distant Thunder | $156,188 | 31 | $82,186 | 52.6% | 31 | Nov 11 | Nov 24 | Paramount Pictures |
| 90 | Hanna's War | $139,796 | 35 | $60,986 | 43.6% | 35 | Nov 23 | Dec 15 | Cannon Film Distributors |
| 91 | The in Crowd | $136,567 | 37 | - | - | - | Feb 5 | - | Orion Pictures |
| 92 | Consuming Passions | $118,206 | 5 | $5,373 | 4.5% | 1 | Apr 6 | - | The Samuel Goldwyn Company |
| 93 | The Kitchen Toto | $101,807 | 4 | $15,481 | 15.2% | 4 | May 13 | - | Cannon Film Distributors |
| 94 | The Telephone | $99,978 | 50 | $54,811 | 54.8% | 50 | Jan 22 | - | New World Pictures |
| 95 | Amsterdamned | $98,003 | 5 | $14,819 | 15.1% | 5 | Nov 23 | Mar 2 | Vestron Pictures |
| 96 | Ghost Town | $75,000 | 8 | $10,478 | 14% | 8 | Nov 11 | - | Trans World Entertainment (TWE) |
| 97 | King Lear | $61,821 | 1 | $8,756 | 14.2% | 1 | Jan 22 | - | Cannon Film Distributors |
| 98 | A Killing Affair | $35,000 | 4 | $5,337 | 15.2% | 4 | Jul 15 | Jul 28 | Hemdale |
| 99 | The Lighthorsemen | $33,779 | 16 | $23,645 | 70% | 16 | Apr 8 | Apr 14 | Cinecom Pictures |
| 100 | We Think the World of You | $20,998 | 1 | $5,465 | 26% | 1 | Dec 22 | Jan 5 | Cinecom Pictures |
| 101 | Haunted Summer | $9,911 | 1 | $4,726 | 47.7% | 1 | Dec 16 | - | Cannon Film Distributors |
| 102 | The Prince of Pennsylvania | $5,415 | 1 | $3,174 | 58.6% | 1 | Sep 16 | - | New Line Cinema |
| 103 | When the Wind Blows | $5,274 | 1 | $3,597 | 68.2% | 1 | Mar 11 | Mar 17 | Kings Road Entertainment |
