WEEKEND BOX OFFICE : The Unsinkable ‘Red October’

For the second weekend in a row, the Cold War was hot at the box office. “The Hunt for Red October” racked up $14 million in ticket sales. The thriller has grossed $38 million in two weeks. “Joe Versus the Volcano,” Warner Bros.’ quirky romantic comedy starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, had ticket sales of $9.2 million. And New Line’s “House Comedy,” a low-budget comedy about black teen-agers cutting loose for a night, cut loose at the box office--with ticket sales of $4.6 million--and a per-screen average that bested the big budgeted, big star “Joe.”

* Orion’s “The Last of the Finest,” a cop picture starring Brian Dennehy, had ticket sales of $551,876 on 424 screens, for a dismal per-screen average of $1,301.

Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1.”The Hunt for Red October” $14 1,665 2 (Paramount) $37.6 $8,444 2.”Joe Versus the Volcano” $9.2 1,802 1 (Warner Bros.) $9.2 $5,134 3.”House Party” $4.6 520 1 (New Line) $4.6 $8,867 4.”Bad Influence” $3.8 1,297 1 (Epic/Triumph) $3.8 $2,946 5.”Driving Miss Daisy” $3.4 1,432 13 (Warner Bros.) $65.3 $2,421 *”The Last of the Finest” $551,876 424 1 (Orion) $551,876 $1,301

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.