Weekend Box Office : Sales Surge but Lag Behind Last Year

“Basic Instinct,” “Wayne’s World” and “My Cousin Vinny” powered the box office to its highest level in weeks, but overall it still lags behind last year. “Basic Instinct” pushed “Wayne’s World” out of the first-place position after five weeks there. “Vinny,” starring Joe Pesci, showed staying power, while “Lawnmower Man” business dropped about 30%.

* Woody Allen’s “Shadows and Fog” and a multistar comedy, “Noises Off,” opened to so-so business.

Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “Basic Instinct” $15.1 1,567 1 (TriStar) $15.1 $9,655 2. “Wayne’s World” $7.7 1,878 6 (Paramount) $79 $4,083 3. “My Cousin Vinny” $7.2 1,500 2 (Fox) $17.4 $4,807 4. “Lawnmower Man” $3.68 1,308 3 (New Line) $21.1 $2,818 5. “Fried Green Tomatoes” $2.89 1,329 13 (Universal) $61.4 $2,180 6. “American Me” $2.26 826 2 (Universal) $6.9 $2,740 7. “Beauty and the Beast” $1.72 1,157 19 (Disney) $122.9 $1,470 8. “Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot” $1.65 1,432 5 (Universal) $22.5 $1,135 9. “Article 99” $1.56 1,263 2 (Orion) $4.8 $1,243 10. “Hand That Rocks the Cradle” $1.45 1,292 11 (Hollywood) $78.1 $1,127 * “Shadows and Fog” $1.1 288 1 (Orion) $1.1 $3,859

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.