1988 in film

The following is an overview of events in 1988 in film, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies and festivals, a list of films released and notable deaths. Rain Man was awarded the Academy Award for Best Picture, marking one of the few instances where the top-grossing film of the year was also the winner of such an award that year.

Highest-grossing films (U.S.)
See also: List of 1988 box office number-one films in the United States

The top ten 1988 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows:

Highest-grossing films of 1988[1]

Rank

Title

Studio

Domestic gross

1. Rain Man United Artists $172,825,435 2. Who Framed Roger Rabbit Touchstone Pictures / Amblin Entertainment $156,452,370 3. Coming to America Paramount Pictures $128,152,301 4. Big 20th Century Fox / Gracie Films $114,968,774 5. Twins Universal Pictures $111,938,388 6. "Crocodile" Dundee II Paramount Pictures $109,306,210 7. Die Hard 20th Century Fox / Silver Pictures $83,008,852 8. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! Paramount Pictures $78,756,177 9. Cocktail Touchstone Pictures $78,222,753 10. Beetlejuice Warner Bros. / Geffen Pictures $73,707,461

Awards
Years in film

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Academy Awards Best Picture: Rain Man - Mirage Entertainment, Star Partners II, United ArtistsBest Director: Barry Levinson - Rain ManBest Actor: Dustin Hoffman - Rain ManBest Actress: Jodie Foster - The AccusedBest Supporting Actor: Kevin Kline - A Fish Called WandaBest Supporting Actress: Geena Davis - The Accidental TouristBest Foreign Language Film: Pelle the Conqueror (Pelle erobreren), directed by Bille August, Denmark Golden Globe Awards

Drama Best Picture: Rain ManBest Actor: Dustin Hoffman – Rain ManBest Actress (tie): Jodie Foster – The AccusedBest Actress (tie): Sigourney Weaver – Gorillas in the MistBest Actress (tie): Shirley MacLaine - Madame Sousatzka Musical or comedy Best Picture: Working GirlBest Actor: Tom Hanks – BigBest Actress: Melanie Griffith – Working Girl Other Best Director: Clint Eastwood – BirdBest Foreign Language Film: Pelle the Conqueror, Denmark Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival) Pelle the Conqueror (Pelle erobreren), directed by Bille August, Denmark Golden Lion (Venice Film Festival) La leggenda del santo bevitore (The Legend of the Holy Drinker), directed by Ermanno Olmi, Italy / France Golden Bear (Berlin International Film Festival) Red Sorghum (Hong gao liang), directed by Zhang Yimou, China Golden Raspberry Awards Worst Picture: Cocktail (Touchstone)Worst Actor: Sylvester Stallone in Rambo IIIWorst Actress: Liza Minnelli in Arthur 2: On the Rocks and Rent-a-CopWorst Supporting Actor: Dan Aykroyd in Caddyshack IIWorst Supporting Actress: Kristy McNichol in Two Moon JunctionWorst Director: Blake Edwards for Sunset, and Stewart Raffill for Mac and Me (tie)Worst Screenplay: Cocktail, screenplay by Heywood Gould, based on his bookWorst New Star: Ronald McDonald (as himself) in Mac and MeWorst Original Song: "Jack Fresh" from Caddyshack II, written and performed by Full Force

Notable films released in 1988

 * 1) Sticky Fingers

Film debuts
Rajinikanth - Bloodstone Annette Bening - The Great Outdoors Matt Damon - Mystic Pizza Stacey Dash- Moving David Duchovny - Working Girl Cuba Gooding, Jr. - Coming to America Danielle Harris - Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers Neil Patrick Harris - Clara's Heart Bonnie Hunt - Rain Man Alyson Hannigan - My Stepmother Is an Alien David Hyde Pierce - Bright Lights, Big City Milla Jovovich - Two Moon Junction Jane Lynch - Vice Versa Jenifer Lewis - Beaches Juliette Lewis - My Stepmother Is an Alien Constance Marie - Salsa Dermot Mulroney - Sunset Bill Nunn - School Daze Alan Rickman - Die Hard Stephen Root - "Crocodile" Dundee II David Schwimmer - Biloxi Blues Steven Seagal - Above the Law Uma Thurman - Johnny Be Good Benicio del Toro - Big Top Pee-wee