Sneha Girap (Editor)

1981 in film

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
8
/
10
1
Votes
Alchetron
8
8
1 Ratings
100
90
81
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
Rate This

Rate This

Roar official re release trailer 1 2015 melanie griffith movie hd


The following is an overview of events in 1981 in film, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies and festivals, a list of films released and notable deaths.

Contents

Highest-grossing films (U.S.)

The top ten 1981 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows:

Events

  • January 19 – Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it.
  • November 29 – Off Santa Catalina Island, 43-year-old actress Natalie Wood drowns during a boating accident.
  • Kathleen Turner and Tom Cruise make their acting debuts.
  • June 12 – Raiders of the Lost Ark is released. It set a major standard for many action-adventure films to date.

    • Awards

    Academy Awards:

    Best Picture: Chariots of Fire – Enigma, The Ladd Company/Warner Bros.Best Director: Warren Beatty – RedsBest Actor: Henry Fonda – On Golden PondBest Actress: Katharine Hepburn – On Golden PondBest Supporting Actor: John Gielgud – ArthurBest Supporting Actress: Maureen Stapleton – RedsBest Foreign Language Film: Mephisto, directed by Istvan Szabo, Hungary

    Golden Globe Awards:

    Drama:Best Picture: On Golden PondBest Actor: Henry Fonda – On Golden PondBest Actress: Meryl Streep – The French Lieutenant's WomanMusical or comedy:Best Picture: ArthurBest Actor: Dudley Moore – ArthurBest Actress: Bernadette Peters – Pennies from HeavenOtherBest Director: Warren Beatty – RedsBest Foreign Film: Chariots of Fire, United Kingdom

    Golden Raspberry Awards:

    Worst Picture: Mommie DearestWorst Director: Michael Cimino – Heaven's GateWorst Actor: Klinton Spilsbury – The Legend of the Lone RangerWorst Actress: Bo Derek – Tarzan, the Ape Man; Faye Dunaway – Mommie DearestWorst Supporting Actor: Steve Forrest – Mommie DearestWorst Supporting Actress: Diana Scarwid – Mommie Dearest

    Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival):

    Man of Iron (Człowiek z żelaza), directed by Andrzej Wajda, Poland

    Golden Lion (Venice Film Festival):

    Marianne and Juliane (Die Bleierne Zeit), directed by Margarethe von Trotta, W. Germany

    Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival):

    Faster, Faster (Deprisa, deprisa / Vivre vite), directed by Carlos Saura, Spain / France

    Notable films released in 1981

    U.S.A. unless stated

    A

  • Absence of Malice, directed by Sydney Pollack, starring Paul Newman, Sally Field, Bob Balaban, Melinda Dillon
  • All Night Long, starring Barbra Streisand, Gene Hackman, Diane Ladd, Dennis Quaid
  • ...All the Marbles, starring Peter Falk, Vicki Frederick and Laurene Landon
  • The Amateur, starring John Savage, Christopher Plummer, Marthe Keller
  • American Pop, an animated rotoscope musical by Ralph Bakshi and starring Ron Thompson
  • An American Werewolf in London, directed by John Landis, starring David Naughton, Griffin Dunne, Jenny Agutter – (U.S.A./U.K.)
  • Amy, starring Jenny Agutter and Barry Newman
  • Arthur, starring Dudley Moore, Liza Minnelli, John Gielgud, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Stephen Elliott, Jill Eikenberry
  • The Aviator's Wife (La femme de l'aviateur), directed by Éric Rohmer – (France)

    • B

  • Back Roads, directed by Martin Ritt, starring Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones
  • Beau-père, directed by Bertrand Blier – (France)
  • Berlin Tunnel 21, starring Richard Thomas and Horst Buchholz
  • Die Berührte, directed by Helma Sanders-Brahms – (West Germany)
  • Betrayal (Løperjenten) – (Norway)
  • Bianco, rosso e Verdone – (Italy)
  • Blind Chance (Przypadek) – (Poland)
  • The Blood of Hussain – (Pakistan)
  • Blood Wedding (Bodas de sangre), directed by Carlos Saura – (Spain)
  • Blow Out, directed by Brian De Palma, starring John Travolta, Nancy Allen, Dennis Franz, John Lithgow
  • The Boat Is Full (Das Boot ist voll) – (Switzerland)
  • Body Heat, directed by Lawrence Kasdan, starring William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, Ted Danson, Richard Crenna, J. A. Preston, Mickey Rourke
  • Body and Soul, starring Jayne Kennedy, Leon Isaac Kennedy, Michael V. Gazzo
  • Das Boot (Released in the U.S. in 1982), directed by Wolfgang Petersen, starring Jürgen Prochnow – (West Germany)
  • Buriki no kunsho – (Japan)
  • Buddy Buddy, directed by Billy Wilder, starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau
  • The Burning, starring Brian Matthews – (U.S.A./Canada)
  • Bustin' Loose, starring Richard Pryor and Cicely Tyson

    • C

  • The Cannonball Run, directed by Hal Needham, starring Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett
  • Carbon Copy, starring George Segal and Denzel Washington
  • Cattle Annie and Little Britches, starring Burt Lancaster, Rod Steiger, John Savage, Diane Lane, Amanda Plummer
  • Caveman, directed by Carl Gottlieb, starring Ringo Starr, Dennis Quaid, Shelley Long
  • Chariots of Fire, directed by Hugh Hudson, starring Ben Cross, Ian Charleson, Nigel Havers – (U.K.)
  • Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen, starring Peter Ustinov, Lee Grant, Angie Dickinson
  • Charlotte – (Netherlands)
  • The Chosen, starring Robby Benson, Barry Miller, Maximilian Schell, Rod Steiger
  • Christiane F. – We Children from Bahnhof Zoo, directed by Uli Edel, starring Natja Brunckhorst – (West Germany)
  • Chu Chu and the Philly Flash, directed by David Lowell Rich, starring Carol Burnett and Alan Arkin
  • Circle of Deceit (Die Fälschung), directed by Volker Schlöndorff, starring Bruno Ganz, Hanna Schygulla and Jerzy Skolimowski – (West Germany)
  • Clash of the Titans, starring Harry Hamlin, Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith – (U.S.A./U.K.)
  • Condorman, starring Michael Crawford, Oliver Reed, Barbara Carrera – (U.K.)
  • Le confort et l'indifférence (Comfort and Indifference) – (Canada)
  • Continental Divide, starring John Belushi, Blair Brown, Allen Garfield
  • Coup de torchon, directed by Bertrand Tavernier, starring Philippe Noiret and Isabelle Huppert – (France)
  • Cutter's Way, starring Jeff Bridges, Lisa Eichhorn, John Heard

    • D

  • Dance Craze, concert documentary featuring Madness, The Beat, The Specials and others – (U.K.)
  • Dark Night of the Scarecrow
  • Dead & Buried, starring James Farentino
  • Deadly Blessing. starring Sharon Stone and Ernest Borgnine
  • Death Hunt, starring Charles Bronson, Lee Marvin, Andrew Stevens, Carl Weathers, Angie Dickinson
  • The Decline of Western Civilization, a documentary film
  • Deprisa, Deprisa (Hurry, Hurry!), directed by Carlos Saura – (Spain) – Golden Bear winner
  • The Devil and Max Devlin, starring Elliott Gould and Bill Cosby
  • Diva, directed by Jean-Jacques Beineix – (France)
  • Do You Remember Dolly Bell? (Sjecas li se Doli Bel?) – (Yugoslavia)
  • Dragonslayer, starring Peter MacNicol
  • Dreszcze (Shivers) – (Poland)

    • E

  • Eijanaika (Why Not?), directed by Shohei Imamura – (Japan)
  • Ek Duuje Ke Liye (Made for Each Other) – (India)
  • Endless Love, directed by Franco Zeffirelli, starring Brooke Shields and Martin Hewitt
  • The Entity, starring Barbara Hershey, Ron Silver, Margaret Blye
  • Escape from New York, directed by John Carpenter, starring Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Isaac Hayes, Adrienne Barbeau
  • Escape to Victory (aka Victory), directed by John Huston, starring Michael Caine, Sylvester Stallone, Max von Sydow, Pelé
  • The Evil Dead, directed by Sam Raimi, starring Bruce Campbell
  • Excalibur, directed by John Boorman, starring Nigel Terry, Helen Mirren, Nicol Williamson, Nicholas Clay, Liam Neeson – (U.K.)
  • An Eye for an Eye, starring Chuck Norris
  • Eye of the Needle, starring Donald Sutherland and Kate Nelligan – (U.K.)
  • Eyewitness, directed by Peter Yates, starring William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, Christopher Plummer, James Woods

    • F

  • The Fan, directed by Edward Bianchi, starring Lauren Bacall, James Garner, Maureen Stapleton and Michael Biehn
  • Fever (Gorączka), directed by Agnieszka Holland – (Poland)
  • First Monday in October, starring Walter Matthau and Jill Clayburgh
  • For Your Eyes Only, starring Roger Moore (as James Bond), with Carole Bouquet, Lynn-Holly Johnson – (U.K.)
  • Fort Apache, The Bronx, directed by Daniel Petrie, starring Paul Newman, Ed Asner, Ken Wahl
  • Four Friends, directed by Arthur Penn, starring Craig Wasson and Jodi Thelen
  • The Four Seasons, directed by and starring Alan Alda, with Carol Burnett, Rita Moreno, Sandy Dennis, Len Cariou, Jack Weston
  • The Fox and the Hound, with the voices of Mickey Rooney, Kurt Russell, Pearl Bailey
  • The French Lieutenant's Woman, directed by Karel Reisz, starring Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons – (U.K.)
  • Friday the 13th Part II, directed by Steve Miner, starring Amy Steel, John Furey and Adrienne King
  • Full Moon High, starring Adam Arkin
  • The Funhouse, directed by Tobe Hooper

    • G

  • Gallipoli, directed by Peter Weir, starring Mel Gibson – (Australia)
  • Gangster Wars, starring Michael Nouri, Joe Penny, Brian Benben, Madeleine Stowe
  • Garde à Vue, starring Romy Schneider and Michel Serrault – (France)
  • Gas, starring Susan Anspach, Sterling Hayden, Helen Shaver – (Canada)
  • Ghost Story, starring Fred Astaire, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Melvyn Douglas, John Houseman
  • The Girl with the Red Hair (Het meisje met het rode haar) – (Netherlands)
  • Going Ape!, starring Tony Danza, Stacey Nelkin, Jessica Walter, Danny DeVito
  • Goodbye Pork Pie – (New Zealand)
  • Graduation Day, starring Christopher George
  • The Great Muppet Caper, directed by Jim Henson – (U.S.A./U.K.)
  • Gregory's Girl, directed by Bill Forsyth – (U.K.)
  • Grendel Grendel Grendel, starring Peter Ustinov – (Australia)
  • Gulliver in Lilliput

    • H

  • Halloween II, directed by Rick Rosenthal, starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence
  • The Hand, directed by Oliver Stone, starring Michael Caine
  • Hands Up!, (Ręce do góry), directed by Jerzy Skolimowski – (Poland) – originally made in 1967 but withheld
  • Happy Birthday to Me, starring Melissa Sue Anderson and Glenn Ford – (Canada)
  • Hard Country, starring Jan-Michael Vincent and Kim Basinger
  • Hardly Working, directed by and starring Jerry Lewis
  • Harry's War, starring Edward Herrmann
  • Heartbeeps, directed by Allan Arkush, starring Andy Kaufman and Bernadette Peters
  • Heavy Metal, starring John Candy – (Canada)
  • Hell Night, starring Linda Blair
  • History of the World, Part I, directed by and starring Mel Brooks, with Gregory Hines, Dom DeLuise, Madeline Kahn, Cloris Leachman, Harvey Korman
  • Honky Tonk Freeway, starring William Devane, Beau Bridges, Teri Garr, Beverly D'Angelo, Howard Hesseman, Jessica Tandy
  • The Hound of the Baskervilles (Priklyucheniya Sherloka Kholmsa i doktora Vatsona: Sobaka Baskerviley) – (U.S.S.R.)
  • The Howling, directed by Joe Dante, starring Dee Wallace and Patrick Macnee

    • I-J

  • I Love You (Eu Te Amo), starring Sônia Braga – (Brazil)
  • The Incredible Shrinking Woman, starring Lily Tomlin and Charles Grodin
  • Inseminoid, starring Judy Geeson, Stephanie Beacham, Victoria Tennant – (U.K.)
  • The Inventor (Der Erfinder) – (Switzerland/West Germany)
  • Just Another Missing Kid, winner of Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature – (Canada)

    • K

  • Killing Heat (Gräset Sjunger), starring Karen Black – (Sweden/Zambia)
  • The Killing of Angel Street – (Australia)
  • Knightriders, starring Ed Harris
  • Kranti (Revolution), starring Dilip Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Shashi Kapoor – (India)

    • L

  • Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains, starring Diane Lane and Laura Dern
  • Lady Chatterley's Lover, starring Sylvia Kristel and Nicholas Clay
  • The Land of Hunger (Aakali Rajyam) – (India)
  • The Last Chase, starring Lee Majors
  • Lawaaris, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Zeenat Aman – (India)
  • The Legend of the Lone Ranger, starring Klinton Spilsbury, winner of a Golden Raspberry award for Worst Actor
  • Light Years Away (Les Années lumière), starring Trevor Howard – (France)
  • Lili Marleen, directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, starring Hanna Schygulla – (West Germany)
  • Lion of the Desert, starring Anthony Quinn – (Libya)
  • The Little Fox (Vuk) – (Hungary)
  • Lola, a German film directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, starring Barbara Sukowa and Armin Mueller-Stahl – (West Germany)
  • Looker, directed by Michael Crichton, starring Albert Finney, James Coburn, Susan Dey
  • Looks and Smiles, directed by Ken Loach – (U.K.)
  • The Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie
  • Loophole, starring Albert Finney and Martin Sheen

    • M

  • Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, starring Mel Gibson – (Australia)
  • Man of Iron (Człowiek z żelaza), directed by Andrzej Wajda – (Poland) – Palme d'Or winner
  • Mandala – (South Korea)
  • Marianne and Juliane (Die bleierne Zeit), directed by Margarethe von Trotta, starring Barbara Sukowa - Golden Lion winner – (West Germany)
  • Il Marchese del Grillo, directed by Mario Monicelli, starring Alberto Sordi – (Italy)
  • Masada, TV miniseries, starring Peter O'Toole, Peter Strauss, Barbara Carrera, David Warner
  • The Melody Haunts My Memory (Samo jednom se ljubi) – (Yugoslavia)
  • Mephisto, directed by István Szabó, starring Klaus Maria Brandauer – (Hungary/West Germany/Austria)
  • Il minestrone, starring Roberto Benigni – (Italy)
  • Modern Romance, directed by and starring Albert Brooks, with Kathryn Harrold and Bruno Kirby
  • Mommie Dearest, starring Faye Dunaway, Diana Scarwid, Steve Forrest – winner of five Golden Raspberry Awards including Worst Picture and Worst Actress (Dunaway)
  • Montenegro, starring Susan Anspach and Erland Josephson – (Sweden)
  • Ms. 45, directed by Abel Ferrara
  • Muzhiki! – (U.S.S.R.)
  • My Bloody Valentine – (Canada)
  • My Dinner with Andre, starring Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory
  • The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians (Tajemství hradu v Karpatech) – (Czechoslovakia)
  • The Mystery of the Third Planet (Tayna tretyey planety) – (U.S.S.R.)

    • N

  • Naseeb (Destiny), starring Amitabh Bachchan – (India)
  • National Heritage (Patrimonio nacional), directed by Luis García Berlanga – (Spain)
  • Neighbors, starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd
  • The Nesting, starring Bill Rowley, Gloria Grahame
  • Nice Dreams, a Cheech & Chong film
  • Nighthawks, starring Sylvester Stallone, Rutger Hauer, Billy Dee Williams
  • The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia, starring Kristy McNichol, Dennis Quaid, Mark Hamill
  • Nobody's Perfekt, starring Gabe Kaplan, Alex Karras, Robert Klein

    • O

  • The Oil, the Baby and the Transylvanians (Pruncul, petrolul şi ardelenii) – (Romania)
  • Omen III: The Final Conflict, starring Sam Neill, Rossano Brazzi – (U.S.A./U.K.)
  • On Golden Pond, directed by Mark Rydell, starring Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, Jane Fonda
  • On the Right Track, starring Gary Coleman
  • Only When I Laugh, starring Marsha Mason, Kristy McNichol, James Coco, Joan Hackett
  • Outland, directed by Peter Hyams, starring Sean Connery and Peter Boyle – (U.K.)

    • P

  • Passion of Love (Passione d'amore), directed by Ettore Scola – (Italy)
  • Paternity, directed by David Steinberg, starring Burt Reynolds and Beverly D'Angelo
  • La Pelle (The Skin), directed by Liliana Cavani, starring Marcello Mastroianni and Claudia Cardinale – (Italy)
  • Pennies from Heaven, starring Steve Martin, Bernadette Peters, Jessica Harper, Christopher Walken – based on the TV series by Dennis Potter
  • Pixote, directed by Héctor Babenco – (Brazil)
  • Polyester, directed by John Waters, starring Divine
  • Le Pont du Nord, directed by Jacques Rivette – (France)
  • Possession, starring Isabelle Adjani and Sam Neill – (France/West Germany)
  • The Postman Always Rings Twice, directed by Bob Rafelson, starring Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange
  • Priest of Love, starring Ian McKellen, Janet Suzman, Ava Gardner – (U.K.)
  • Prince of the City, directed by Sidney Lumet, starring Treat Williams and Jerry Orbach
  • Private Lessons, starring Sylvia Kristel, Howard Hesseman, Ed Begley, Jr.
  • The Prodigal Son (Bai ga jai), directed by and starring Sammo Hung – (Hong Kong)
  • The Pursuit of D. B. Cooper, starring Treat Williams, Robert Duvall, Kathryn Harrold

    • Q

  • Quartet, directed by James Ivory, starring Alan Bates, Maggie Smith, Isabelle Adjani – (U.K.)
  • Quest for Fire (aka La Guerre du feu), directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud – (Canada/France/U.S.A.)

    • R

  • Race for the Yankee Zephyr, starring Ken Wahl, Lesley Ann Warren, George Peppard – (New Zealand)
  • Raggedy Man, starring Sam Shepard and Sissy Spacek
  • Ragtime, directed by Miloš Forman, starring James Cagney, Howard E. Rollins, Jr., Elizabeth McGovern, Mandy Patinkin, Mary Steenburgen, Brad Dourif
  • Raiders of the Lost Ark, directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Harrison Ford and Karen Allen
  • Reds, directed by and starring Warren Beatty, with Diane Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Maureen Stapleton, Gene Hackman, Paul Sorvino
  • Rich and Famous, directed by George Cukor, starring Jacqueline Bisset and Candice Bergen
  • Ritam zločina – (Yugoslavia)
  • Roadgames, directed by Richard Franklin, starring Stacy Keach and Jamie Lee Curtis – (Australia)
  • Rollover, directed by Alan J. Pakula, starring Jane Fonda and Kris Kristofferson
  • Ruckus, starring Dirk Benedict, Linda Blair, Richard Farnsworth

    • S

  • S.O.B., directed by Blake Edwards, starring Julie Andrews, William Holden, Robert Preston, Richard Mulligan
  • The Salamander, starring Anthony Quinn, Franco Nero, Eli Wallach, Claudia Cardinale
  • Saturday the 14th, starring Paula Prentiss and Richard Benjamin
  • Scanners, directed by David Cronenberg – (Canada)
  • Sharky's Machine, directed by and starring Burt Reynolds, with Rachel Ward, Henry Silva, Vittorio Gassman, Charles Durning, Earl Holliman
  • Shaukeen, starring Ashok Kumar – (India)
  • Shikake-nin Baian – (Japan)
  • Shock Treatment, starring Jessica Harper and Cliff DeYoung
  • Short Working Day, directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski – (Poland)
  • Shaolin and Wu Tang (Shao Lin yu Wu Dang), Directed by Liu Chia-Hui, starring Adam Cheng, Gordon Liu and Wang Lung-wei – (Hong Kong)
  • The Simple-Minded Murderer (Den Enfaldige Mördaren), starring Stellan Skarsgård – (Sweden)
  • The Sixth (Shestoy) – (U.S.S.R.)
  • Smash Palace, directed by Roger Donaldson – (New Zealand)
  • Sogni d'oro (Golden Dreams), directed by and starring Nanni Moretti – (Italy)
  • Southern Comfort, directed by Walter Hill, starring Keith Carradine, Powers Boothe and Fred Ward
  • Sphinx, starring Lesley-Anne Down and Frank Langella
  • Station (Eki Station) – (Japan)
  • Strange Affair (Une étrange affaire), starring Michel Piccoli – (France)
  • Strange Behavior, starring Michael Murphy and Louise Fletcher – (New Zealand)
  • Stripes, directed by Ivan Reitman, starring Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Warren Oates, John Larroquette, John Candy
  • Student Bodies
  • Suddenly at Midnight (Gipeun bam, gapjagi) – (South Korea)

    • T

  • Take This Job and Shove It, starring Robert Hays, Barbara Hershey, Art Carney
  • Tales of Ordinary Madness (Storie di ordinaria follia), starring Ben Gazzara and Ornella Muti – (Italy/France)
  • Taps, directed by Harold Becker, starring Timothy Hutton, George C. Scott, Ronny Cox, Sean Penn, Tom Cruise
  • Tarzan, the Ape Man, starring Bo Derek and Richard Harris
  • Tattoo, starring Bruce Dern and Maud Adams
  • Taxi zum Klo (Taxi to the Toilet) – (West Germany)
  • Teheran 43, starring Alain Delon – (U.S.S.R./France/Switzerland)
  • The Bushido Blade
  • They All Laughed, directed by Peter Bogdanovich, starring Audrey Hepburn and Ben Gazzara
  • They Don't Wear Black Tie (Eles Não Usam Black-Tie) – (Brazil)
  • Thief aka Violent Streets, directed by Michael Mann, starring James Caan, Tuesday Weld, James Belushi, Robert Prosky
  • This Is Elvis, a documentary
  • Three Brothers (Tre fratelli), directed by Francesco Rosi – (Italy)
  • Threshold, directed by Richard Pearce, starring Donald Sutherland, Jeff Goldblum, Mare Winningham – (Canada)
  • Ticket to Heaven, starring Nick Mancuso, Saul Rubinek, Meg Foster – (Canada)
  • Time Bandits, directed by Terry Gilliam, starring John Cleese, Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall – (U.K.)
  • Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man (La tragedia di un uomo ridicolo), directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, starring Ugo Tognazzi and Anouk Aimée – (Italy)
  • Tree of Knowledge (Kundskabens træ) – (Denmark)
  • True Confessions, directed by Ulu Grosbard, starring Robert De Niro, Robert Duvall, Charles Durning, Burgess Meredith, Kenneth McMillan
  • The True Story of Ah Q (Ā Q zhèng zhuàn) – (China)
  • Tuck Everlasting

    • U-V

  • Under the Rainbow, starring Chevy Chase, Carrie Fisher and Billy Barty
  • Les Uns et les Autres, directed by Claude Lelouch – (France)
  • Útlaginn (Outlaw: The Saga of Gisli) – (Iceland)
  • Variola Vera – (Yugoslavia)
  • Vernon, Florida, a documentary

    • W

  • Whose Life Is It Anyway?, directed by John Badham, starring Richard Dreyfuss, Bob Balaban, Christine Lahti, John Cassavetes
  • Will, starring Robert Conrad
  • Wolfen, starring Albert Finney, Diane Venora and Gregory Hines
  • The Woman Next Door (La Femme d'à côté), directed by François Truffaut, starring Gérard Depardieu and Fanny Ardant – (France)
  • Woman Who Exposes Herself (Misetagaru onna) – (Japan)

    • Z

  • Zoot Suit, starring Edward James Olmos
  • Zorro, The Gay Blade, starring George Hamilton, Lauren Hutton, Brenda Vaccaro, Ron Leibman

    • January–March

  • January 1981
  • January 7
  • Scream
  • January 14
  • Scanners
  • January 28
  • Blood Beach
  • January 30
  • Earthbound
  • The Incredible Shrinking Woman
  • February 1981
  • February 1
  • Blood Beach
  • February 11
  • Sphinx
  • February 13
  • American Pop
  • Eyewitness
  • March 1981
  • March 6
  • All Night Long
  • The Devil and Max Devlin
  • Maniac
  • On the Right Track
  • March 13
  • Back Roads
  • The Funhouse
  • Modern Romance
  • March 20
  • Amy
  • Omen III: The Final Conflict
  • The Postman Always Rings Twice
  • March 27
  • Eyes of a Stranger
  • Thief

    • April–June

  • April 1981
  • April 3
  • Hardly Working
  • April 4
  • This Is Elvis
  • Nighthawks
  • April 10
  • Excalibur
  • Going Ape!
  • The Howling
  • Knightriders
  • April 17
  • Caveman
  • April 24
  • Cattle Annie and Little Britches
  • The Hand
  • Ms. 45
  • Night School
  • Take This Job and Shove It
  • April 28
  • Bloody Birthday
  • May 1981
  • May 1
  • Friday the 13th Part 2
  • Graduation Day
  • King of the Mountain
  • May 3
  • Image of the Beast
  • May 8
  • The Burning
  • May 15
  • The Fan
  • May 22
  • Bustin' Loose
  • The Four Seasons
  • The Legend of the Lone Ranger
  • May 29
  • Dead & Buried
  • Polyester
  • The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia
  • June 1981
  • June 5
  • Cheech & Chong's Nice Dreams
  • Final Exam
  • Tuck Everlasting
  • June 12
  • Clash of the Titans
  • History of the World, Part I
  • Raiders of the Lost Ark
  • June 19
  • The Cannonball Run
  • Superman II
  • June 26
  • For Your Eyes Only
  • The Great Muppet Caper
  • Stripes

    • July–September

  • July 1981
  • July 1
  • S.O.B.
  • July 10
  • Escape from New York
  • The Fox and the Hound
  • July 17
  • Arthur
  • Endless Love
  • Zorro, The Gay Blade
  • July 24
  • Blow Out
  • Wolfen
  • July 31
  • Under the Rainbow
  • August 1981
  • August 7
  • Heavy Metal
  • Student Bodies
  • August 14
  • Deadly Blessing
  • An Eye for an Eye
  • They All Laughed
  • August 21
  • An American Werewolf in London
  • First Monday in October
  • Prince of the City
  • August 28
  • Body Heat
  • Chu Chu and the Philly Flash
  • Hell Night
  • Private Lessons
  • September 1981
  • September 18
  • Continental Divide
  • Mommie Dearest
  • Raggedy Man
  • September 23
  • Only When I Laugh
  • Rich and Famous
  • September 25
  • The Boogens
  • Carbon Copy
  • So Fine

    • October–December

  • October 1981
  • Galaxy of Terror
  • October 2
  • Enter the Ninja
  • Paternity
  • October 9
  • Full Moon High
  • Tattoo
  • October 11
  • My Dinner with Andre
  • October 14
  • Just Before Dawn
  • October 16
  • All the Marbles
  • October 23
  • Nightmare
  • October 30
  • Looker
  • Halloween II
  • November 1981
  • November 6
  • The Prowler
  • Fantasies
  • Time Bandits
  • November 13
  • The Pursuit of D. B. Cooper
  • November 20
  • The Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie
  • December 1981
  • December 4
  • On Golden Pond
  • Reds
  • December 11
  • Buddy Buddy
  • Dawn of the Mummy
  • Four Friends
  • Rollover
  • December 18
  • Absence of Malice
  • Ghost Story
  • Neighbors
  • Sharky's Machine
  • December 20
  • Taps
  • December 25
  • Modern Problems

    • Births

  • January 6 – Jérémie Renier, Belgian actor
  • January 8 – Genevieve Cortese, American actress
  • January 21 – Izabella Miko, Polish actress and dancer
  • January 22 – Beverley Mitchell, American actress
  • January 28 – Elijah Wood, American actor
  • January 31 – Justin Timberlake, American singer and actor
  • February 9 – Tom Hiddleston, English actor
  • February 11 – Kelly Rowland, American singer and actress
  • February 12 - Lauri Lagle, Estonian actor, director and screenwriter
  • February 17 – Joseph Gordon-Levitt, American actor
  • February 19 – Beth Ditto, American singer-songwriter
  • February 23 – Josh Gad, American actor and comedian
  • March 2 – Bryce Dallas Howard, American actress
  • March 6 – Ellen Muth, American actress
  • March 11 – David Anders, American actor
  • March 28 – Julia Stiles, American actress
  • April 10
  • Laura Bell Bundy, American actress
  • Michael Pitt, American actor
  • April 13 – Courtney Peldon, American actress
  • April 19
  • Hayden Christensen, Canadian actor
  • Catalina Sandino Moreno, Colombian actress
  • April 28 – Jessica Alba, American actress
  • May 5
  • Danielle Fishel, American actress
  • Farid Kamil, Malaysian actor and film director
  • May 11 – Austin O'Brien, American actor
  • May 12 – Rami Malek, American actor
  • May 15 – Jamie-Lynn Sigler, American actress
  • May 28 – Laura Bailey, American voice actress
  • June 1 – Amy Schumer, American actress and comedian
  • June 7 – Larisa Oleynik, American actress
  • June 9 – Natalie Portman, Israeli-American actress
  • June 10 – Jonathan Bennett, American actor
  • June 13 – Chris Evans, American actor
  • June 14 – Chauncey Leopardi, American actor
  • June 20 – Alisan Porter, former American actress
  • July 24 – Summer Glau, American actress
  • July 30 – Lisa Wilhoit, American actress
  • August 1 – Taylor Fry, former American child actress
  • August 3 – Travis Willingham, American voice actor
  • August 4
  • Marques Houston, American singer and actor
  • Meghan Markle, American actress and model
  • Abigail Spencer, American actress
  • August 8 – Meagan Good, American actress
  • August 20 – Ben Barnes, English actor
  • August 24 – Chad Michael Murray, American actor
  • August 25 – Rachel Bilson, American actress
  • August 27 – Patrick J. Adams, Canadian actor
  • September 4 – Beyoncé Knowles, American singer and actress
  • September 6 - Natalie Portman, American-Israeli actress
  • September 8 – Jonathan Taylor Thomas, American actor
  • September 12 – Jennifer Hudson, American singer and actress
  • September 16 – Alexis Bledel, American actress
  • September 23 – Misti Traya, American actress
  • September 26 – Christina Milian, American singer and actress
  • September 29 – Shay Astar, American singer and actress
  • September 30 – Ashleigh Aston Moore, former Canadian child actress (d. 2007)
  • October 1 – Rupert Friend, English actor
  • October 3 – Seth Gabel, American actor
  • October 9 – Zachery Ty Bryan, American actor
  • October 12 – Tom Guiry, American actor
  • October 22 – Michael Fishman, American actor
  • November 9 – Scottie Thompson, American actress
  • November 16 – Caitlin Glass, American voice actress
  • November 18 – Nasim Pedrad, Iranian-American actress and comedian
  • November 20 – Andrea Riseborough, English actress
  • December 2 – Britney Spears, American singer and actress
  • December 3 – Liza Lapira, American actress
  • December 13 – Amy Lee, American singer-songwriter (Evanescence)
  • December 16 – Krysten Ritter, American actress
  • December 18 – Josh Dallas, American actor
  • December 27 – Emilie de Ravin, Australian actress
  • December 28 – Sienna Miller, English actress

    • Film debuts

  • Ben Affleck – The Dark End of the Street
  • Jason Alexander – The Burning
  • Kim Basinger – Hard Country
  • Bart the Bear – Windwalker
  • James Belushi – Thief
  • Gabriel Byrne – Excalibur
  • James Cameron – Piranha II: The Spawning
  • Kevin Costner – Malibu Hot Summer
  • Tom Cruise – Endless Love
  • Jeff Daniels – Ragtime
  • Rebecca De Mornay - One from the Heart
  • Dennis Farina – Thief
  • Jami Gertz – Endless Love
  • Bob Gunton – Rollover
  • Glenne Headly – Four Friends
  • Holly Hunter – The Burning
  • Ciarán Hinds – Excalibur
  • Peter MacNicol – Dragonslayer
  • Alfred Molina – Raiders of the Lost Ark
  • Bill Nighy - Eye of the Needle
  • Chris Noth - Waitress!
  • Demi Moore – Choices
  • Sean Penn – Taps
  • Martha Plimpton – Rollover
  • Amanda Plummer – Cattle Annie and Little Britches
  • Geoffrey Rush – Hoodwink
  • Meg Ryan – Rich and Famous
  • Madeleine Stowe – Gangster Wars
  • Henry Thomas – Raggedy Man
  • Kathleen Turner – Body Heat

    • References

    1981 in film Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


    Similar Topics