1981 Movies
Take a nostalgic look back at the top movies of 1981, celebrating the films, directors and actors that defined the year and left a lasting legacy in the world of entertainment.
![On Golden Pond]( "On Golden Pond")
On Golden Pond
Directed by: Mark Rydell
Country: United States of America
Outline: Norman is a curmudgeon with an estranged relationship with his daughter Chelsea. At Golden Pond, he and his wife nevertheless agree to care for Billy, the son of Chelsea's new boyfriend, and a most unexpected relationship blooms.
source: imdb.com
![Chariots of Fire]( "Chariots of Fire")
Chariots of Fire
Written by: Colin Welland
Directed by: Hugh Hudson
Starring: Ben Cross, Ian Charleson, Nigel Havers, Alice Krige
Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Outline: Two British track athletes, one a determined Jew and the other a devout Christian, are driven to win in the 1924 Olympics as they wrestle with issues of pride and conscience.
source: imdb.com
![The Four Seasons]( "The Four Seasons")
The Four Seasons
Written by: Alan Alda
Directed by: Alan Alda
Starring: Alan Alda, Carol Burnett, Len Cariou, Rita Moreno
Country: United States of America
Outline: Witty character study of three couples who vacation together each season. After one divorces, feelings of betrayal and more spawn criticisms of one another, but things that unite them are stronger than those which might pull them apart.
source: imdb.com
![Time Bandits]( "Time Bandits")
Time Bandits
Written by: Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin
Directed by: Terry Gilliam
Starring: Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall, John Cleese, Michael Palin
Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Outline: A young boy joins a band of time-traveling dwarves as they hop from era to era looking for treasure to steal.
source: imdb.com
![Stripes]( "Stripes")
Stripes
Written by: Len Blum, Daniel Goldberg, Harold Ramis
Directed by: Ivan Reitman
Starring: Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, John Candy, John Larroquette
Country: United States of America
Outline: Two friends who are dissatisfied with their jobs decide to join the army for a bit of fun, only to find themselves in a situation that requires them to be more than just fun-loving soldiers.
source: imdb.com
![For Your Eyes Only]( "For Your Eyes Only")
For Your Eyes Only
Written by: Richard Maibaum, Michael G. Wilson
Directed by: John Glen
Starring: Roger Moore, Carole Bouquet, Chaim Topol, Lynn-Holly Johnson, Julian Glover
Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Outline: James Bond is assigned to retrieve a stolen missile command system before the Soviets can exploit it. Along the way, he becomes entangled with rival Greek smugglers and Melina Havelock, a woman seeking revenge for her parents' murder.
source: en.wikipedia.org
![The Cannonball Run]( "The Cannonball Run")
The Cannonball Run
Written by: Brock Yates
Directed by: Hal Needham
Starring: Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Dom DeLuise, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Farr, Terry Bradshaw, Mel Tillis, Jackie Chan, Michael Hui
Country: United States of America
Outline: A diverse group of racers participates in the Cannonball Run, an illegal cross-country road race from Connecticut to California, employing various vehicles and tactics to evade law enforcement.
source: en.wikipedia.org
![Das Boot]( "Das Boot")
Das Boot
Written by: Wolfgang Petersen, Lothar-Günther Buchheim, Johannes W. Betz
Directed by: Wolfgang Petersen
Starring: Jürgen Prochnow, Herbert Grönemeyer, Klaus Wennemann, Hubertus Bengsch, Erwin Leder
Country: Germany
Outline: A German U-Boat crew faces perilous conditions during World War II, highlighting the psychological and physical strains of submarine warfare.
source: imdb.com
![Pixote]( "Pixote")
Pixote
Written by: Héctor Babenco, Jorge Durán
Directed by: Héctor Babenco
Starring: Fernando Ramos da Silva, Jorge Julião, Gilberto Moura, Edilson Lino, Marília Pêra
Country: Brazil
Outline: A young boy, Pixote, escapes a juvenile detention center in Brazil and becomes entangled in a life of crime and survival on the streets.
source: imdb.com
![Chashme Buddoor]( "Chashme Buddoor")
Chashme Buddoor
Written by: Sai Paranjape
Directed by: Sai Paranjape
Starring: Farooq Shaikh, Deepti Naval, Rakesh Bedi, Ravi Baswani, Leela Mishra
Country: India
Outline: Three close friends in Delhi University fall in love with the same woman, leading to humorous and heartfelt situations as they navigate their relationships.
source: imdb.com
![Umrao Jaan]( "Umrao Jaan")
Umrao Jaan
Written by: Muzaffar Ali, Javed Siddiqui, Shama Zaidi
Directed by: Muzaffar Ali
Starring: Rekha, Farooq Shaikh, Naseeruddin Shah, Raj Babbar, Shaukat Kaifi
Country: India
Outline: Set in 19th-century Lucknow, the film follows the life of Amiran, a young woman abducted and trained as a courtesan, who becomes the renowned poet Umrao Jaan.
source: imdb.com
![My Dinner with Andre]( "My Dinner with Andre")
My Dinner with Andre
Written by: Wallace Shawn, André Gregory
Directed by: Louis Malle
Starring: André Gregory, Wallace Shawn
Country: United States of America
Outline: Two old friends meet for dinner; as one tells anecdotes detailing his experiences, the other notices their differing worldviews.
source: rottentomatoes.com
![The Aviator's Wife]( "The Aviator's Wife")
The Aviator's Wife
Written by: Éric Rohmer
Directed by: Éric Rohmer
Starring: Philippe Marlaud, Marie Rivière, Anne-Laure Meury, Mathieu Carrière, Philippe Caroit, Haydée Caillot, Mary Stephen, Rosette, Fabrice Luchini
Country: France
Outline: A young student becomes obsessed with his girlfriend's possible infidelity and enlists a 15-year-old girl to help him investigate. Their pursuit leads to unexpected revelations about love and trust.
source: imdb.com
![Prem Geet]( "Prem Geet")
Prem Geet
Written by: Shashi Bhushan, Prem Jalandhri
Directed by: Sudesh Issar
Starring: Raj Babbar, Anita Raj, Rajni Sharma, Sowcar Janki, Madan Puri, Shashi Ranjan, Komal Soni, Sajjan, Shammi, Raj Kishore, Viju Khote, Vandana Rane
Country: India
Outline: Akash, a medical student and renowned poet under the pen name Nishant, falls in love with Shikha, an orphaned dancer. Their relationship faces challenges due to familial expectations and Shikha's terminal illness.
source: imdb.com
![An American Werewolf in London]( "An American Werewolf in London")
An American Werewolf in London
Written by: John Landis
Directed by: John Landis
Starring: David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, Joe Belcher, Brian Glover, John Le Mesurier, Paul Kember, Lila Kaye, Don McKillop, Frank Finlay, Rick Mayall, John Le Mesurier, Paul Kember
Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Outline: Two American backpackers are attacked by a werewolf in the English countryside, leading to a series of terrifying events.
source: imdb.com
![Prince of the City]( "Prince of the City")
Prince of the City
Written by: Jay Presson Allen, Robert Daley
Directed by: Sidney Lumet
Starring: Treat Williams, Jerry Orbach, Bob Balaban, Lindsay Crouse, Allen Gelfant, Richard Foronjy, Tony DiBenedetto, Don Billett, John Rothman, John McMartin
Country: United States of America
Outline: A narcotics detective investigates the drug scene in New York City, leading to a series of revelations about corruption and betrayal.
source: imdb.com
![Christiane F.]( "Christiane F.")
Christiane F.
Written by: Uli Edel, Horst Königstein
Directed by: Uli Edel
Starring: Natja Brunckhorst, Eberhard Auriga, Thomas Haustein, Barbara Sukowa, Rainer Strecker, Christiane Paul, Jürgen Vogler, Hans Zischler, Michael Gwisdek, Jürgen Holtz, Gudrun Ritter, Gisela Trowe
Country: Germany
Outline: A young girl in West Berlin becomes involved in the city's drug scene, leading to a downward spiral of addiction and despair.
source: imdb.com
![The Professional]( "The Professional")
The Professional
Written by: Georges Lautner, Michel Audiard
Directed by: Georges Lautner
Starring: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Desailly, Jean Seberg, Jean-Pierre Marielle, Michel Beaune, Michel Duchaussoy, Michel Aumont, Michel Creton, Michel Fortin, Michel Galabru, Michel Lemoine, Michel Modo
Country: France
Outline: A French hitman is hired to eliminate a rival gangster, leading to a series of violent confrontations.
source: imdb.com
![Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior]( "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior")
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
Written by: George Miller, Terry Hayes
Directed by: George Miller
Starring: Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence, Michael Preston, Max Phipps, Vernon Wells, Kjell Nilsson, Emil Minty, Virginia Hey, William Zappa, Arkie Whiteley
Country: Australia
Outline: In a post-apocalyptic Australian wasteland, a cynical drifter agrees to help a small, gasoline-rich community get rid of a horde of bandits.
source: imdb.com
![Blood Wedding]( "Blood Wedding")
Blood Wedding
Written by: Carlos Saura, Antonio Gades, José Antonio Ruiz
Directed by: Carlos Saura
Starring: Antonio Gades, Cristina Hoyos, Laura del Sol, José Antonio Ruiz, Juan Antonio Jiménez, Juanjo Artero, José Manuel Álvarez, Juan Carlos Ruiz, José Luis González, José Antonio Ramos
Country: Spain
Outline: A flamenco dancer and a young woman are caught in a passionate love triangle that leads to tragedy.
source: imdb.com
![Ricomincio da tre]( "Ricomincio da tre")
Ricomincio da tre
Written by: Massimo Troisi
Directed by: Massimo Troisi
Starring: Massimo Troisi, Lello Arena, Marco Messeri
Country: Italy
Outline: A young man returns to his hometown in southern Italy after a failed marriage and tries to start a new life.
source: imdb.com
What happened in 1981?
Discover what the world looked like in 1981: