Best Movies of 1981
This page is updated regularly. Subscribe, so you don't miss new recommendations. The list of "Best Movies of 1981" contains films with the following parameters. Style: eighties, talky, cult classic, suspense, serious and intense. Plot: dialogue, mentor, storytelling, runaway, catastrophe, chase, suprisingly clever, death, brutality and violence. Genre: Drama, Adventure and Action. Country: USA, UK and Australia.
Best Movies of 1981
TOP Movies: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), The Evil Dead (1981), An American Werewolf in London (1981), The Fox and the Hound (1981), Halloween II (1981), For Your Eyes Only (1981), Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981), Taps (1981), Das Boot - The Director's Cut (1981), Chariots of Fire (1981), Outland (1981), On Golden Pond (1981), Death Hunt (1981), Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981), Reds (1981), The Final Conflict (1981), Arthur (1981), Condorman (1981), Stripes (1981), Thief (1981).
List of Best Movies
Genre: Action, Adventure
Country: USA
Duration: 115 min.
Story:
When Dr. Indiana Jones – the tweed-suited professor who just happens to be a celebrated archaeologist – is hired by the government to locate the legendary Ark of the Covenant, he finds himself up against the entire Nazi regime.
Style:
exciting, breathtaking, perverse, epic, saga ...
Audience:
kids, family outing, date night, family friendly, manly ...
Plot:
treasure hunt, indiana jones, archaeologist, treasure, adventurer, archaeology, artifact, nazi, desert, chase, escapades, jungle ...
Time:
1930s, 20th century, year 1936, 90s, year 1981
Place:
egypt, africa, nepal, south america, himalaya ...
Is relevant?
249K
Genre: Horror
Country: USA
Duration: 85 min.
Story:
When a group of college students finds a mysterious book and recording in the old wilderness cabin they've rented for the weekend, they unwittingly unleash a demonic force from the surrounding forest.
Style:
bloody, splatter, demonic, scary, psychotronic ...
Audience:
boys' night, teens, manly, date night, adult
Plot:
gory, zombie, evil dead, demonic possession, supernatural horror, nightmare, demon, monster, extreme violence, violence, sexualized violence, evil ...
Time:
80s, year 1981, 20th century, 70s
Place:
usa, michigan, tennessee, north america
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 97 min.
Story:
Two American tourists in England are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists.
Style:
suspense, black comedy, gothic, horror comedy, cult classic ...
Audience:
teens, adult
Plot:
werewolf, monster, nightmare, transformation, supernatural, full moon, violence, monster as victim, gory, wolf, ghost, hospital ...
Time:
80s, year 1981, 20th century
Place:
england, london, europe, united kingdom, northern england ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 83 min.
Story:
When a feisty little fox named Tod is adopted into a farm family, he quickly becomes friends with a fun and adorable hound puppy named Copper. Life is full of hilarious adventures until Copper is expected to take on his role as a hunting dog -- and ...
Style:
touching, emotional, tear jerker, sentimental, sad ...
Audience:
kids, family outing, family friendly, pre-teens, girls' night ...
Plot:
dog, friendship, chase, reconciliation, childhood, animal life, hunting, fox, rescue, love, friends, unlikely couple ...
Time:
80s, 20th century, 60s
Place:
canada
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
111K
Genre: Horror
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min.
Story:
After failing to kill stubborn survivor Laurie and taking a bullet or six from former psychiatrist Dr. Sam Loomis, Michael Myers has followed Laurie to the Haddonfield Memorial Hospital, where she's been admitted for Myers' attempt on her ...
Style:
slasher, bloody, medical horror, perverse, grindhouse ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
serial killer, hospital, halloween, murder, holiday horror, masked killer, masked villain, stalking, killer, masked man, psycho killer, voyeur ...
Time:
year 1978, 70s, 20th century, 80s
Place:
illinois, midwest, chicago, usa
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 127 min.
Story:
A British spy ship has sunk and on board was a hi-tech encryption device. James Bond is sent to find the device that holds British launching instructions before the enemy Soviets get to it first.
Style:
sexy, exciting, serious, tense, saga ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
007, james bond, secret agent, espionage, cold war, british secret service, secret service, car chase, undercover, top secret, vengeance, spy thriller ...
Time:
80s, 20th century, future
Place:
greece, albania, england, europe, london ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Australia
Duration: 96 min.
Story:
Max Rockatansky returns as the heroic loner who drives the dusty roads of a postapocalyptic Australian Outback in an unending search for gasoline. Arrayed against him and the other scraggly defendants of a fuel-depot encampment are the bizarre ...
Style:
apocalyptic, road movie, perverse, futuristic, action packed ...
Audience:
boys' night, date night
Plot:
dystopia, post apocalypse, apocalypse, truck, desert, loner, car chase, planet, chase, post apocalyptic, post-apocalyptic future, oil ...
Time:
future, 20th century, distant future, year 1982, near future ...
Place:
australia, oceania, middle east
Is relevant?
22K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 126 min.
Story:
Military cadets take extreme measures to insure the future of their academy when its existence is threatened by local condo developers.
Style:
inspirational, realistic, cult classic, epic, serious ...
Audience:
teens, girls' night, kids, teen drama
Plot:
military school, military academy, military training, military, coming of age, last stand, student, politics, school shooting, fighting the system, cadet, brat pack ...
Time:
80s, future
Place:
philadelphia
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Drama, War
Country: West Germany
Duration: 149 min.
Story:
A German submarine hunts allied ships during the Second World War, but it soon becomes the hunted. The crew tries to survive below the surface, while stretching both the boat and themselves to their limits.
Style:
epic, suspense, atmospheric, realistic, factual ...
Plot:
submarine, world war two, naval battle, navy, military, ocean, war, nazi, survival, sea, courage, ship captain ...
Time:
year 1941, 20th century, 1940s, year 1942, year 1981
Place:
germany, atlantic ocean, mediterranean sea
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport
Country: UK
Duration: 125 min.
Story:
The true story of British athletes preparing for and competing in the 1924 Summer Olympics.
Style:
inspirational, period piece, historical drama, costume drama, christian film ...
Audience:
family outing, teens, date night, kids
Plot:
christian, prejudice, athlete, integrity, olympics, faith, missionary, runner, religion, racing, catholic, friendship ...
Time:
1920s, 20th century, 1910s, post world war one, year 1978 ...
Place:
scotland, england, israel, paris france, france ...
Is relevant?
35K
Genre: Action, Crime, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Western
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 109 min.
Story:
Thriller about an honest marshal in a corrupt mining colony on Io, Jupiter's sunless third moon, who is determined to confront a violent drug ring even though it may cost him his life. After his wife angrily deserts him, he waits alone for the ...
Style:
atmospheric, suspenseful, futuristic, visually stunning, serious ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
corruption, mining, jupiter the planet, spacesuit, alien, space opera, outer space, attempted murder, tough guy, courage, marital separation, video surveillance ...
Time:
future, year 1981, distant future
Place:
space western
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 109 min.
Story:
For Norman and Ethel Thayer, this summer on golden pond is filled with conflict and resolution. When their daughter Chelsea arrives, the family is forced to renew the bonds of love and overcome the generational friction that has existed for years. ...
Style:
inspirational, sentimental, realistic, witty, touching ...
Audience:
family outing, girls' night
Plot:
elderly, family relations, love story, daughter, family holiday, passion, marriage, summer, alienation, husband and wife, lake, couples ...
Time:
80s, 20th century
Place:
new england, new hampshire, maine
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime, Thriller, Western
Country: Hong Kong, USA
Duration: 97 min.
Story:
Canada 1931: The unsociable trapper Johnson lives for himself in the ice-cold mountains near the Yukon river. During a visit in the town he witnesses a dog-fight. He interrupts the game and buys one of the dogs - almost dead already - for $200 ...
Style:
cult classic, visually stunning, exciting, realistic, serious ...
Audience:
manly, boys' night
Plot:
wilderness, survival, manhunt, winter, mountain, bounty hunter, treasure hunt, wilderness survival, nature, disaster, serial killer, tough guy ...
Time:
20th century, 1930s, year 1931, year 1981
Place:
canada, yukon, alaska, louisiana
Is relevant?
Genre: Horror
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min.
Story:
Bubba, an intellectually disabled man, is falsely accused of attacking a young girl. Disguised as a scarecrow, he hides in a cornfield, only to be hunted down and shot by four vigilante men. After they are acquitted due to lack of evidence, the men ...
Style:
slasher, tense, suspenseful, serious, spooky ...
Audience:
horror for children
Plot:
scarecrow, halloween, murder, lynch mob, killer scarecrow, injustice, vengeance, halloween party, getting away with murder, supernatural, false accusation, mentally challenged ...
Time:
80s
Is relevant?
27K
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 195 min.
Story:
A radical American journalist becomes involved with the Communist revolution in Russia and hopes to bring its spirit and idealism to the United States.
Style:
epic, political, breathtaking, philosophical, sentimental ...
Plot:
politics, communism, journalism, russian revolution, revolutionary, biopic, writers, love story, reporter, infidelity, cold war, train ...
Time:
1920s, 1910s, year 1917, year 1981, 20th century ...
Place:
russia, soviet union, st. petersburg russia, new york, usa ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Horror
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 108 min.
Story:
Damien Thorn (Sam Neill) has helped rescue the world from a recession, appearing to be a benign corporate benefactor. When he then becomes U.S. Ambassador to England, Damien fulfills a terrifying biblical prophecy. He also faces his own potential ...
Style:
satanic, demonic, religious horror, gothic, suspense ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
antichrist, devil, black magic, supernatural, satan, religion, gory, genocide, 666, rottweiler, villain played by lead actor, demon ...
Time:
80s, 20th century
Place:
scotland, britain, cornwall, chicago, england ...
Is relevant?
33K
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min.
Story:
Arthur is the most quotable drunk millionaire that is likely to ever steal your heart. Dudley Moore portrays Arthur, a thirty year old child who will inherit 750 million dollars if he complies with his family's demands and marries the woman of ...
Style:
funny, clever, romantic comedy, slapstick, hilarious ...
Audience:
kids, date night
Plot:
love, true love, butler, addiction, culture clash, screwball, servant, fall in love, bittersweet, drunk, grief, death ...
Time:
80s, 20th century
Place:
new york, usa, california
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family, Romance
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 90 min.
Story:
Comic artist and writer Woody performs a simple courier operation for his friend Harry who works for the CIA. But when he successfully fends off hostile agents, he earns the respect of the beautiful Natalia, who requests his assistance for her ...
Style:
spoof, humorous, cult classic, semi serious, exciting ...
Audience:
kids, teens, family outing, boys' night
Plot:
espionage, spy, car chase, cold war, comic book, chase, superhero, villain, cartoonist, spying, american football, mission ...
Time:
80s, year 1981
Place:
former yugoslavia, los angeles, russia, switzerland, italy ...
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
85K
Genre: Comedy, War
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min.
Story:
John Winger, an indolent sad sack in his 30s, impulsively joins the U.S. Army after losing his job, his girlfriend and his apartment.
Style:
cult classic, humorous, intense, not serious, hilarious ...
Audience:
teens, adult
Plot:
friendship, basic training, boot camp, cold war, soldier, u.s. army, slacker, satire, military, rescue mission, dumped by girlfriend, u.s. military ...
Time:
80s, 20th century, 70s
Place:
milan italy, czechoslovakia, italy, kentucky, west germany ...
Is relevant?
48K
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 123 min.
Story:
Frank is an expert professional safecracker, specialized in high-profile diamond heists. He plans to use his ill-gotten income to retire from crime and build a nice life for himself complete with a home, wife and kids. To accelerate the process, he ...
Style:
neo noir, noir, retro, cult classic, perverse ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
safecracker, bank robbery, robbery, mafia, organized crime, character study, heist, criminal, bank robber, great ending, violence, betrayal ...
Time:
80s, year 1981, 20th century, 70s
Place:
chicago, usa, illinois, los angeles, new jersey
Is relevant?
75K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 108 min.
Story:
Jack Terry is a master sound recordist who works on grade-B horror movies. Late one evening, he is recording sounds for use in his movies when he hears something unexpected through his sound equipment and records it. Curiosity gets the better of him ...
Style:
neo noir, political thriller, suspenseful, suspense, disturbing ...
Plot:
conspiracy, political conspiracy, serial killer, murder mystery, murder, investigation, politics, conspiracy theory, assassination, witnessing a crime, amateur detective, damsel in distress ...
Time:
80s, 20th century, year 1981
Place:
philadelphia, pennsylvania, california
Is relevant?
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: UK
Duration: 110 min.
Story:
Young history buff Kevin can scarcely believe it when six dwarfs emerge from his closet one night. Former employees of the Supreme Being, they've purloined a map charting all of the holes in the fabric of time and are using it to steal ...
Style:
humorous, surreal, light, visually stunning, absurd ...
Audience:
kids, pre-teens, date night, family outing, horror for children
Plot:
time travel, childhood, treasure, children, time portal, map, good versus evil, ogre, parallel universe, time, dwarf, burglary ...
Time:
regency period, 80s, year 1981
Place:
london, arizona, europe, england, ancient greece
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 110 min.
Story:
Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory, apparently playing themselves, share their lives over the course of an evening meal at a restaurant.
Style:
philosophical, surreal, clever, existential, artsy ...
Plot:
philosophy, conversation, food, dialogue, restaurant, existentialism, art, cooking, dinner, realism, transcendence, occult ...
Time:
80s, 20th century, year 1980, year 1981
Place:
new york, poland, sahara, middle east, manhattan new york city ...
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
67K
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Canada
Duration: 103 min.
Story:
Darryl Revok is the most powerful of all the scanners, and is the head of the underground scanner movement for world domination. Scanners have great psychic power, strong enough to control minds; they can inflict enormous pain/damage on their ...
Style:
bloody, tense, cerebral, cult classic, cult horror ...
Plot:
body horror, exploitation, psychic power, conspiracy, investigation, scientist, murder, supernatural ability, social misfits, misfit, pregnant woman, telekinesis ...
Time:
80s, 20th century, year 1981
Place:
canada
Is relevant?
44K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 113 min.
Story:
In the midst of a searing Florida heat wave, a woman convinces her lover, a small-town lawyer, to murder her rich husband.
Style:
sexy, neo noir, sexual, suspense, noir ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
murder, femme fatale, obsession, adultery, sex, husband wife relationship, passion, female nudity, adulteress, greed, nudity, prison ...
Time:
80s, year 1981, 20th century
Place:
florida, southern usa, usa, miami
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 99 min.
Story:
In 1997, the island of Manhattan has been walled off and turned into a giant maximum security prison within which the country's worst criminals are left to form their own anarchic society. However, when the President of the United States crash ...
Style:
retro, exciting, tech noir, apocalyptic, perverse ...
Audience:
manly, teens, boys' night
Plot:
prison, cyberpunk, dystopia, escape, post apocalyptic, race against time, rescue, post apocalypse, hostage, lone hero, taxi, dystopian future ...
Time:
future, near future, 80s, year 1997, year 1981 ...
Place:
new york, manhattan new york city, new jersey, usa, brooklyn new york city ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, History, Musical
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min.
Story:
An uproarious version of history that proves nothing is sacred – not even the Roman Empire, the French Revolution and the Spanish Inquisition.
Style:
parody, spoof, funny, slapstick, humorous ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
roman empire, spanish inquisition, satire, marijuana, inquisition, empress, torture, ancient, caveman, peplum, revolution, farce ...
Time:
18th century, 20th century, 1st century, year 1981, future ...
Place:
rome italy, france, ancient greece, arizona, greece ...
Is relevant?
72K
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 140 min.
Story:
A surreal adaptation of Sir Thomas Malory's "Le Morte d'Arthur", chronicling Arthur Pendragon's conception, his rise to the throne, the search by his Knights of the Round Table for the Holy Grail, and ultimately his death.
Style:
cult classic, epic, fairy tale, exciting, serious ...
Audience:
kids
Plot:
knight, king arthur, sword fight, arthurian legend, mythology, sex scene, sword and shield, legend, medieval, black magic, sword and sorcery, sorcerer ...
Time:
middle ages, medieval times, 5th century, year 1981, 6th century ...
Place:
europe, england, britain
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: UK
Duration: 124 min.
Story:
In this story-within-a-story, Anna is an actress starring opposite Mike in a period piece about the forbidden love between their respective characters, Sarah and Charles. Both actors are involved in serious relationships, but the passionate nature ...
Style:
costume drama, emotional, romantic, scenic, stylized ...
Plot:
adultery, love, love affair, filmmaking, lieutenant, infidelity, destructive relationship, society, social differences, love story, doomed romance, love triangle ...
Time:
19th century, victorian era, 80s, 20th century, 70s ...
Place:
england, britain, france, europe, london
Is relevant?
Genre: Horror
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min.
Story:
After a bizarre and near fatal encounter with a serial killer, a newswoman is sent to a rehabilitation center whose inhabitants may not be what they seem.
Style:
scary, gothic, cult classic, creepy, sexy ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
werewolf, serial killer, transformation, psychiatrist, macabre, shapeshifting, creature feature, group therapy, outdoor sex, murder, supernatural, lost in the woods ...
Time:
80s
Place:
california, los angeles
Is relevant?
