1981 in film
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| List of years in film (table) |
|---|
| … 1971 . 1972 . 1973 . 1974 . 1975 . 1976 . 1977 … 1978 1979 1980 -1981- 1982 1983 1984 … 1985 . 1986 . 1987 . 1988 . 1989 . 1990 . 1991 … In home video: 1978 1979 1980 -1981- 1982 1983 1984 In television: 1978 1979 1980 -1981- 1982 1983 1984 |
| Related time period or subjects |
| … 1978 . 1979 . 1980 - 1981 - 1982 . 1983 . 1984 … … 1950s . 1960s . 1970s -1980s- 1990s . 2000s . 2010s … … 19th century . 20th century . 21st century … |
| Art . Archaeology . Architecture . Literature . Music . Science +... |
| Years in film |
|---|
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| 1870s |
| 1880s |
| 1890s |
| 1890 • 1891 • 1892 • 1893 • 1894 1895 • 1896 • 1897 • 1898 • 1899 |
| 1900s |
| 1900 • 1901 • 1902 • 1903 • 1904 1905 • 1906 • 1907 • 1908 • 1909 |
| 1910s |
| 1910 • 1911 • 1912 • 1913 • 1914 1915 • 1916 • 1917 • 1918 • 1919 |
| 1920s |
| 1920 • 1921 • 1922 • 1923 • 1924 1925 • 1926 • 1927 • 1928 • 1929 |
| 1930s |
| 1930 • 1931 • 1932 • 1933 • 1934 1935 • 1936 • 1937 • 1938 • 1939 |
| 1940s |
| 1940 • 1941 • 1942 • 1943 • 1944 1945 • 1946 • 1947 • 1948 •1949 |
| 1950s |
| 1950 • 1951 • 1952 • 1953 • 1954 1955 • 1956 • 1957 • 1958 • 1959 |
| 1960s |
| 1960 • 1961 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1968 • 1969 |
| 1970s |
| 1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 |
| 1980s |
| 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 |
| 1990s |
| 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 |
| 2000s |
| 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 |
| 2010s |
| 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 |
Contents |
[edit] 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.
- Tom Cruise makes his acting debut.
[edit] Top grossing films (U.S.)
| Rank | Title | Studio | Gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Raiders of the Lost Ark | Paramount | $246,562,121 |
| 2. | On Golden Pond | Universal | $119,285,432 |
| 3. | Superman II | Warner Brothers | $108,185,706 |
| 4. | Arthur | Warner Brothers | $95,461,682 |
| 5. | Stripes | Columbia | $85,297,000 |
| 6. | The Cannonball Run | 20th Century Fox | $72,179,579 |
| 7. | Chariots of Fire | Warner Brothers | $58,972,904 |
| 8. | For Your Eyes Only | MGM | $54,812,802 |
| 9. | The Four Seasons | Universal | $50,427,646 |
| 10. | Time Bandits | Embassy | $42,365,581 |
source: http://boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=1981&p=.htm
[edit] Awards
- Best Picture: Chariots of Fire - Enigma, The Ladd Company/Warner Bros.
- Best Director: Warren Beatty - Reds
- Best Actor: Henry Fonda - On Golden Pond
- Best Actress: Katharine Hepburn - On Golden Pond
- Best Supporting Actor: John Gielgud - Arthur
- Best Supporting Actress: Maureen Stapleton - Reds
- Best Foreign Language Film: Mephisto, directed by Istvan Szabo, Hungary
- Drama:
- Best Picture: On Golden Pond
- Best Actor: Henry Fonda - On Golden Pond
- Best Actress: Meryl Streep - The French Lieutenant's Woman
- Musical or comedy:
- Best Picture: Arthur
- Best Actor: Dudley Moore - Arthur
- Best Actress: Bernadette Peters - Pennies from Heaven
- Other
- Best Director: Warren Beatty - Reds
- Best Foreign Film: Chariots of Fire, United Kingdom
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
[edit] Films released in 1981
- Absence of Malice
- An American Werewolf in London
- Arthur
- Blow Out
- The Boat Is Full
- Bustin' Loose
- The Cannonball Run
- Clash of the Titans, starring Laurence Olivier and Maggie Smith
- Come on, Granpa's!
- Chariots of Fire
- Das Boot (1982 US release)
- Deadly Blessing starring Sharon Stone
- Deprisa, Deprisa, Golden Bear winner
- The Devil and Max Devlin
- Dragonslayer
- Endless Love (film)
- Escape from New York, starring Kurt Russell
- Excalibur
- The Evil Dead
- For Your Eyes Only
- Fort Apache the Bronx
- The Four Seasons
- The Fox and the Hound
- The French Lieutenant's Woman
- Friday the 13th Part 2
- Full Moon High
- Gallipoli
- Gangster Wars
- The German Sisters, Golden Lion winner
- The Great Muppet Caper
- Halloween II, starring Jamie Lee Curtis
- The Hand, starring Michael Caine, directed by Oliver Stone
- Hardly Working, starring Jerry Lewis
- Heavy Metal
- History of the World: Part I
- The Howling
- The Land of Hunger
- The Last Chase
- The Legend of the Lone Ranger
- Lola, a German film
- Looker
- Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
- Man of Iron, Palme d'Or winner
- Mephisto
- Mommie Dearest, starring Faye Dunaway, Diana Scarwid
- My Dinner with Andre
- Omen III: The Final Conflict, starring Sam Neill, Rossano Brazzi
- On Golden Pond, starring Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, and Jane Fonda
- Only When I Laugh
- Outland
- Pennies From Heaven, starring Steve Martin, based on the 1978 BBC Television serial by Dennis Potter.
- Pixote
- Prince of the City
- The Private Eyes
- Quest for Fire also called La Guerre du feu
- Ragtime
- Raiders of the Lost Ark
- Reds
- Rich And Famous
- Sogni d'oro
- Stripes
- Superman II
- Sweet & Sour Cops
- The Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie
- The Tale of Today, Tomorrow, and the Day After
- Taps starring George C. Scott and Timothy Hutton
- Tarzan, the Ape Man
- They All Laughed
- They Don't Wear Black Tie
- Thief
- Time Bandits
- Will
- Wolfen
- Women We Salute You!
- Zoot Suit, starring Edward James Olmos
[edit] Births
- January 28 – Elijah Wood, actor
- April 19 - Hayden Christensen , actor
- April 28 - Jessica Alba, actress
- June 9 - Natalie Portman (Natalie Hershlag), actress
- September 12 - Jennifer Hudson, singer and actress
[edit] Deaths
- January 1 - Beulah Bondi, actress
- January 10 - Richard Boone, actor
- January 16 - Bernard Lee, actor
- February 1 - Wanda Hendrix, actress
- July 27 - William Wyler, director
- August 1 - Paddy Chayefsky, screenwriter
- August 4 - Melvyn Douglas, actor
- August 18 - Anita Loos, writer
- September 27 - Robert Montgomery, actor
- October 24 - Edith Head, costume designer
- November 12 - William Holden, actor
- November 27 - Lotte Lenya, actress
- November 29 - Natalie Wood, actress
- December 28 - Allan Dwan, pioneer film director
