Top Movies of 1981


The top movies of 1981 list is calculated by community movie ratings and members' "Top Movies List". Lists are updated daily.

51. From the Life of the Marionettes ( Aus dem Leben der Marionetten )

Year of Release: 1981
Overall Rating: 2.8 out of 4 stars
Language: German
Genre: Drama
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Ingmar Bergman
Actors: Robert Atzorn, Christine Buchegger, Martin Benrath, Rita Russek, Lola Müthel, Walter Schmidinger
Plot: One of Ingmar Bergman's later works, "From the Life of the Marionettes" explores a couple's troubled marriage, and the motives behind the husband's murder of a call girl.

52. Dead and Buried

Year of Release: 1981
Overall Rating: 2.6 out of 4 stars
Language: English
Genre: Horror/Mystery
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Gary Sherman
Actors: James Farentino, Melody Anderson, Jack Albertson, Robert Englund, Barry Corbin, Dennis Redfield
Plot: Citizens of a small town believe a series of murders have been committed by the eccentric local coroner.

53. Strange Behavior

Year of Release: 1981
Overall Rating: 2.9 out of 4 stars
Language: English
Genre: Thriller/Horror
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Michael Laughlin
Actors: Michael Murphy, Louise Fletcher, Dan Shor, Fiona Lewis, Charles Lane, Arthur Dignam

54. Who Finds a Friend Finds a Treasure aka Friend is a Treasure, A ( Chi trova un amico, trova un tesoro )

Year of Release: 1981
Overall Rating: 2.9 out of 4 stars
Language: Italian
Genre: Adventure/Comedy
MPAA Rating: NR
Director: Sergio Corbucci
Actors: Terence Hill, Bud Spencer, John Fujioka, Louise Bennett, Salvatore Borghese, Kainowa Lauritzen

55. The Funhouse

Year of Release: 1981
Overall Rating: 2.6 out of 4 stars
Language: English
Genre: Horror/Thriller
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Tobe Hooper
Actors: Elizabeth Berridge, Shawn Carson, Jeanne Austin, Jack McDermott, Kevin Conway, William Finley
Plot: Four teenage friends spent the night in a carnival funhouse and are stalked by a deformed man in a Frankenstein mask.

56. Ms. 45

Year of Release: 1981
Overall Rating: 2.7 out of 4 stars
Language: English
Genre: Crime/Drama
MPAA Rating: NC-17
Director: Abel Ferrara
Actors: Zoë Lund, Albert Sinkys, Darlene Stuto, Helen McGara, Nike Zachmanoglou, Abel Ferrara
Plot: A mute and withdrawn seamstress is raped twice in one day and goes on a killing spree after dark - a trusty .45 in her hand and any man she comes across her target.

57. The Prowler

Year of Release: 1981
Overall Rating: 2.6 out of 4 stars
Language: English
Genre: Horror
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Joseph Zito
Actors: Vicky Dawson, Christopher Goutman, Lawrence Tierney, Farley Granger, Cindy Weintraub, Lisa Dunsheath

58. Polyester

Year of Release: 1981
Overall Rating: 2.6 out of 4 stars
Language: English
Genre: Comedy
MPAA Rating: R
Director: John Waters
Actors: Divine, Tab Hunter, Edith Massey, David Samson, Mary Garlington, Mink Stole

59. Windwalker

Year of Release: 1981
Overall Rating: 3.2 out of 4 stars
Language: English
Genre: Drama/Western
MPAA Rating: PG
Director: Kieth Merrill
Actors: Trevor Howard, Nick Ramus, James Remar, Serene Hedin, Dusty McCrea, Silvana Gallardo

60. Pit, The ( Teddy )

Year of Release: 1981
Overall Rating: 3.2 out of 4 stars
Language: English
Genre: Horror/Mystery
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Lew Lehman
Actors: Sammy Snyders, Jeannie Elias, Sonja Smits, Laura Hollingsworth, John Auten, Laura Press
Plot: A sexually precocious 12 year old boy takes revenge on the people who make his life miserable by feeding them to his imaginary friends, meat eating creatures he calls "Tra-la-logs". Along the way he partakes in some extremely questionable behavior involving the ladies in his life. The blatant perversity makes this a particularly tasty and delicious gem of a movie.

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