The Numbers - Movies Released in 1981
This list shows all films released in 1981, including films that went direct-to-video, or only got an international theatrical release. For each film, we use the first date on which it was made available to the public, which might include international theatrical or domestic video releases that were a few days, or sometimes more, earlier than the domestic (US/Canada) theatrical release.
The revenue listed is the worldwide box office combined with the domestic home market revenue to date.
See also:
Top 1981 Worldwide -
Domestic Release Schedule for 1981 -
Domestic Home Market Release Schedule for 1981 -
Most Popular 1981
Release
Date | Movie | Genre | Release
Type | Revenue
to Date | Trailer |
|---|
| January, 1981 |
| January 1 |
My Dinner with Andre |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$15,063 |
|
|
Scream |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| 1981 TBD |
Death Hunt |
|
Theatrical |
$5,000,000 |
|
|
The Devil and Max Devlin |
|
Theatrical |
$16,000,000 |
|
|
Fort Apache, The Bronx |
|
Theatrical |
$65,200,000 |
|
|
The Private Eyes |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$18,000,000 |
|
|
Roar |
Adventure |
Theatrical |
$2,808,397 |
|
|
Scanners |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$14,444,999 |
|
| |
| January 16 |
Fear No Evil |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| January 23 |
Krakonoš a lyžníci |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$1,471 |
|
|
Le notti del terrore |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| January 30 |
The Incredible Shrinking Woman |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$20,259,000 |
|
| February, 1981 |
| February 1 |
Subway Riders |
Thriller/Suspense |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| February 6 |
Goodbye Pork Pie |
Action |
Theatrical |
$394 |
|
| |
| February 8 |
Spetters |
|
Theatrical |
$69,494 |
|
| |
| February 11 |
Le dernier métro |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$3,000,000 |
|
|
My Bloody Valentine |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
Sphinx |
Thriller/Suspense |
Theatrical |
$11,400,000 |
|
| |
| February 13 |
American Pop |
Musical |
Theatrical |
$6,000,000 |
|
|
The Dogs of War |
Action |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
Eyewitness |
|
Theatrical |
$6,400,000 |
|
|
Sunday Lovers |
|
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| |
| Feb, 1981 TBD |
Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dra… |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| March, 1981 |
| March 1 |
Baekugido bame uneunga |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$1,756 |
|
| |
| March 4 |
Madhouse |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| March 6 |
All Night Long |
Romantic Comedy |
Theatrical |
$7,800,000 |
|
|
On the Right Track |
|
Theatrical |
$13,000,000 |
|
| |
| March 13 |
Back Roads |
Romantic Comedy |
Theatrical |
$11,809,387 |
|
|
The Funhouse |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$7,000,141 |
|
|
Loophole |
Adventure |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
Modern Romance |
Romantic Comedy |
Theatrical |
$29,137 |
|
| |
| March 15 |
Confidence |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| March 18 |
The Wobblies |
Documentary |
Theatrical |
$12,232 |
|
| |
| March 20 |
Amy |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
Cutter’s Way |
|
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
The Final Conflict |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$20,471,000 |
|
|
Kelly |
|
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
The Postman Always Rings Twice |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$44,200,000 |
|
| |
| March 21 |
Si wang ta (死亡塔) |
Action |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| March 27 |
Eyes of a Stranger |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$546,724 |
|
|
Thief |
Action |
Theatrical |
$5,066,732 |
|
| |
| |
| Mar, 1981 TBD |
Pick-up Summer |
|
Theatrical |
$28,756 |
|
| April, 1981 |
| April 3 |
Atlantic City |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$10,000,000 |
|
| |
| April 10 |
Excalibur |
Adventure |
Theatrical |
$34,200,000 |
|
|
From Mao to Mozart |
Documentary |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
Going Ape! |
|
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
The Howling |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$17,985,130 |
|
|
Knightriders |
Action |
Theatrical |
$56,682 |
|
|
Nighthawks |
Action |
Theatrical |
$19,600,000 |
|
|
This is Elvis |
Documentary |
Theatrical |
$429,146 |
|
| |
| April 17 |
Caveman |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$15,965,000 |
|
|
Improper Channels |
|
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| April 18 |
Subzero Point '81 |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$10,421 |
|
| |
| April 24 |
Beyond the Reef |
|
Theatrical |
$547,525 |
|
|
Cannibal ferox |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$176,339 |
|
|
Cattle Annie and Little Britches |
Western |
Theatrical |
$115,679 |
|
|
The Hand |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$2,000,000 |
|
|
Ms. 45 |
Thriller/Suspense |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
Second-Hand Hearts |
|
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| April 28 |
Bloody Birthday |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| April 30 |
Friday the 13th Part 2 |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$21,722,776 |
|
| |
| Apr, 1981 TBD |
Bedtime for Bonzo |
Comedy |
Video |
$0 |
|
| May, 1981 |
| May 1 |
Graduation Day |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$23,894,000 |
|
|
Hard Country |
|
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
The Jazz Singer |
|
Theatrical |
$27,118,000 |
|
|
King of the Mountain |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$958,637 |
|
| |
| May 6 |
The Jericho Mile |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$172,417 |
|
| |
| May 8 |
The Burning |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
Loulou |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$1,343 |
|
|
Shoot the Sun Down |
Western |
Theatrical |
$4,009 |
|
| |
| May 13 |
Le lac des morts vivants |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| May 15 |
The Fan |
Thriller/Suspense |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
Happy Birthday To Me |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$10,609,514 |
|
| |
| 1981 TBD |
Take This Job and Shove It |
|
Theatrical |
$17,569,000 |
|
| |
| May 22 |
Bustin' Loose |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$31,261,000 |
|
|
The Four Seasons |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$42,488,161 |
|
|
Glen or Glenda |
|
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
The Legend of the Lone Ranger |
Western |
Theatrical |
$13,522,974 |
|
|
Outland |
Action |
Theatrical |
$20,000,000 |
|
| |
| May 27 |
Les Uns et les Autres |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$122,054 |
|
| |
| May 29 |
Polyester |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| June, 1981 |
| June 5 |
Cheech & Chong's Nice Dreams |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$37,000,000 |
|
|
Final Exam |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$182,210 |
|
|
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia |
|
Theatrical |
$14,000,000 |
|
|
The Sea Wolves |
Action |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| June 12 |
Clash of the Titans |
Adventure |
Theatrical |
$44,400,000 |
|
|
History of the World: Part I |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$31,672,000 |
|
|
Raiders of the Lost Ark |
Adventure |
Theatrical |
$368,624,439 |
|
| |
| June 19 |
The Cannonball Run |
Action |
Theatrical |
$57,498,710 |
|
|
Superman II |
Adventure |
Theatrical |
$190,400,000 |
|
| |
| June 26 |
Dragonslayer |
Action |
Theatrical |
$6,000,000 |
|
|
For Your Eyes Only |
Action |
Theatrical |
$195,300,000 |
|
|
Force: Five |
|
Theatrical |
$8,000,000 |
|
|
The Great Muppet Caper |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$31,206,251 |
|
|
Stripes |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$85,300,000 |
|
| |
| |
| Jun, 1981 TBD |
Demonoid |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| July, 1981 |
| July 1 |
S.O.B. |
Black Comedy |
Theatrical |
$14,867,086 |
|
| |
| July 10 |
Escape from New York |
Action |
Theatrical |
$25,276,350 |
|
|
The Fox and the Hound |
Adventure |
Theatrical |
$43,899,231 |
|
|
Vecinos |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| July 17 |
Arthur |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$81,464,486 |
|
|
Endless Love |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$33,000,000 |
|
| |
| July 23 |
Gas |
|
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| July 24 |
Blow Out |
Thriller/Suspense |
Theatrical |
$13,747,988 |
|
|
Comin' at Ya! |
|
Theatrical |
$6,704,127 |
|
|
Eye of the Needle |
Thriller/Suspense |
Theatrical |
$17,583,000 |
|
|
Nobody's Perfekt |
|
Theatrical |
$995 |
|
|
Tarzan, The Ape Man |
Adventure |
Theatrical |
$36,565,000 |
|
|
Wolfen |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$11,306,664 |
|
|
Zorro, The Gay Blade |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$10,000,000 |
|
| |
| July 31 |
Under the Rainbow |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$18,826,490 |
|
|
Victory |
Action |
Theatrical |
$27,453,000 |
|
| August, 1981 |
| August 1 |
Lady Chatterley's Lover |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$5,406 |
|
| |
| August 5 |
Les Gardiennes du Pénitencier |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| August 7 |
Condorman |
Action |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
An Eye for an Eye |
Action |
Theatrical |
$7,496,681 |
|
|
Heavy Metal |
Adventure |
Theatrical |
$19,571,091 |
|
|
Hell Night |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$2,300,000 |
|
|
Soggy Bottom, U.S.A. |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$19,225 |
|
|
Student Bodies |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$1,582,148 |
|
| |
| August 13 |
Gallipoli |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$5,732,587 |
|
| |
| August 14 |
Chu Chu and the Philly Flash |
|
Theatrical |
$221,898 |
|
|
Deadly Blessing |
|
Theatrical |
$2,800,000 |
|
|
Quella villa accanto al cimitero |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| August 17 |
El Crimen de Cuenca |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| August 19 |
Prince of the City |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$9,000,000 |
|
| |
| August 21 |
An American Werewolf in London |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$61,968,388 |
|
|
First Monday in October |
|
Theatrical |
$12,000,000 |
|
|
Heartland |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
Honky Tonk Freeway |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$939,423 |
|
| |
| August 22 |
Babylon |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$109,749 |
|
|
Evilspeak |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| August 26 |
Shi Ye Sheng |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$1,834,692 |
|
| |
| August 28 |
Body Heat |
Thriller/Suspense |
Theatrical |
$24,058,000 |
|
|
Private Lessons |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$18,066,774 |
|
| September, 1981 |
| September 17 |
Tim |
|
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| September 18 |
Apocalypse domani |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
Continental Divide |
Romantic Comedy |
Theatrical |
$15,578,000 |
|
|
The French Lieutenant's Woman |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$22,680,306 |
|
|
Mommie Dearest |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$25,032,000 |
|
|
Raggedy Man |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$11,000,000 |
|
| |
| September 23 |
Only When I Laugh |
|
Theatrical |
$25,782,304 |
|
| |
| September 25 |
Aus dem Leben der Marionetten |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$4,289 |
|
|
Carbon Copy |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$8,431,768 |
|
|
Chariots of Fire |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$61,910,507 |
|
|
So Fine |
|
Theatrical |
$10,000,000 |
|
|
Southern Comfort |
Thriller/Suspense |
Theatrical |
$3,561,662 |
|
|
True Confessions |
|
Theatrical |
$12,200,000 |
|
| |
| |
| Sep, 1981 TBD |
St. Helens |
Adventure |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| October, 1981 |
| October 2 |
Paternity |
|
Theatrical |
$18,838,000 |
|
|
Zoot Suit |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$380,302 |
|
| |
| October 9 |
Full Moon High |
|
Theatrical |
$26,782 |
|
|
Rich and Famous |
|
Theatrical |
$13,000,000 |
|
|
Tattoo |
Thriller/Suspense |
Theatrical |
$860,472 |
|
| |
| October 16 |
All the Marbles |
|
Theatrical |
$4,300,000 |
|
| |
| October 21 |
The Professional |
Action |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| October 23 |
Das boot ist voll |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$1,016 |
|
|
Enter the Ninja |
Action |
Theatrical |
$91,351 |
|
|
Nightmare |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
The Pit |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$188,414 |
|
|
Silence of the North |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$344,837 |
|
| |
| October 24 |
Aengmusae Momeulo Uleossda |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$1,415 |
|
| |
| October 25 |
Quartet |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| October 30 |
Halloween II |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$25,533,818 |
|
|
Looker |
Thriller/Suspense |
Theatrical |
$3,281,232 |
|
|
Saturday The 14th |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| October 31 |
Shock Treatment |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| Oct, 1981 TBD |
Galaxy of Terror |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| November, 1981 |
| November 1 |
The Orchard End Murder |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$6,266 |
|
| |
| November 6 |
Time Bandits |
Adventure |
Theatrical |
$38,894,209 |
|
| |
| November 13 |
Dead & Buried |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$216,166 |
|
|
The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper |
Adventure |
Theatrical |
$2,104,164 |
|
| |
| November 18 |
Bom Povo Português |
Documentary |
Theatrical |
$304 |
|
| |
| November 19 |
Absence of Malice |
Thriller/Suspense |
Theatrical |
$33,312,129 |
|
|
Roadgames |
Thriller/Suspense |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| November 20 |
The Looney, Looney, Looney Bugs Bunny… |
Adventure |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
Man of Iron |
|
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
Ragtime |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$17,468,158 |
|
| |
| November 23 |
Dos y dos, cinco |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| November 25 |
Francisca |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| November 27 |
Just Before Dawn |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| November 30 |
La Cripta |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| December, 1981 |
| December 2 |
Whose Life is it Anyway? |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$6,100,000 |
|
| |
| December 4 |
On Golden Pond |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$119,889,465 |
|
|
Reds |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$50,000,130 |
|
| |
| December 9 |
La Chèvre |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
Lebenszeichen |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
Taps |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$35,856,053 |
|
| |
| December 11 |
Buddy Buddy |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$5,299,037 |
|
|
Four Friends |
Drama |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
Pennies from Heaven |
Musical |
Theatrical |
$6,200,000 |
|
|
Rollover |
Thriller/Suspense |
Theatrical |
$10,217,873 |
|
| |
| December 18 |
Ghost Story |
Horror |
Theatrical |
$16,202,210 |
|
|
Heartbeeps |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$6,000,000 |
|
|
Neighbors |
Black Comedy |
Theatrical |
$29,952,397 |
|
|
Sharky's Machine |
Thriller/Suspense |
Theatrical |
$33,056,959 |
|
| |
| December 22 |
The Prodigal Son (敗家仔) |
Action |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
| |
| December 24 |
How the Grinch Stole Christmas |
Adventure |
Theatrical |
$0 |
|
|
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior |
Action |
Theatrical |
$23,668,407 |
|
| |
| December 25 |
Modern Problems |
Comedy |
Theatrical |
$24,474,312 |
|
