Most Popular Movies 1979
This chart shows the 1979 movie releases that have attracted the most interest on The Numbers web site over the past 24 hours. A share of 100 corresponds to 1 percent of the total views for all 1979 releases.
See also: Domestic Release Schedule for 1979 - Top 1979 Worldwide
| ← 1978 | Most Popular Overall | 1980 → |
1
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| Alien |
| Director: Ridley Scott |
| Lead Roles: Tom Skerritt as Dallas, Sigourney Weaver as Ripley |
| Initial Theatrical Release: May 25, 1979 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox |
| Keywords: Visual Effects, Parasite, Survival Horror |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Horror, Live Action, Science Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $62,005,728 |
|
International BO: $122,631,433 |
2
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| Dawn of the Dead |
| Director: George A. Romero |
| Lead Roles: David Emge as Stephen, Ken Foree as Peter, Scott H. Reiniger as Roger, Gaylen Ross as Francine |
| Initial Theatrical Release: April 20, 1979 (Limited) by United Film Distribution Co. |
| Keywords: Zombies, Supernatural Horror, Epidemic, Remade, Satire, Corrupt Cops, Motorcycle Gangs |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Horror, Live Action, Science Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $5,100,000 |
|
International BO: $49,900,000 |
3
| Apocalypse Now |
| Director: Francis Ford Coppola |
| Lead Roles: Martin Sheen as Captain Benjamin L. Willard |
| Initial Theatrical Release: August 15, 1979 (Wide) by United Artists |
| Keywords: Vietnam War, War, IMAX: DMR, Special Ops, Set in Cambodia, 1980 Oscars Best Picture Nominee |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Action, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $83,535,860 |
|
International BO: $2,423,850 |
4
| The Warriors |
| Director: Walter Hill |
| Lead Roles: Michael Beck as Swan, James Remar as Ajax, Dorsey Wright as Cleon, Brian Tyler as Snow, David Harris as Cochise, Tom McKitterick as Cowboy, Thomas G. Waites as Fox, Terry Michos as Vermin, Marcelino Sanchez as Rembrandt, Deborah Van Valkenburgh as Mercy, Roger Hill as Cyrus, David Patrick Kelly as Luther |
| Initial Theatrical Release: February 1, 1979 (Limited) (Australia) |
| Keywords: Gangs, Hood Film, Action Thriller, Framed, Fugitive / On the Run |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Action, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $22,490,000 |
|
International BO: $5,493 |
5
| The Muppet Movie |
| Director: James Frawley |
| Lead Roles: Jim Henson as Various voices, Frank Oz as Biker in El Sleezo Café/Miss Piggy/Fozzie Bear/Animal/Sam the Eagle, Jerry Nelson as Floyd Pepper/Crazy Harry/Robin the Frog/Lew Zealand, Richard Hunt as Scooter/Statler/Janice/Sweetums/Beaker, Dave Goelz as The Great Gonzo/Zoot/Dr. Bunsen Honeydew |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 22, 1979 (Wide) by Associated Film Distributors |
| Keywords: Breaking the Fourth Wall, Gratuitous Cameos, Road Trip, Movie Business, Non-Chronological, Beauty Pageants, Food, Dream Sequence, Romance, Kidnap, Scene in End Credits, Inventor, Mad Scientist, Nazis Outside of World War II, Family Adventure |
| Classification: Based on TV, Adventure, Live Action, Kids Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $76,657,000 |
6
| Cuba |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 21, 1979 (Wide) by United Artists |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $527,540 |
7
| The Glacier Fox |
| Initial Theatrical Release: February, 1979 (Limited) by Sanrio Communications |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Documentary, Live Action, Factual |
|
Domestic BO: $3,500,000 |
8
| Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro |
| Director: Hayao Miyazaki |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 15, 1979 (Wide), released as Rupan sansei: Kariosutoro no shiro (Japan) |
| Keywords: Prince/Princess, Royalty, Rescue, Anti Hero, Conspiracy Theory, Forgery, Anime, Chase Adventure |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Adventure, Hand Animation, Kids Fiction |
|
International BO: $69,506 |
9
| 1941 |
| Director: Steven Spielberg |
| Lead Roles: Dan Aykroyd as Sergeant Frank Tree, John Belushi as Captain Wild Bill Kelso |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 14, 1979 (Wide) by Universal |
| Keywords: World War II, War, Farcical / Slapstick Comedy, Ensemble, Set in Hollywood |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $34,175,000 |
|
International BO: $60,700,000 |
10
| Rocky 2 |
| Director: Sylvester Stallone |
| Lead Roles: Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa, Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 15, 1979 (Wide) by United Artists |
| Keywords: Boxing, Training Montage |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $85,182,160 |
|
International BO: $115,000,000 |
11
| Fukushû suru wa ware ni ari |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 17, 1979 (Limited), released as Vengeance is Mine |
|
Domestic BO: $13,565 |
12
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| The Amityville Horror |
| Director: Stuart Rosenberg |
| Lead Roles: James Brolin as George Lutz, Margot Kidder as Kathy Lutz, Rod Steiger as Father Delaney |
| Initial Theatrical Release: August 3, 1979 (Wide) by American International Pictures |
| Keywords: Possessed, Haunting, Based on an UNTRUE Story, 1970s, Supernatural Horror, Supernatural |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Horror, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $86,432,520 |
13
| Dirt |
| Director: Eric Karson |
| Initial Theatrical Release: March, 1979 (Wide) by American Cinema Releasing |
| Keywords: Miscellaneous Sports, Auto Racing, Sports Documentary |
| Classification: Based on Real Life Events, Documentary, Live Action, Factual |
|
Domestic BO: $9,200,000 |
14
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| Shan zhong zhuan qi |
| Director: King Hu |
| Lead Roles: Shih Chun as Ho Yunqing |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 4, 1979 (Wide) (Hong Kong) |
| Keywords: Supernatural, Haunting, Buddhism, Lost, 1000s, Ancient China, Sung Dynasty |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Thriller/Suspense, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $7,639 |
Synopsis
A travelling scholar, intent on translating a Buddhist sutra, loses his way in the mountains. Time and space collapse around him as he continues his journey, encountering ghostly visitations amid a haunting fantasia of color, light and landscape. King Hu rose to prominence in the 1960s and 70s as a superb director of wuxia, a subgenre of samurai film dealing with swords, sorcery and chivalrous heroes. Legend of the Mountain comes from the director’s later period, when his artistry, specifically his landscape compositions, was at the height of its powers.
15
| Agatha |
| Director: Michael Apted |
| Lead Roles: Vanessa Redgrave as Agatha Christie, Dustin Hoffman as Wally Stanton, Timothy Dalton as Col. Archibald Christie |
| Initial Theatrical Release: February 9, 1979 (Wide) by Warner Bros. |
| Keywords: Crime Thriller, Biography, Non-Drama Biographies, Missing Person, Relationships Gone Wrong, Infidelity, Faked Death, Investigative Journalist |
| Classification: Based on Real Life Events, Thriller/Suspense, Live Action, Dramatization |
|
Domestic BO: $7,500,000 |
16
| The Champ |
| Director: Franco Zeffirelli |
| Lead Roles: Jon Voight as Billy Flynn, Faye Dunaway as Annie |
| Initial Theatrical Release: April 4, 1979 (Wide) by MGM |
| Keywords: Boxing, Sports Drama, Athletes Past Their Prime, Horse Racing, One Last Job, Gambling, Addiction, Money Troubles, Dysfunctional Family, Relationships Gone Wrong, Young Child Dealing with the Death of a Parent |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $30,441,738 |
18
| The Great Monkey Rip-Off |
| Director: Thomas Stobart |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action |
19
| ...And Justice For All |
| Director: Norman Jewison |
| Lead Roles: Al Pacino as Arthur Kirkland |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 19, 1979 (Wide) by Columbia |
| Keywords: Courtroom / Legal Drama, Film Noir, Lawyers, Corrupt Judge, Sex Crimes, Prostitution, Suicide, Hostage |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action |
|
Domestic BO: $33,300,000 |
20
| The Frisco Kid |
| Director: Robert Aldrich |
| Lead Roles: Gene Wilder as Avram Belinski, Harrison Ford as Tommy Lillard |
| Initial Theatrical Release: July 13, 1979 (Wide) by Warner Bros. |
| Keywords: Comedy Westerns, 1850s, Jewish, Culture Clash, Road Trip, Confidence Men, Money Troubles, Mennonites, Wild West, Screenplay Written By the Star |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $12,000,000 |
21
| Chilly Scenes of Winter |
| Director: Joan Micklin Silver |
| Lead Roles: John Heard as Charles, Mary Beth Hurt as Laura |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 19, 1979 (Limited) by United Artists |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
22
| Hair |
| Director: Miloš Forman |
| Lead Roles: John Savage as Claude |
| Initial Theatrical Release: March 24, 1979 (Wide) by United Artists |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $13,100,000 |
23
| Rich Kids |
| Initial Theatrical Release: August 17, 1979 (Wide) by United Artists |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $53,064 |
24
| Escape from Alcatraz |
| Director: Don Siegel |
| Lead Roles: Clint Eastwood as Frank Morris |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 22, 1979 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
| Keywords: Prison |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Drama, Live Action, Dramatization |
|
Domestic BO: $43,000,000 |
|
International BO: $459 |
25
| Kramer vs. Kramer |
| Director: Robert Benton |
| Lead Roles: Dustin Hoffman as Ted Kramer, Meryl Streep as Joanna Kramer |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 19, 1979 (Wide) by Columbia |
| Keywords: Romantic Drama, 1980 Oscars Best Picture Nominee, Oscars Best Picture Winner |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $106,260,000 |