1981 in film
Events
Top Grossing Films of the Year
- North America
- Raiders of the Lost Ark, starring Harrison Ford
- Superman II
- Stir Crazy
- Nine To Five
- Stripes, starring Bill Murray
- Any Which Way You Can
- Arthur
- The Cannonball Run
- The Four Seasons
- For Your Eyes Only
Deaths
Other Movies Released
- Deprisa, Deprisa!, Golden Bear winner
- The German Sisters, Golden Lion winner
- Man of Iron, Palme d'Or winner
- Heartland, Sundance Grand Jury Prize
- Gal Young 'Un, Sundance Grand Jury Prize
- Deadly Blessing starring Sharon Stone
- Halloween II, starring Jamie Lee Curtis
- The Fox and the Hound
- Friday the 13th, Part 2
- The Great Muppet Caper
- Mommie Dearest, starring Faye Dunaway, Diana Scarwid
- (Omen III) The Final Conflict, starring Sam Neill, Rossano Brazzi
- Pennies From Heaven, starring Steve Martin, based on the 1978 BBC Television serial by Dennis Potter.
- On Golden Pond, starring Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, and Jane Fonda
- Quest for Fire also called La Guerre du feu
- Chariots of Fire
- Tarzan, the Ape Man
- Bustin' Loose
- Excaliber
- Heaven's Gate
- Reds
- The French Lieutenant's Woman
- Pixote
- Stevie
- An American Werewolf in London
- Absence of Malice
- Only When I Laugh
- Ragtime
- The Boat Is Full
- Sogni d'oro
- They Don't Wear Black Tie