The 95 Best Horror Movies Of 1981, Ranked
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List of the best 1981 horror movies, ranked by how many upvotes they've received by other fans of the genre. All types of scary movies are represented below, including thrillers, slashers, gore, psychological horror films and more. These are all the horror movies that defined the year 1981, so vote for your favorites and help them rise to the top. This poll is also a great resource for finding new movies that you haven't already seen, especially since you can watch trailers for each film right on this page. To make sure this list is as accurate as possible, please don't downvote a movie if you haven't seen it.
List features movies like The Evil Dead, Halloween II, and many more This isn't necessarily a list of all horror movies from 1981, but it does contain all the ones worth watching.Most divisive: Evilspeak
Over 100 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The 95 Best Horror Movies Of 1981, Ranked
- In the genre-bending horror-comedy, An American Werewolf in London, college students David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne) encounter a werewolf during their backpacking trip through Britain. After this harrowing incident, David wakes up in a London hospital only to learn of Jack's unfortunate demise. Nurse Alex Price (Jenny Agutter) becomes his caretaker and confidante, as he navigates through disturbing nightmares and horrifying transformations. Directed by John Landis, this film is renowned for its groundbreaking makeup effects by Rick Baker, which earned it an Academy Award in 1982. It successfully melds horror with humor while delivering a unique take on the classic werewolf lore.
21981Five college students, led by Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell), stumble upon an isolated cabin in the heart of a dense, eerie forest. Within its decaying walls, they discover an ancient book - The Necronomicon - and a tape recorder holding cryptic incantations. Recoiling in fascination and dread, they unwittingly unleash a horde of malevolent spirits. As the supernatural forces grow increasingly hostile, the group's bond is strained to breaking point. Directed by Sam Raimi, The Evil Dead is a visceral exploration of survival horror that has been celebrated as a cult classic within the genre since its release in 1981.More The Evil Dead
- #263 of 769 onThe Most Rewatchable Movies
- #22 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #169 of 399 onThe Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
- Friday the 13th Part 2, a chilling sequel in the renowned horror franchise, reintroduces us to the sinister world of Camp Crystal Lake. This time, the story orbits around a group of camp counselors-in-training, including the determined Ginny Field (Amy Steel). Five years after the blood-curdling events of the first film, they find themselves stalked by an unseen force. The relentless antagonist, shrouded in mystery and dread, is revealed to be Jason Voorhees (Warrington Gillette), thought drowned decades ago. Directed by Steve Miner, this film weaves a terrifying narrative that deepens the mythology of Crystal Lake while delivering heart-stopping scares.
- #58 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
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- #238 of 399 onThe Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
4Friends defy the rules of a legendary murderer and discover he is real when they start celebrating Valentine's Day.More My Bloody Valentine- #212 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #36 of 75 onThe Best Movies Of 1981
- #28 of 80 onThe Best Teen Horror Movies Of All Time
- 51981In Halloween II, the nightmare is far from over. Directed by Rick Rosenthal, this 1981 horror sequel picks up exactly where John Carpenter's original left off. Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), having just escaped the murderous clutches of Michael Myers (Dick Warlock), finds herself in Haddonfield Hospital. Unbeknownst to her, Myers has survived and continues his relentless pursuit, turning the hospital into a house of horrors. Meanwhile, Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence) uncovers disturbing revelations about Myers's past, adding a chilling new dimension to his monstrous persona. The film ratchets up the tension and gore, reaffirming its place in the annals of horror cinema.More Halloween II
- #364 of 769 onThe Most Rewatchable Movies
- #40 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #15 of 118 onThe Best Horror Movie Sequels
61981In Los Angeles, television journalist Karen White (Dee Wallace) is traumatized in the course of aiding the police in their arrest of a serial murderer. Her doctor recommends that she attend an isolated psychiatric retreat led by Dr. George Waggner (Patrick Macnee). But while Karen is undergoing therapy, her colleague Chris (Dennis Dugan), investigates the bizarre circumstances surrounding her shock. When his work leads him to suspect the supernatural, he begins to fear for Karen's life.More The Howling- #158 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #312 of 399 onThe Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
- #28 of 75 onThe Best Movies Of 1981
71981Rebellious teen Amy (Elizabeth Berridge) defies her parents by going to a trashy carnival that has pulled into town. In tow are her boyfriend, Buzz (Cooper Huckabee), and their friends Liz (Largo Woodruff) and Richie (Miles Chapin). Thinking it would be fun to spend the night in the campy "Funhouse" horror ride, the teens witness a murder by a deformed worker wearing a mask. Locked in, Amy and her friends must evade the murderous carnival workers and escape before it leaves town the next day.
81981At summer camp, some teenagers pull a prank on the camp's caretaker, Cropsy (Lou David). But the joke goes terribly wrong, and the teens leave Cropsy for dead after setting him on fire. But no one keeps Cropsy down. A few years later, the burned and disfigured caretaker returns to camp equipped with his trusty shears, ready to unleash his particular brand of vengeance on a whole new group of teens. The murderous Cropsy stalks the campers in the woods, one by one.More The Burning- #8 of 18 onThe Gnarliest Moments From Tom Savini's Effects And Makeup Career
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- #8 of 17 onThe Oldest 'Teenagers' In Horror Movies
91981The Prowler is a 1981 horror film directed by Joseph Zito, and written by Neal Barbera and Glenn Leopold.
101981Every year, four affluent old friends -- Ricky Hawthorne (Fred Astaire), Sears James (John Houseman), Dr. John Jaffrey (Melvyn Douglas) and Edward Wanderley (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) -- meet to tell ghost stories. When one of Wanderley's sons dies mysteriously the day before his wedding, and the ghostly apparition of a beautiful woman appears on the ice, the four old friends have no choice but to piece together one last story -- this one more terrifying than all the others, because it is true.More Ghost Story- #42 of 75 onThe Best Movies Of 1981
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- #205 of 220 on'80s Movies We Wish Would Finally Get Sequels
111981After Anna (Isabelle Adjani) reveals to her husband, Mark (Sam Neill), that she is having an affair, she leaves him and their son. Mark is devastated, and seeks out Heinrich (Heinz Bennent), the man who cuckolded him, only to receive a beating. After a series of violent confrontations between Mark and Anna, Mark hires a private investigator to follow her. Anna descends into madness, and it's soon clear that she is hiding a much bigger secret -- one that is both inexplicable and shocking.More Possession- #294 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #65 of 75 onThe Best Movies Of 1981
- #18 of 20 on20 Shocking Horror Movie Endings That Took You by Surprise
121981In the 1981 sci-fi horror film Scanners, directed by David Cronenberg, we delve into a chilling tale of psychic warfare. The narrative revolves around Cameron Vale (Stephen Lack), a social outcast burdened with telepathic abilities. When a mysterious organization led by Dr. Paul Ruth (Patrick McGoohan) discovers him, they aim to use his powers against their enemies - rogue Scanners. Among them is the sinister Darryl Revok (Michael Ironside), a powerful Scanner hell-bent on domination. As Vale becomes entangled in this dangerous world, he must confront Revok and decide where his loyalties lie. This movie offers an eerie exploration of power, control, and the human mind.More Scanners- #258 of 397 onThe Best Horror Movies Of All Time
- #305 of 399 onThe Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
- #24 of 75 onThe Best Movies Of 1981
131981The Beyond is a 1981 Italian horror film directed by Lucio Fulci. The second film in Fulci's unofficial Gates of Hell trilogy, The Beyond has gained a cult following over the decades, in part because of the film's gore-filled sequences, which had been heavily censored when the film was originally released in the United States in 1983.More The Beyond- #95 of 125 onThe Top 100+ Zombie Movies Of All Time
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- Dark Night of the Scarecrow is a 1981 American made-for-television suspense horror film directed by veteran novelist Frank De Felitta, from a script by J.D. Feigelson. Feigelson's intent had been to make an independent feature, but his script was bought by CBS for television; despite this, only minor changes were made to the original screenplay.
151981This film is a 1981 horror film directed by Gary Sherman, starring Melody Anderson and James Farentino. With a screenplay written by Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett, the movie was initially banned as a "video nasty" in the UK in the early 1980s, but was later acquitted of obscenity charges and removed from the Director of Public Prosecutions' list. The film was subsequently novelized by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro. In a 1983 interview with Starburst promoting Blue Thunder, O'Bannon disowned the film.
161981Bloody Birthday is a 1981 slasher film directed by Ed Hunt and produced by Gerald T. Olson.
171981Fraternity and sorority pledges ignore rumors and spend the night in a mansion haunted by victims of a family massacre.More Hell Night- #72 of 174 onThe 150+ Best Slashers Of All Time
- #28 of 61 onThe Best '80s Slasher Movies, Ranked
- #22 of 24 onThe Top 25 Must-See Quintessential Slasher Movies
181981Final Exam is a 1981 slasher film that stars Cecile Bagdadi, Joel S. Rice & Timothy L. Raynor. The film is notable for focusing on establishing its characters and solid pacing. Director Jimmy Huston, also wanted to go against the norm with the film and decided to feature little on-screen graphic violence. Still, like most slasher films of the 1980s, it was battered by critics and received only a brief theatrical run. The film has over time built a small fan base among fans of the slasher genre and was released to DVD for the first time in 2008. It is referenced in Scream 2 along with other college themed slasher films such as: The House on Sorority Row, Graduation Day, The Dorm That Dripped Blood and Splatter University
19Happy Birthday to Me is a 1981 American-Canadian slasher film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Melissa Sue Anderson and Glenn Ford. It was released on 15 May 1981, and has since become something of a cult classic among fans of the slasher genre.More Happy Birthday to Me- #62 of 75 onThe Best Movies Of 1981
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- #54 of 174 onThe 150+ Best Slashers Of All Time
201981Just Before Dawn is a 1981 independent slasher film directed by Jeff Lieberman, and starring Chris Lemmon, Gregg Henry, Deborah Benson, Jamie Rose, and George Kennedy. The film follows a group of hikers who travel into the Oregon mountains to visit property inherited by one of them, only to be hunted by a ruthless backwoods killer. Shot on location in the Silver Falls State Park in Silverton, Oregon, the film has often been praised for its eerie atmosphere and lush cinematography; despite not being a commercial success when released, the film has gained a cult following over the years.
211981A Boston police detective (Leonard Mann) blames ritual beheadings on a professor (Drew Snyder) with a live-in assistant (Rachel Ward).
221981Evilspeak is a 1981 American horror film written by Eric Weston and Joseph Garofalo and directed by Weston. The movie was one of the infamous "Video Nasties" banned in the United Kingdom in the 1980s.
231981Graduation Day is a 1981 cult slasher film, directed by Herb Freed and produced by Troma Entertainment for Columbia Pictures.
241981The Black Cat is a 1981 Italian horror film directed by Lucio Fulci. The film is based loosely on the story of the same name by Edgar Allan Poe, and uses the violent style that typified the director's later career, following films like Don't Torture a Duckling.
25Saturday the 14th is a 1981 American horror-comedy film starring real-life husband and wife Paula Prentiss and Richard Benjamin, co-written and directed by Howard R. Cohen and produced by Julie Corman. A spoof of classic horror movies, it was followed by Saturday the 14th Strikes Back in 1988.- In this second sequel to "The Omen," Antichrist Damien Thorn (Sam Neill) is now a successful 32-year-old businessman ready to fulfill his destiny. As Damien is appointed United States ambassador to Britain, priests led by Father DeCarlo (Rossano Brazzi) try to kill him. While Damien prepares for the return of Jesus Christ, he takes advantage of his relationship with Kate Reynolds (Lisa Harrow) to recruit her son, Peter (Barnaby Holm), as his follower.
271981Absurd is a 1981 Italian horror film directed by Joe D'Amato and written by George Eastman. The film is a follow-up to Antropophagus. Absurd was one of the infamous Video Nasties of the United Kingdom, and became one of 39 titles to be successfully prosecuted under the Obscene Publications Acts in 1984. It was originally released in both a cut and uncut version with identical sleeve design by Medusa Home Video in 1981. The original tape is sought-after and is an expensive collectable among fans. It was released in 1980s in the United States as Monster Hunter by Wizard Video. To add to its questionable fame, the film inspired the name for German black metal act Absurd, whose members later switched their interest from gore films to right wing politics and committed murder in 1993. The film was considered, at the time of its release, as a "sequel" to the Zombi of horror films, under the title Zombie 6: Monster Hunter. An incorrect description on the back of the box promoted the film as a sequel to those zombie films for a period of time.
28The House by the Cemetery is a 1981 Italian supernatural horror film directed by Lucio Fulci. The film stars Catriona MacColl, Paolo Malco, Ania Pieroni, Giovanni Frezza, Silvia Collatina and Dagmar Lassander. It is the third instalment of the unofficial Gates of Hell trilogy which also includes City of the Living Dead and The Beyond. Its plot revolves around a series of murders taking place in a New England home–a home which happens to be hiding a particularly gruesome secret within its basement walls. Themes and motifs from popular horror films such as The Shining, The Amityville Horror and Frankenstein are readily on display. This movie made the infamous video nasty list in the United Kingdom.
291981New York City police investigator Dewey Wilson (Albert Finney) is trying to solve a series of grisly deaths in which the victims have seemingly been maimed by feral animals. He teams up with expert criminologist Rebecca Neff (Diane Venora), and together they stumble upon a band of inner-city Native Americans, led by the streetwise Eddie Holt (Edward James Olmos), who warns Wilson and Neff about a wolf-like, mythical creature that could offer a shocking solution to this disturbing case.
301981Broadway star Sally (Lauren Bacall) is successful, famous and working on a new musical. But she's in love with ex-husband Jake (James Garner), and his absence creates a void in her life. Despite her loneliness, she doesn't reciprocate when a fan, Douglas (Michael Biehn), starts sending her letters. This angers the delusional admirer so much that he starts getting violent. With secretary Belle (Maureen Stapleton) and others caught up in the drama, Sally's career and well-being are jeopardized.
