List of horror films of 1981

A list of horror films released in 1981.

Title	Director(s)	Cast	Country	Notes	Ref.
Absurd	Joe D'Amato	George Eastman, Annie Belle, Charles Borromel	Italy	Alternative title(s) Rosso Sangue Anthropophagus 2 The Grim Reaper 2 Zombie 6: Monster Hunter	^[1]
The Alchemist	James Amante, Charles Band	Robert Ginty, Lucinda Dooling, John Sanderford	United States		^[2]
Alison's Birthday	Ian Coughlan	Joanne Samuel, Margie McCrae, Martin Vaughan	Australia		^[3]
An American Werewolf in London	John Landis	David Naughton, Griffin Dunne, Jenny Agutter	United States United Kingdom		^[4]
The Beyond	Lucio Fulci	David Warbeck, Catriona MacColl, Al Cliver	Italy	Alternative title(s) The Seven Doors of Death	^[5]
The Black Cat	Lucio Fulci	Patrick Magee, Mimsy Farmer, David Warbeck	Italy United Kingdom		^[6]
Blood Beach	Jeffrey Bloom	David Huffman, Marianna Hill, John Saxon	United States		^[7]
Bloody Moon	Jesús Franco	Nadja Gerganoff, Otto Retzer, Jasmin Losensky	Germany		^[8]
The Boogens	James L. Conway	Rebecca Balding, Fred McCarren, Anne-Marie Martin	United States		^[9]
Blow Out	Brian De Palma	John Travolta, Nancy Allen	United States		^[10]
The Burial Ground	Andrea Bianchi		Italy		^[11]
The Burning	Tony Maylam	Leah Ayres, Larry Joshua, Jason Alexander	United States		^[12]
Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker	William Asher, Michael Miller	Susan Tyrrell, Jimmy McNichol, Julia Duffy	United States	Alternative title(s) Night Warning Nightmare Maker	^[13]
Cannibal Ferox	Umberto Lenzi	Danilo Mattei, Zora Kerova, John Bartha	Italy Spain	Alternative title(s) Make Them Die Slowly Woman From Deep River	^[14]
Cataclysm	Phillip Marshak, Tom McGowan	Cameron Mitchell, Marc Lawrence	United States	Alternative title(s) Satan's Supper The Nightmare Never Ends	^[15]
Dark Night of the Scarecrow	Frank De Felitta	Lane Smith, Jocelyn Brando, Charles Durning	United States	Television film	^[16]
Dawn of the Mummy	Frank Agrama, Armand Weston	Brenda King, Barry Sattels, George Peck	United States		^[17]
Dead & Buried	Gary Sherman	James Farentino, Melody Anderson, Jack Albertson	United States		^[18]
Deadly Blessing	Wes Craven	Maren Jensen, Susan Buckner, Sharon Stone	United States		^[19]
Demonoid	Alfredo Zacarías	Samantha Eggar, Stuart Whitman, Roy Jenson	Mexico		^[20]
Docteur Jekyll et les femmes	Walerian Borowczyk	Udo Kier, Marina Pierro, Howard Vernon	France		^[21]
Don't Go Near the Park	Lawrence D. Foldes	Aldo Ray, Meeno Peluce, Barbara Bain	United States		^[22]
Don't Go in the Woods	James Bryan	Nick McClelland, James P. Hayden, Mary Gail Artz	United States
The Entity	Sidney J. Furie	Barbara Hershey	United States		^[23]
The Evil Dead	Sam Raimi	Ellen Sandweiss, Bruce Campbell, Theresa Tilly	United States		^[24]
Evilspeak	Eric Weston	Clint Howard, R. G. Armstrong, Lynn Hancock	United States		^[25]
Eyes of a Stranger	Ken Wiederhorn	Lauren Tewes, Jennifer Jason Leigh, John DiSanti	United States		^[26]
The Fan	Edward Bianchi	Lauren Bacall, Michael Biehn, James Garner	United States		^[27]
Fear No Evil	Frank LaLoggia	Stefan Arngrim, Elizabeth Hoffman, Kathleen Rowe McAllen	United States		^[28]
Final Exam	Jimmy Huston	Sam Kilman, Cecile Bagdadi, DeAnna Robbins	United States		^[29]
Friday the 13th Part 2	Steve Miner	Amy Steel, John Furey, Adrienne King	United States		^[30]
Full Moon High	Larry Cohen	Adam Arkin, Roz Kelly, Elizabeth Hartman	United States		^[31]
The Funhouse	Tobe Hooper	Elizabeth Berridge, Cooper Huckabee, Largo Woodruff	United States		^[32]
Galaxy of Terror	Bruce D. Clark	Robert Englund, Sid Haig, Grace Zabriskie	United States		^[33]
Ghost Story	John Irvin	Fred Astaire, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Alice Krige	United States		^[34]
Ghostkeeper	Jim Makichuk	Riva Spier, Murray Ord, Sheri McFadden	Canada		^[35]
Graduation Day	Herb Freed	Christopher George, Patch MacKenzie, E. Danny Murphy	United States		^[36]
Halloween II	Rick Rosenthal	Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis	United States		^[37]
The Hand	Oliver Stone	Michael Caine, Andrea Marcovicci, Annie McEnroe	United States		^[38]
Happy Birthday to Me	J. Lee Thompson	Melissa Sue Anderson, Glenn Ford, Tracey E. Bregman	Canada		^[39]
Hell Night	Tom DeSimone	Linda Blair, Vincent Van Patten, Peter Barton	United States		^[40]
Home Sweet Home	Nettie Peña	Peter de Paula, Vinessa Shaw, Jake Steinfeld	United States		^[41]
The House by the Cemetery	Lucio Fulci	Catriona MacColl, Paolo Malco, Kenneth A. Olsen	Italy		^[42]
The Howling	Joe Dante	Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan	United States		^[43]
Inseminoid	Norman J. Warren	Judy Geeson, Robin Clarke, Jennifer Ashley	United Kingdom		^[44]
The Intruder Within	Peter Carter	Chad Everett, Joseph Bottoms, Jennifer Warren	United States	Television film	^[45]
Just Before Dawn	Jeff Lieberman	Chris Lemmon, Deborah Benson, George Kennedy	United States		^[46]
The Loch Ness Horror	Larry Buchanan	Sandy Kenyon, Miki MacKenzie	United States		^[47]
Madhouse	Ovidio G. Assonitis	Trish Everly, Michael MacRae, Dennis Robertson	United States	Alternative titles And When She Was Bad Scared to Death There Was a Little Girl	^[48]
The Monster Club	Roy Ward Baker	Vincent Price, John Carradine, Donald Pleasence	United Kingdom		^[49]
My Bloody Valentine	George Mihalka	Paul Kelman, Lori Hallier, Neil Affleck	Canada		^[50]
The Nesting	Armand Weston	Robin Groves, Christopher Loomis, Michael David Lally	United States		^[51]
Night School	Ken Hughes	Leonard Mann, Rachel Ward, Drew Snyder	United States		^[52]
Nightmare	Romano Scavolini	Baird Stafford, Sharon Smith, C. J. Cooke	United States	Alternative title(s) Nightmares in a Damaged Brain	^[53]
Omen III: The Final Conflict	Graham Baker	Mason Adams, Lisa Harrow, Sam Neill	United Kingdom United States		^[54]
Piranha II: The Spawning	James Cameron	Tricia O'Neil, Steve Marachuk, Lance Henriksen	Italy		^[55]
The Pit	Lew Lehman	Sammy Snyders, Jeannie Elias, Laura Hollingsworth	Canada United States		^[56]
Porno Holocaust	Joe D'Amato, Bruno Mattei	George Eastman, Annj Goren, Dirce Funari	Italy		^[57]
Possession	Andrzej Zulawski	Isabelle Adjani, Sam Neill, Heinz Bennent	France West Germany		^[58]
The Prowler	Joseph Zito	Vicki Dawson, Christopher Goutman, Cindy Weintraub	United States		^[59]
Saturday the 14th	Howard R. Cohen	Richard Benjamin, Paula Prentiss, Severn Darden	United States		^[60]
Scanners	David Cronenberg	Stephen Lack, Jennifer O'Neill, Michael Ironside	Canada		^[61]
Scared to Death	William Malone	John Stinson, Diana Davidson, Jonathon David Moses	United States
Strange Behavior	Michael Laughlin	Michael Murphy, Louise Fletcher, Dan Shor	Australia New Zealand		^[62]
Student Bodies	Mickey Rose	Kristen Riter, Matthew Goldsby, Richard Brando	United States		^[63]
Suddenly at Midnight	Ko Young-nam	Kim Young-ae, Yoon Il-bong, Lee Ki-seon	South Korea		^[64]
The Survivor	David Hemmings	Robert Powell, Jenny Agutter, Joseph Cotten	Australia		^[65]
This House Possessed	William Wiard	Parker Stevenson, Lisa Eilbacher	United States	Television film	^[66]
Wolfen	Michael Wadleigh	Albert Finney, Diane Venora, Edward James Olmos	United States		^[67]

References

^ Hardy 1995, p. 359.
^ Binion, Cavett. "The Alchemist". AllMovie. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
^ Shelley 2012, p. 57.
^ Muir 2010, p. 37.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 351–352.
^ Mannikka, Eleanor. "The Black Cat". AllMovie. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 70–71.
^ Buchanan, Jason. "Bloody Moon". AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 224–226.
^ Muir 2011, pp. 227–229.
^ Binion, Cavett. "The Burial Ground". AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 228–230.
^ Young 2000, p. 80.
^ Firsching, Robert. "Cannibal Ferox". AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
^ Erickson, Hal. "Cataclysm". AllMovie. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
^ Young 2000, p. 134.
^ Hardy 1995, pp. 360–1.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 150–151.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 151–153.
^ Young 2000, p. 150.
^ Binion, Cavett. "Docteur Jekyll et les Femmes". AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
^ Kerekes & Slater 2005, pp. 138–148.
^ Heller-Nicholas 2011, p. 94.
^ Hardy 1995, p. 376.
^ Mazur 2011, p. 497.
^ Young 2000, p. 202.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 155–157.
^ Hardy 1995, p. 362.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 163–164.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 164–166.
^ Warren 2010, p. 136.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 166–168.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 173–174.
^ Muir 2010, p. 176.
^ Pratley 2003, p. 393.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 178–180.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 180–185.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 185–187.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 187–189.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 246–248.
^ Muir 2010, p. 104.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 250–252.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 189–191.
^ Young 2000, pp. 306–7.
^ Muir et al.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 259–260.
^ Joshi 2007, p. 464.
^ Hardy 1995, p. 367.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 194–196.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 198–200.
^ Young 2000, p. 440.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 119–121.
^ Brennan, Sandra. "Nighmare". AllMovie. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
^ Young 2000, p. 462.
^ Mannikka, Eleanor. "Piranha II: The Spawning". AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
^ Wheeler, Jeremy. "The Pit". AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
^ Beldin, Fred. "Porno Holocaust". AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
^ Young 2000, p. 494.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 200–202.
^ "Saturday the 14th". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Los Angeles, California: American Film Institute. Archived from the original on January 8, 2020.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 202–204.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 209–2010.
^ Deming, Mark. "Student Bodies". AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
^ Paquet, Darcy. "Suddenly at Midnight". Koreanfilm.org. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
^ Shelley 2012, pp. 70–72.
^ Muir, 2010 & -202, pp. 199.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 210–213.

Sources

Hardy, Phil, ed. (1995). The Overlook Film Encyclopedia. Vol. 3. Overlook Press. ISBN 0-87951-624-0.
Heller-Nicholas, Alexandra (2011). Rape-Revenge Films: A Critical Study. McFarland & Company. ISBN 0-7864-4961-6.
Joshi, S. T. (2007). Icons of horror and the supernatural: an encyclopedia of our worst nightmares. Vol. 2. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-313-33782-9.
Kerekes, David; Slater, David (2005). See No Evil: Banned Films and Video Controversy. London, England: Headpress. ISBN 978-1-900-48610-1.
Mazur, Eric (2011). Encyclopedia of Religion and Film. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 0-313-33072-7.
Muir, John Kenneth (2010). Horror Films of the 1980s. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN 978-0-786-45501-0.
Pratley, Gerald (2003). A Century of Canadian Cinema: Gerald Pratley's Feature Film Guide, 1900 to the Present. Toronto, Ontario: Lynx Images. ISBN 978-1-894-07321-9.
Shelley, Peter (2012). Australian Horror Films, 1973-2010. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN 978-0-786-46167-7.
Warren, Bill (2001) [2000]. The Evil Dead Companion. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 0-312-27501-3.
Warren, Wheeler Winston (2010). A History of Horror. Rutgers University Press. ISBN 0-8135-4796-2.
Young, R. G. (2000). The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Film: Ali Baba to Zombies. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 1-55783-269-2. Retrieved June 29, 2011.

[FOOTNOTEHardy1995359-1] Hardy 1995, p. 359.

[2] Binion, Cavett. "The Alchemist". AllMovie. Retrieved November 27, 2011.

[FOOTNOTEShelley201257-3] Shelley 2012, p. 57.

[FOOTNOTEMuir201037-4] Muir 2010, p. 37.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010351–352-5] Muir 2010, pp. 351–352.

[6] Mannikka, Eleanor. "The Black Cat". AllMovie. Retrieved November 27, 2011.

[FOOTNOTEMuir201070–71-7] Muir 2010, pp. 70–71.

[8] Buchanan, Jason. "Bloody Moon". AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010224–226-9] Muir 2010, pp. 224–226.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2011227–229-10] Muir 2011, pp. 227–229.

[11] Binion, Cavett. "The Burial Ground". AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010228–230-12] Muir 2010, pp. 228–230.

[FOOTNOTEYoung200080-13] Young 2000, p. 80.

[14] Firsching, Robert. "Cannibal Ferox". AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.

[15] Erickson, Hal. "Cataclysm". AllMovie. Retrieved November 27, 2011.

[FOOTNOTEYoung2000134-16] Young 2000, p. 134.

[FOOTNOTEHardy1995360–1-17] Hardy 1995, pp. 360–1.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010150–151-18] Muir 2010, pp. 150–151.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010151–153-19] Muir 2010, pp. 151–153.

[FOOTNOTEYoung2000150-20] Young 2000, p. 150.

[21] Binion, Cavett. "Docteur Jekyll et les Femmes". AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.

[FOOTNOTEKerekesSlater2005138–148-22] Kerekes & Slater 2005, pp. 138–148.

[FOOTNOTEHeller-Nicholas201194-23] Heller-Nicholas 2011, p. 94.

[FOOTNOTEHardy1995376-24] Hardy 1995, p. 376.

[FOOTNOTEMazur2011497-25] Mazur 2011, p. 497.

[FOOTNOTEYoung2000202-26] Young 2000, p. 202.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010155–157-27] Muir 2010, pp. 155–157.

[FOOTNOTEHardy1995362-28] Hardy 1995, p. 362.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010163–164-29] Muir 2010, pp. 163–164.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010164–166-30] Muir 2010, pp. 164–166.

[FOOTNOTEWarren2010136-31] Warren 2010, p. 136.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010166–168-32] Muir 2010, pp. 166–168.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010173–174-33] Muir 2010, pp. 173–174.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010176-34] Muir 2010, p. 176.

[FOOTNOTEPratley2003393-35] Pratley 2003, p. 393.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010178–180-36] Muir 2010, pp. 178–180.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010180–185-37] Muir 2010, pp. 180–185.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010185–187-38] Muir 2010, pp. 185–187.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010187–189-39] Muir 2010, pp. 187–189.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010246–248-40] Muir 2010, pp. 246–248.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010104-41] Muir 2010, p. 104.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010250–252-42] Muir 2010, pp. 250–252.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010189–191-43] Muir 2010, pp. 189–191.

[FOOTNOTEYoung2000306–7-44] Young 2000, pp. 306–7.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010pages193-196-45] Muir et al.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010259–260-46] Muir 2010, pp. 259–260.

[FOOTNOTEJoshi2007464-47] Joshi 2007, p. 464.

[FOOTNOTEHardy1995367-48] Hardy 1995, p. 367.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010194–196-49] Muir 2010, pp. 194–196.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010198–200-50] Muir 2010, pp. 198–200.

[FOOTNOTEYoung2000440-51] Young 2000, p. 440.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010119–121-52] Muir 2010, pp. 119–121.

[53] Brennan, Sandra. "Nighmare". AllMovie. Retrieved November 27, 2011.

[FOOTNOTEYoung2000462-54] Young 2000, p. 462.

[55] Mannikka, Eleanor. "Piranha II: The Spawning". AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.

[56] Wheeler, Jeremy. "The Pit". AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.

[57] Beldin, Fred. "Porno Holocaust". AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.

[FOOTNOTEYoung2000494-58] Young 2000, p. 494.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010200–202-59] Muir 2010, pp. 200–202.

[60] "Saturday the 14th". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Los Angeles, California: American Film Institute. Archived from the original on January 8, 2020.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010202–204-61] Muir 2010, pp. 202–204.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010209–2010-62] Muir 2010, pp. 209–2010.

[63] Deming, Mark. "Student Bodies". AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.

[64] Paquet, Darcy. "Suddenly at Midnight". Koreanfilm.org. Retrieved September 27, 2011.

[FOOTNOTEShelley201270–72-65] Shelley 2012, pp. 70–72.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010-202199-66] Muir, 2010 & -202, pp. 199.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010210–213-67] Muir 2010, pp. 210–213.

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