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]
The Burial Ground	Andrea Bianchi		Italy		^[10]
The Burning	Tony Maylam	Leah Ayres, Larry Joshua, Jason Alexander	United States		^[11]
Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker	William Asher, Michael Miller	Susan Tyrrell, Jimmy McNichol, Julia Duffy	United States	Alternative title(s) Night Warning Nightmare Maker	^[12]
Cannibal Ferox	Umberto Lenzi	Danilo Mattei, Zora Kerova, John Bartha	Italy Spain	Alternative title(s) Make Them Die Slowly Woman From Deep River	^[13]
Cataclysm	Phillip Marshak, Tom McGowan	Cameron Mitchell, Marc Lawrence	United States	Alternative title(s) Satan's Supper The Nightmare Never Ends	^[14]
Dark Night of the Scarecrow	Frank De Felitta	Lane Smith, Jocelyn Brando, Charles Durning	United States	Television film	^[15]
Dawn of the Mummy	Frank Agrama, Armand Weston	Brenda King, Barry Sattels, George Peck	United States		^[16]
A Day of Judgment	Charles Reynolds	William T. Hicks, Harris Bloodworth, Deborah Bloodwoth	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 Evil Dead	Sam Raimi	Ellen Sandweiss, Bruce Campbell, Theresa Tilly	United States		^[23]
Evilspeak	Eric Weston	Clint Howard, R. G. Armstrong, Lynn Hancock	United States		^[24]
Eyes of a Stranger	Ken Wiederhorn	Lauren Tewes, Jennifer Jason Leigh, John DiSanti	United States		^[25]
Fear No Evil	Frank LaLoggia	Stefan Arngrim, Elizabeth Hoffman, Kathleen Rowe McAllen	United States		^[26]
Final Exam	Jimmy Huston	Sam Kilman, Cecile Bagdadi, DeAnna Robbins	United States		^[27]
Friday the 13th Part 2	Steve Miner	Amy Steel, John Furey, Adrienne King	United States		^[28]
Full Moon High	Larry Cohen	Adam Arkin, Roz Kelly, Elizabeth Hartman	United States		^[29]
The Funhouse	Tobe Hooper	Elizabeth Berridge, Cooper Huckabee, Largo Woodruff	United States		^[30]
Galaxy of Terror	Bruce D. Clark	Robert Englund, Sid Haig, Grace Zabriskie	United States		^[31]
Ghost Story	John Irvin	Fred Astaire, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Alice Krige	United States		^[32]
Ghostkeeper	Jim Makichuk	Riva Spier, Murray Ord, Sheri McFadden	Canada		^[33]
Graduation Day	Herb Freed	Christopher George, Patch MacKenzie, E. Danny Murphy	United States		^[34]
Halloween II	Rick Rosenthal	Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis	United States		^[35]
The Hand	Oliver Stone	Michael Caine, Andrea Marcovicci, Annie McEnroe	United States		^[36]
Happy Birthday to Me	J. Lee Thompson	Melissa Sue Anderson, Glenn Ford, Tracey E. Bregman	Canada		^[37]
Hell Night	Tom DeSimone	Linda Blair, Vincent Van Patten, Peter Barton	United States		^[38]
Home Sweet Home	Nettie Peña	Peter de Paula, Vinessa Shaw, Jake Steinfeld	United States		^[39]
The House by the Cemetery	Lucio Fulci	Catriona MacColl, Paolo Malco, Kenneth A. Olsen	Italy		^[40]
The Howling	Joe Dante	Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan	United States		^[41]
Inseminoid	Norman J. Warren	Judy Geeson, Robin Clarke, Jennifer Ashley	United Kingdom		^[42]
The Intruder Within	Peter Carter	Chad Everett, Joseph Bottoms, Jennifer Warren	United States	Television film	^[43]
Just Before Dawn	Jeff Lieberman	Chris Lemmon, Deborah Benson, George Kennedy	United States		^[44]
The Loch Ness Horror	Larry Buchanan	Sandy Kenyon, Miki MacKenzie	United States		^[45]
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	^[46]
The Monster Club	Roy Ward Baker	Vincent Price, John Carradine, Donald Pleasence	United Kingdom		^[47]
Ms .45	Abel Ferrara	Zoe Tamerlis	United States
My Bloody Valentine	George Mihalka	Paul Kelman, Lori Hallier, Neil Affleck	Canada		^[48]
Mystics in Bali	H. Tjut Djalil	Ilona Agathe Bastian, Yos Santo, Sofia W.D.	Indonesia		^[49]
The Nesting	Armand Weston	Robin Groves, Christopher Loomis, Michael David Lally	United States		^[50]
Night School	Ken Hughes	Leonard Mann, Rachel Ward, Drew Snyder	United States		^[51]
Nightmare	Romano Scavolini	Baird Stafford, Sharon Smith, C. J. Cooke	United States	Alternative title(s) Nightmares in a Damaged Brain	^[52]
Omen III: The Final Conflict	Graham Baker	Mason Adams, Lisa Harrow, Sam Neill	United Kingdom United States		^[53]
Piranha II: The Spawning	James Cameron	Tricia O'Neil, Steve Marachuk, Lance Henriksen	Italy		^[54]
The Pit	Lew Lehman	Sammy Snyders, Jeannie Elias, Laura Hollingsworth	Canada United States		^[55]
Porno Holocaust	Joe D'Amato, Bruno Mattei	George Eastman, Annj Goren, Dirce Funari	Italy		^[56]
Possession	Andrzej Zulawski	Isabelle Adjani, Sam Neill, Heinz Bennent	France West Germany		^[57]
The Prowler	Joseph Zito	Vicki Dawson, Christopher Goutman, Cindy Weintraub	United States		^[58]
Scanners	David Cronenberg	Stephen Lack, Jennifer O'Neill, Michael Ironside	Canada		^[59]
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		^[60]
Suddenly at Midnight	Ko Young-nam	Kim Young-ae, Yoon Il-bong, Lee Ki-seon	South Korea		^[61]
The Survivor	David Hemmings	Robert Powell, Jenny Agutter, Joseph Cotten	Australia		^[62]
This House Possessed	William Wiard	Parker Stevenson, Lisa Eilbacher	United States	Television film	^[63]
Venom	Piers Haggard	Klaus Kinski, Oliver Reed, Sterling Hayden, Sarah Miles	United Kingdom		^[64]
Wolfen	Michael Wadleigh	Albert Finney, Diane Venora, Edward James Olmos	United States		^[65]

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.
^ 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.
^ "A Day of Judgment (1981) - Christopher Reynolds, C.D.H. Reynolds | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie".
^ 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.
^ Hardy 1995, p. 376.
^ Mazur 2011, p. 497.
^ Young 2000, p. 202.
^ 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 2010, pp. 193–196.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 259–260.
^ Joshi 2007, p. 464.
^ Hardy 1995, p. 367.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 194–196.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 198–200.
^ "Mystics in Bali (1981) - H. Tjut Djalil | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie".
^ 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.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 202–204.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 209–2010.
^ Paquet, Darcy. "Suddenly at Midnight". Koreanfilm.org. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
^ Shelley 2012, pp. 70–72.
^ Muir 2010, pp. 199–202.
^ Betzold, Michael. "Venom". AllMovie. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
^ 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 978-0-7864-4961-3.
Joshi, S. T. (2007). Icons of horror and the supernatural: an encyclopedia of our worst nightmares. Vol. 2. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-313-33782-6.
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 978-0-313-33072-8.
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 978-0-8135-4796-1.
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.

External links

Horror films of 1981 on Internet Movie Database

[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.

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

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010228–230-11] Muir 2010, pp. 228–230.

[FOOTNOTEYoung200080-12] Young 2000, p. 80.

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

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

[FOOTNOTEYoung2000134-15] Young 2000, p. 134.

[FOOTNOTEHardy1995360–1-16] Hardy 1995, pp. 360–1.

[17] "A Day of Judgment (1981) - Christopher Reynolds, C.D.H. Reynolds | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie".

[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.

[FOOTNOTEHardy1995376-23] Hardy 1995, p. 376.

[FOOTNOTEMazur2011497-24] Mazur 2011, p. 497.

[FOOTNOTEYoung2000202-25] Young 2000, p. 202.

[FOOTNOTEHardy1995362-26] Hardy 1995, p. 362.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010163–164-27] Muir 2010, pp. 163–164.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010164–166-28] Muir 2010, pp. 164–166.

[FOOTNOTEWarren2010136-29] Warren 2010, p. 136.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010166–168-30] Muir 2010, pp. 166–168.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010173–174-31] Muir 2010, pp. 173–174.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010176-32] Muir 2010, p. 176.

[FOOTNOTEPratley2003393-33] Pratley 2003, p. 393.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010178–180-34] Muir 2010, pp. 178–180.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010180–185-35] Muir 2010, pp. 180–185.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010185–187-36] Muir 2010, pp. 185–187.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010187–189-37] Muir 2010, pp. 187–189.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010246–248-38] Muir 2010, pp. 246–248.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010104-39] Muir 2010, p. 104.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010250–252-40] Muir 2010, pp. 250–252.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010189–191-41] Muir 2010, pp. 189–191.

[FOOTNOTEYoung2000306–7-42] Young 2000, pp. 306–7.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010193–196-43] Muir 2010, pp. 193–196.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010259–260-44] Muir 2010, pp. 259–260.

[FOOTNOTEJoshi2007464-45] Joshi 2007, p. 464.

[FOOTNOTEHardy1995367-46] Hardy 1995, p. 367.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010194–196-47] Muir 2010, pp. 194–196.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010198–200-48] Muir 2010, pp. 198–200.

[49] "Mystics in Bali (1981) - H. Tjut Djalil | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie".

[FOOTNOTEYoung2000440-50] Young 2000, p. 440.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010119–121-51] Muir 2010, pp. 119–121.

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

[FOOTNOTEYoung2000462-53] Young 2000, p. 462.

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

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

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

[FOOTNOTEYoung2000494-57] Young 2000, p. 494.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010200–202-58] Muir 2010, pp. 200–202.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010202–204-59] Muir 2010, pp. 202–204.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010209–2010-60] Muir 2010, pp. 209–2010.

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

[FOOTNOTEShelley201270–72-62] Shelley 2012, pp. 70–72.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010199–202-63] Muir 2010, pp. 199–202.

[64] Betzold, Michael. "Venom". AllMovie. Retrieved June 4, 2021.

[FOOTNOTEMuir2010210–213-65] Muir 2010, pp. 210–213.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

[28]

[29]

[30]

[31]

[32]

[33]

[34]

[35]

[36]

[37]

[38]

[39]

[40]

[41]

[42]

[43]

[44]

[45]

[46]

[47]

[48]

[49]

[50]

[51]

[52]

[53]

[54]

[55]

[56]

[57]

[58]

[59]

[60]

[61]

[62]

[63]

[64]

[65]

v t e Horror fiction
Speculative fiction
Media	Anime Comics Films History Magazines Podcasts Television programs Video games list
Types	Art Black Body Cannibal Christmas Comedy Zombie Creepypasta Cosmic Dark fantasy Dark Romanticism Faustian Grimdark Splatterpunk Erotic Guro Monster erotica Zombie pornography Folk Ghost Giallo List of films Gothic American Southern Southern Ontario Suburban Tasmanian Urban Japanese Korean Lovecraftian Monsters Jiangshi Vampire Werewolf Occult detective Organ transplantation Penny dreadful Postmodern horror Psychological Survival Techno Weird fiction New weird Weird menace Weird West Zombie apocalypse
Monsters	Demons Devils Ghouls Evil clowns Extraterrestrials Fire-breathing monsters Chimera Dragons Gargoyles Kaiju Killer toy Mutants Ogres Sea monster Piranha Therianthropes Werecats Werewolves Undead Death Ghosts Mummies Skeletons Vampires Zombies Witches
Related genres	Black comedy Fantastique Fantasy fiction Mystery Paranormal Science fiction Shenmo Supernatural Thriller Tokusatsu Urban legend
Other	Grand Guignol Writers Conventions LGBT themes characters Macabre Horror host Horror punk Deathrock Horrorcore Vulgar auteurism
Related	Pulp magazine Internet Speculative Fiction Database Bram Stoker Award Video nasties
Category Portal