List of horror films of 1981

Horror film lists
By decade
1896–1959
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s

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 MakichukRiva Spier, Murray Ord, Sheri McFaddenCanada [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
  1. Hardy 1995, p. 359.
  2. Binion, Cavett. "The Alchemist". AllMovie. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  3. Shelley 2012, p. 57.
  4. Muir 2010, p. 37.
  5. Muir 2010, pp. 351–352.
  6. Mannikka, Eleanor. "The Black Cat". AllMovie. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  7. Muir 2010, pp. 70–71.
  8. Buchanan, Jason. "Bloody Moon". AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  9. Muir 2010, pp. 224–226.
  10. Muir 2011, pp. 227-229.
  11. Binion, Cavett. "The Burial Ground". AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  12. Muir 2010, pp. 228–230.
  13. Young 2000, p. 80.
  14. Firsching, Robert. "Cannibal Ferox". AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  15. Erickson, Hal. "Cataclysm". AllMovie. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  16. Young 2000, p. 134.
  17. Hardy 1995, pp. 360-1.
  18. Muir 2010, pp. 150–151.
  19. Muir 2010, pp. 151–153.
  20. Young 2000, p. 150.
  21. Binion, Cavett. "Docteur Jekyll et les Femmes". AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  22. Kerekes & Slater 2005, pp. 138–148.
  23. Heller-Nicholas 2011, p. 94.
  24. Hardy 1995, p. 376.
  25. Mazur 2011, p. 497.
  26. Young 2000, p. 202.
  27. Muir 2010, pp. 155–157.
  28. Hardy 1995, p. 362.
  29. Muir 2010, pp. 163–164.
  30. Muir 2010, pp. 164–166.
  31. Warren 2010, p. 136.
  32. Muir 2010, pp. 166–168.
  33. Muir 2010, pp. 173–174.
  34. Muir 2010, p. 176.
  35. Pratley 2003, p. 393.
  36. Muir 2010, pp. 178–180.
  37. Muir 2010, pp. 180–185.
  38. Muir 2010, pp. 185–187.
  39. Muir 2010, pp. 187–189.
  40. Muir 2010, pp. 246–248.
  41. Muir 2010, p. 104.
  42. Muir 2010, pp. 250–252.
  43. Muir 2010, pp. 189–191.
  44. Young 2000, pp. 306-7.
  45. Muir et al.
  46. Muir 2010, pp. 259–260.
  47. Joshi 2007, p. 464.
  48. Hardy 1995, p. 367.
  49. Muir 2010, pp. 194–196.
  50. Muir 2010, pp. 198–200.
  51. Young 2000, p. 440.
  52. Muir 2010, pp. 119–121.
  53. Brennan, Sandra. "Nighmare". AllMovie. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  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.
  58. Young 2000, p. 494.
  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.
  61. Muir 2010, pp. 202–204.
  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.
  65. Shelley 2012, pp. 70–72.
  66. Muir, 2010 & -202, pp. 199.
  67. Muir 2010, pp. 210–213.

Sources
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