1. "Raiders of the Lost Ark"(1981)
Director Steven Spielberg was looking to erase the memory of a rare failure(1979's "1941") when he joined forces with George Lucas to construct the ultimate escapist film, a throwback to adventure serials of the 1930s with contemporary technology and a modern sensibility. He far exceeded that goal. Whether or not it's the "greatest action movie of all time" is open to debate, but it's definitely the most important, as most of what passed for action before '81 just wasn't going to cut it anymore. The bar was raised significantly that summer. Has any movie ever had a better first ten minutes? Harrison Ford IS Indiana Jones, a rugged archaeologist-adventurer, and the coolest hero not named James Bond ever committed to celluloid. Indy battles Nazis on a globetrotting mission to retrieve a lost ark supposedly containing remnants of the Ten Commandments. Karen Allen has plenty of spunk as his old flame Marion Ravenwood, and there are at least half a dozen classic scenes. Cinema just doesn't come any more iconic than this. "Raiders" was easily the highest grosser of the year, and remains one of the defining works of an era with no shortage of pulse-pounding entertainment.
2. "The Road Warrior"(1981)
When I mentioned that "Raiders" being the greatest action movie was debatable, it's because somebody is always going to bring up the fact that Mel Gibson showed up wielding a sawed-off in dusty bondage gear later that year. Indy had the huge box office and mainstream appeal, but Mad Max's slow-building cult fan-base sent the volatile Aussie hunk on the road to super-stardom. After a gritty, low-budget intro in 1979, George Miller's superior sequel is the craziest demolition derby in a post-apocalyptic wasteland you've ever seen. Dialogue and plot are kept to a bare minimum- this is an unapologetic B-movie. But the costumes, make-up, and stunts in this grizzled spectacle are as good as anything that had been done up to this point, and even outshines many of today's sterile CGI fests.
3. "Reds"(1981)
Despite some well-publicized misfires and lengthy layoffs, I'll say one thing for Warren Beatty. When he DID make movies, the womanizing actor-director always swung for the fences, and this politically-charged love story was absolutely his most accomplished and ambitious undertaking. An epic 195-minute treatment of American Communist John Reed's involvement in the Russian Revolution from 1915-20, features documentary-style testimonials from actual witnesses interspersed with a reenactment of Reed's stormy marriage to socialite Louise Bryant(Diane Keaton in her best dramatic performance). Jack Nicholson shows up to insure maximum critical acclaim, as Beatty's hard work was rewarded with twelve Academy Award nominations, more than any film in the previous fifteen years, for which it won three- Best Director(Beatty), Best Supporting Actress(Maureen Stapleton), and Best Cinematography.
4. "Chariots of Fire"(1981)
There are some scenes everyone is familiar with even if they've never seen the movie. The jog on the beach pictured above with that immortal Vangelis score in the background is definitely one of them, and if you're under the age of 35, you've probably never seen 1981's Best Picture winner. It's a shame, but that's just what happens with the passage of time, especially when there's no A-list actor or deified director keeping it front and center on DVD racks in retail stores. Hugh Hudson's handsomely mounted story of two young champion runners training for the 1924 Paris Olympics offers an impressively detailed recreation of the period and equally fine performances from Ben Cross, Ian Holm and Ian Charleson.
5. "Superman II"(1981)
Christopher Reeve's Man of Steel soars in this glorious sequel that many prefer over the majestic 1978 original. After a touching courtship, Kal-El gives up his powers to make love to Lois Lane(Margot Kidder), while three super-villains from Krypton take over the Earth. Terence Stamp's General Zod is one of the great '80s villains, Gene Hackman's hilarious Lex Luthor is still loose, and the franchise reached it's inarguable peak with that epic final battle above the skyscrapers of Metropolis. Forget about the Salkinds and the Richard Donner vs. Richard Lester directorial debate. Either way you slice it, "Superman II" is a winner.
6. "On Golden Pond"(1981)
Screen legends Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn rode off into the cinematic sunset in this geriatric tearjerker. They both won Academy Awards(Fonda's first, Hepburn's FOURTH) for their dignified portrayals of an elderly couple facing the end of their lives together. Henry's superstar daughter Jane Fonda provided ample support on both sides of the camera(she was the driving force behind the project) and confirmed her status as the preeminent actress of THIS generation before all those workout tapes beckoned. A quietly affecting look at old age and long-standing familial resentments.
7. "Arthur"(1981)
Diminutive British comic Dudley Moore became Hollywood's unlikeliest leading man, thanks to his crowd-pleasing role as drunken millionaire-playboy Arthur Bach. His charm and comedic skill are immediately apparent as he tosses out a series of boozy one-liners and romances poor girl Liza Minnelli. But the droll, scene-stealing talents of John Gielgud as his butler/conscience Hobson, and Burt Bacharach's immensely catchy, Oscar-winning theme song played no small part in it's success. Please don't get this confused with it's 1988 sequel or the 2011 Russell Brandt remake.
8. "Gallipoli"(1981)
1981 was indeed a great year for Mel Gibson. Along with director Peter Weir, he rode the Australian New Wave all the way to major prominence in US cinema(his co-star Mark Lee wasn't as fortunate) and planted the seeds for the wild success that came later. The historical drama has become a Gibson calling card and it's very likely that he derived some inspiration from this dynamic reenactment of the disastrous battle of Gallipoli during World War I. Weir is faithful to real life events, but he emphasizes character over carnage and the resultant anti-war sentiment is effective.
9. "Body Heat"(1981)
William Hurt is a sleazy Florida lawyer locked in a passionate tryst with a local seductress(Kathleen Turner), who wants her rich husband(Richard Crenna) dead. Director Lawrence Kasdan brought a modern-day edge to this steamy update of the 1944 film noir "Double Endemnity", and Turner's scorching film debut propelled her to instant leading lady status. It's slightly jarring to see how hot she once was given her present state, and Mickey Rourke's brief appearance as a creepy arsonist is also a strong argument for self-preservation. Bleak, tragic, sensual. Put the kids to bed and enjoy.
10. "Blow Out"(1981)
John Travolta's last good role, before his career slid drastically in the '80s, came courtesy of Brian De Palma(they first met up in "Carrie") in this stylish thriller that's reminiscent of Francis Ford Coppola's "The Conversation". JT's talent and charm are on full display as a movie sound man embroiled in murder and a political conspiracy while Nancy Allen, Dennis Franz, and John Lithgow all deliver in supporting roles. A flop at the time of it's release, the film went on to pick up some enthusiastic fans in the afterlife of cable and home video(Quentin Tarantino has repeatedly cited it as a personal favorite).
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