Critics Club III: Film of the Year 1981

[Neon Ignition]

Truly a Super year Man, so Crazy that this Next year Falls upon us as reliably as a Taxi service for a $100 tip. See that 80's Neon and start the Ignition of truly the most important year in the history or mankind!


1981




Share your thoughts and memories of the movies of 1981

[Atticus]

Much as I love Spielberg it's John Carpenter who gets my top vote with Escape From New York. Class film. Love it every time I watch it.

[Neon Ignition]

Raiders is my top choice but also passed a vote on to Escape From New York. Overall, there are some notable films on the '81 list but I wouldn't call many of them great enough to vote for.

[charlesr]

Lol at your first post

[MartyG]

Blimey, 81 had some slim pickings. I can't in good conscious include Porky's because, despite being a cult classic, it's a terrible film.

[vanpeebles]

Time Bandits is class!

Das Boot, Death Hunt, ESCAPE TO VICTORY, Goodbye Pork Pie (@paulos g), Outland, Sharkeys Machine, Southern Comfort.

[teddymeow]

Raiders, Raiders, Raiders!!

[vanpeebles]

Raiders, Raiders, Raiders!!

Not heard of that one, who is in it? Is related to Tora! Tora! Tora!?

[QualityChimp]

Outland

Outland is mint!

->Open Spoiler<-

[QualityChimp]

Scanners

Oh man, this is such a great film. So dark and sinister. Oh and Patrick McGoohan.
The scene where the head explodes is legendary, but it's a great film in its own right.


Blood Beach

OK, so this is awful. Awful, but it's one of those films my family saw and just laughed about loads, so I have a real soft spot for it.


Friday the 13th: Part II

First proper film with Jason in has to get a mention (as Drew Barrymore found to her fatal mistake)!
It's actually one of my faves of the series before it got too silly and he became a reanimated zombie or went into space. Impressive selection of deaths too, from garotting to getting impaled whilst having sex. :O


Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
My first Indy was Temple, so I'll always prefer that, but Raiders is still h'amaze.
Love the scene with the staff, but it's packed with iconic scenes and moments.


The Cannonball Run
This is such a silly film, but so much fun. It's one of those films I've watched loads, and its sequels.


Escape From New York
This is it, right here, people.
Such an amazing experience. The characters, the plot, the music, the action and Snake Plissken. Love it.


An American Werewolf in London
Not as crazy about this as some people, but it's definitely worth seeing.
Love the way his friend decomposes as the film goes on and when he says "give me a keg of beer".
Joke. The transformation scene is astonishing for the time.


Time Bandits
A terribly British adventure through time!


Porky's
Yeah, this shouldn't be on the list, but as a teenager, it was a must-watch.
Pretty tame these days, but it's still worth watching for the laughs. Just.

[Dogg Thang]

So we're just all on board with them renaming Raiders years later? Is that how it is? Is it?!

Anyway, Raiders of the Lost Ark easily takes the top spot for me. It's absolutely brilliant.

But there are a few others I love in there too. Scanners is great - the main actor isn't so wonderful but the film is a really good watch. And Escape From New York is a total classic. And I love that second Muppet movie too.

[vanpeebles]

Scanners

Oh man, this is such a great film. So dark and sinister. Oh and Patrick McGoohan.
The scene where the head explodes is legendary, but it's a great film in its own right.

We need to start a Patrick McGoohan fan section. I saw the Columbo ep the other day where he is a double agent, just wonderful!

[QualityChimp]

We need to start a Patrick McGoohan fan section. I saw the Columbo ep the other day where he is a double agent, just wonderful!

He's amazing. I'll love him forever for being No. 6, but he's class in everything.

He was in Columbo loads, by the way!
"McGoohan received two Emmy Awards for his work on Columbo, with his long-time friend Peter Falk. McGoohan had said that his first appearance on Columbo (episode: "By Dawn's Early Light", 1974) was probably his favourite American role. He directed five Columbo episodes (including three of the four in which he appeared), one of which he also wrote and two of which he also produced. McGoohan was involved with the Columbo series in some capacity from 1974 to 2000 and his daughter Catherine McGoohan appeared with him in his final episode, Ashes to Ashes (1998). The other two Columbo episodes in which he appeared are "Identity Crisis" (1975) and "Agenda For Murder" (1990). McGoohan's four appearances on the series as the murderer was more than any other actor."

[vanpeebles]

I know but I like that episode of his, the best

[QualityChimp]

I remember saying to my nan that I watched the episode with McGoohan in it and she said "which one?!", which is the first time I knew he'd been in it a few times.