For Your Eyes Only (1981) ****

Czlowiek z zelaza (1981) ****

Polish film about the creation of the "Solidarity" trade union. Winner of the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

Atlantic City (1981) ****

Mis (1981) ****

The Road Warrior (1981) ****

Quest For Fire (1981) ****

Smash Palace (1981) ****

Diva (1981) ****

Excalibur (1981) ****

Body Heat (1981) ****

Kobieta samotna (1981) ***

Wstrzasajacy film Agnieszki Holland.

Love And Lies (1981) ***

A superb theme song, "The Last Poem".

Pennies From Heaven (1981) ***

Reds (1981) ***

Ragtime (1981) ***

American Pop (1981) ***

Blow Out (1981) ***

Heavy Metal (1981) ***

Heaven's Gate (1981) ***

Arthur (1981) ***

Arguably Dudley Moore's best film (with "Bedazzled" not far behind).

Chariots Of Fire (1981) ***

Sport drama set during the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. A legendary musical score by Vangelis.

Fox And The Hound (1981) ***

Entertaining Disney movie.

The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) ***

Excellent adaptation of John Fowles' novel.

Byl Jazz (1981) ***

Ciekawy film o grupie muzykow jazzowych w czasach stalinowskich, napotykajacych na wielorakie trudnosci ze strony urzednikow i aktywistow partyjnych. Jeden z nielicznych filmow antykomunistycznych, ukonczonych przed ogloszeniem stanu wojennego. Pokazano go podczas festiwalu filmowego w Gdansku w 1981 roku, ale niezdazyl wejsc na ekrany przed 13 grudnia.

Dreszcze (1981) ***

Dramat o czasach stalinowskich. Film wszedl na ekrany 23 listopada 1981, lecz po trzech tygodniach zostal zakazany.

Il faut tuer Birgit Haas (1981) ***

Birgitt Haas is a former German terrorist. A French secret service team is ordered to kill her and disguise it as an ordinary murder.

Lili Marleen (1981) ***

Interesting film set during World War II.

Only When I Laugh (1981) ***

An excellent adaptation of a Neil Simon's play. Marsha Mason gives a great performance.

La Femme de l'aviateur (1981) ***

Une comédie très intelligente sur les relations humaines.

Martial Club (1981) ***

Possession (1981) ***

Beau pere (1981) ***

Les Fruits de la passion (1981) ***

Jeux de la Comtesse Dolingen de Gratz (1981) ***

Dr Jekyll et les femmes (1981) ***

Mephisto (1981) ***

Pixote (1981) ***

Montenegro (1981) ***

Hokusai manga (1981) ***

Mein vater Alfons (1981) ***

Shortcuts (1981) ***

Dreadnaught (1981) **

Directed by Yuen Woo-Ping. With Yuen Biao. Fine chop-socky film, full of inventive kung-fu fights (including a medical examination, and a tailor taking measurements).

Christiane F (1981) ***

Memorable German film about drug addiction.

Storie di ordinaria follia (1981) ***

A Fêmea do Mar (1981) ***

Puberty Blues (1981) ***

Once In A Lifetime (1981) *****

One of the best music videos of all times. David Byrne's solo performance of Talking Head's greatest song is a marvel of timing, simplicity and sophistication.

Seeing In The Rain (1981) *****

A meticulously executed experimental short, filmed entirely through the windshield of a bus on a rainy day. The movement of the wipers marks the rhythm of the editing. The clever manipulation of time and space creates a weird poem to modern life. The forward movement of the film is continuously interrupted by brief flashbacks that create a feeling of deja-vu, while the rhythm of editing is constant without appearing too monotonous. Directed by Chris Gallagher. Length: 10 minutes.

The Man Who Could Not See Far Enough (1981) ****

Visually stunning experimental film in five parts. The last one is set atop the Golden Gate Bridge.

Les Photos d'Alix (1981) ****

A woman shows her photographs. Surprising, intriguing short by Jean Eustache. There is a great review of the film here.

Girls On Film (1981) ***

Don't You Want Me (1981) ***

Woody y yo (1981) ***

Spanish short inspired by the Woody Allen films. Directed by Manuel Valdivia.

Couples And Robbers (1981) ***

Oscar-nominated short film from Britain.

Fast Paced World (1981) ***

La Tendresse du maudit (1981) ***

Post-apocalyptic French animated film about a Notre Dame gargoyle fighting against a skeleton.

Crac! (1981) ***

A few years before enchanting audiences with his masterpiece, "The Man Who Planted Trees" (1987), Frederic Back directed this less ambitious, but equally stylish cartoon. Using an old rocking chair as the main motif, the film is a wonderfully understated, nostalgic hommage to the old ways of life in rural Quebec.

The Creation (1981) ***