A 20th Century Fox Retrospective Scrapbook: 1981

[CinemaInternational]

Things landed with a thud in 1981. There were some hits, and they financed the Best Picture winner overseas, but the year's bloom just wasn't there. before we get to the releases, it should be noted that Fox was scheduled to release one film in 1981, but then dropped out of releasing it after one of the supporting players was brutally murdered. This film was Peter Bogdanovich's latter-day cult favorite They All Laughed.

With that now established, onto the ones Fox did have a hand in releasing.....

First up, a low-budget Canadian horror by name Suzanne. [Note, the only notation of Fox's business with this film is in a book and on IMDb]

Paul Newman and Ed Asner were holding down a policehouse in a very dangerous area in Fort Apache, The Bronx

William Hurt told a lie and said he witnessed the murder of Chao-Li Chi in order to get closer to his crush reporter Sigourney Weaver in Eyewitness. It was a mistake that might end up costing him his life. Also with Christopher Plummer, James Woods, Morgan Freeman, Pamela Reed, Steven Hill, and Irene Worth.

On the Right Track was a feature vehicle for young TV star Gary Coleman. Also with Maureen Stapleton.

Sam Neill was playing the now grown demon seed in The Final Conflict, the last part of the Omen trilogy.

Chariots of Fire was handled by WB in the states, but Fox handled it elsewhere. The inspirational drama certainly shone brightly and won Best Picture.

Jerry Lewis came back in Hardly Working.

Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin in the same film signifies gritty action, and that was on the menu in Death Hunt.

Back to horror with Tom Skeritt and Michelle Phillips vs the lions in Savage Harvest

Mel Brooks decided to spoof all sorts of films in History of the World - part I

The Cannonball Run was the year's biggest financial hit. It also introduced Fox's first new logo since 1953.

George Hamilton, Brenda Vaccaro, and Lauren GHutton next were in Zorro, the Gay Blade, a spoof of swashbucklers.

Chu Chu and the Philly Flash had a promising cast, but the film promptly vanished after a slate of scorched-earth reviews.

the Chosen was one of the more distinguished offerings of the year and certainly gave Rod Steiger a rich supporting turn.

The Woman Inside was a film involving a gender-change. It was filmed it 1979, and was the final film for supporting player Joan Blondell.

Keith Carradine starred in the much admired suspense film Southern Comfort, a hit here, and a critical smash in England.

Bruce Dern played a psycho who kidnapped and forcibly tattooed Maud Adams in Tattoo. The poster (not shown here) was notorious at the time.

Shock Treatment was the little-known sequel to The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The Amateur, with John Savage and Christopher Plummer, was a tale of assassination, spies, and intrigue.

Chevy Chase had bizarre powers in Modern Problems

Taps was essentially Lord of the Flies in a military academy. A chillingly effective film, but relentlessly disturbing, it was a surprise hit. Performances were all very fine, especially Timothy Hutton's work. Sean Penn made his debut; Tom Cruise made his first impact. Note to George C Scott: First billing isn't everything.....

[LawrenceA]

1. Southern Comfort (a personal favorite)
2. Chariots of Fire
3. Modern Problems
4. Taps
5. The Cannonball Run
6. History of the World, Part 1
7. Fort Apache, the Bronx
8. Eyewitness

I've also seen The Final Conflict, Shock Treatment, Tattoo, and Death Hunt.

Chu Chu & the Philly Flash was painfully awful.

[TopBilled]

I haven't seen any of these. Not even TAPS, which looks like something I'd enjoy.

[Arsan404]

I remember only a few scenes form Chariots of Fire: the opening, the running around the campus, Ian Holm training Ben Cross, and the pastor refusing to run on Sunday. Haven't seen it since it opened.

[LawrenceA]

8 minutes ago, Arsan404 said:

I remember only a few scenes form Chariots of Fire: the opening, the running around the campus, Ian Holm training Ben Cross, and the pastor refusing to run on Sunday. Haven't seen it since it opened.

The first time I saw it, I wasn't at all impressed. I felt it was one of the most undeserving Best Picture winners in the history of the Oscars. Many years later I watched it again, and liked it a bit more. After seeing it another 2 or 3 times, I've now grown fond of it, if not effusively so. I still think Reds or Raiders of the Lost Ark should have won Best Picture, though.

[Arsan404]

8 minutes ago, LawrenceA said:

The first time I saw it, I wasn't at all impressed. I felt it was one of the most undeserving Best Picture winners in the history of the Oscars. Many years later I watched it again, and liked it a bit more. After seeing it another 2 or 3 times, I've now grown fond of it, if not effusively so. I still think Reds or Raiders of the Lost Ark should have won Best Picture, though.

I didn't like it very much, either. The beginning is stunning, and then the movie went on at a very slow pace. The scenes that I remember are possibly the only scenes that I liked. Maybe I need to see it again, 2 or 3 more times. 

It's interesting how we sometimes change our minds about a movie or book after a while.

And as for the Oscars that year, my favorite is Atlantic City.

[TopBilled]

7 minutes ago, Arsan404 said:

I didn't like it very much, either. The beginning is stunning, and then the movie went on at a very slow pace. The scenes that I remember are possibly the only scenes that I liked. Maybe I need to see it again, 2 or 3 more times. 

It's interesting how we sometimes change our minds about a movie or book after a while.

And as for the Oscars that year, my favorite is Atlantic City.

Yes...I am a fan of ATLANTIC CITY as well. One of Burt Lancaster's best performances.

[CinemaInternational]

21 hours ago, TopBilled said:

I haven't seen any of these. Not even TAPS, which looks like something I'd enjoy.

I've seen three. Chariots of Fire (which is likely the one the most people have seen), Taps, and The Chosen (which Fox only distributed in theatres; it is a fine film and especially of note in its depiction of Hacidic Jews, a topic rarely brought up in films). Of these others, I intend on going after Southern Comfort, Eyewitness, Fort Apache the bronx, and the erstwile They All Laughed (which i have a copy of on hand but haven't gotten around to yet). Maybe Cannonball Run as well.

[TopBilled]

9 minutes ago, CinemaInternational said:

I've seen three. Chariots of Fire (which is likely the one the most people have seen), Taps, and The Chosen (which Fox only distributed in theatres; it is a fine film and especially of note in its depiction of Hacidic Jews, a topic rarely brought up in films). Of these others, I intend on going after Southern Comfort, Eyewitness, Fort Apache the bronx, and the erstwile They All Laughed (which i have a copy of on hand but haven't gotten around to yet). Maybe Cannonball Run as well.

Thanks for making me not feel so left out.  

I have deliberately stayed away from CHARIOTS OF FIRE, because everything about it screams "self-important" and "we only made this for an Oscar and succeeded" to the point where I am sure I wouldn't enjoy it.

[LawrenceA]

3 minutes ago, TopBilled said:

Thanks for making me not feel so left out.  

I have deliberately stayed away from CHARIOTS OF FIRE, because everything about it screams "self-important" and "we only made this for an Oscar and succeeded" to the point where I am sure I wouldn't enjoy it.

Try to leave your preconceived notions aside, and take the film for what it is. Judged on what you've posted in the past, this movie seems like something you'd like. I have seen few mainstream (sort of) films that deal with religion with such respect and grace. I say "sort of" because it was a mid-budget British film that became a surprise hit. I really don't think anyone expected the Oscars (I can't really think of any Oscar winners previously that are similar to it), or that the film would become a bit of a cultural touchstone for a while, thanks to the score.

[CinemaInternational]

4 minutes ago, LawrenceA said:

Try to leave your preconceived notions aside, and take the film for what it is. Judged on what you've posted in the past, this movie seems like something you'd like. I have seen few mainstream (sort of) films that deal with religion with such respect and grace. I say "sort of" because it was a mid-budget British film that became a surprise hit. I really don't think anyone expected the Oscars (I can't really think of any Oscar winners previously that are similar to it), or that the film would become a bit of a cultural touchstone for a while, thanks to the score.

I read a story about Chariots not too long ago, that the main person responsible for its resultant success was actually film critic Roger Ebert. The film premiered at Cannes. Audience loved it, but the film was mauled by the French press. Ebert loved the film, wanted to help it, so that year it won some title as being the American critics pick for best of the festival. That title has never been used in any other year. And it garnered the attention of WB who decided to give it a gradual word of mouth rollout in the states. The fact that it actually won Best Picture was considered a shock though. Most were predicting Reds or On Golden pond to take it.