MOMMIE DEAREST (1981)

 

Directed By: Frank Perry Written By: Frank Perry, Frank Yablans, Tracy Hotchner & Robert Getchem  Based on The Book by: Christina Crawford  Cinematography: Paul Lohmann Editor: Peter E. Berger 

Cast: Faye Dunaway, Diana Scarwid, Steve Forrest, Howard Da Silva, Rutanya Alda, Jocelyn Brando 

This is a mother and daughter tale and partial biography as it is more Christina Crawford's story and memoir. 

JUST BEFORE DAWN (1981)

 

Directed By: Jeff Lieberman Written By: Gregg Irving, Joseph Middleton & Mark Arywitz Cinematography: Joel King & Dean King  Editor: Robert Olovett 

Cast: George Kennedy, Gregg Henry, Chris Lemmon, Mike Kellin, Deborah Rush, Ralph Seymour, Katie Powell, John Hunsacker, Charles Bartlett, Jamie Rose 

Five campers arrive in the mountains to examine some property they have bought, but are warned by Forest Ranger Roy McLean that a huge machete-wielding maniac has been terrorising the area. Ignoring the warnings, they set up camp, and start disappearing one by one.

BUTCHER BAKER, NIGHTMARE MAKER (1981)

 

Directed By: William Asher  Written By: Stephen Breimer, Alan Jay Glueckman & Boon Collins  Cinematography: Robbie Greenberg  Editor: Ted Nicolaou 

Cast: Jimmy McNichol, Susan Tyrell, Bo Svenson, Julia Duffy, Bill Paxton, Britt Leach, Steve Eastin

Since the death of his parents fourteen years ago, Billy Lynch has been raised by his overprotective aunt Cheryl. But once he turns seventeen, he is soon set on planning his life...without her. He's planning on going on to college and is dating local girl Julie. None of which sits well for his aunt, who's lost everyone else in her life and now with her nephew ready to leave, ensures she starts on a campaign to keep him with her...forever. But as her plans misfire she becomes swept up in a cycle of psychosis and frenzied violence all being blamed on Billy by everyone else...including a homophobic detective, whose anti-gay prejudice is steadily reaching its zenith...leading to an unforeseeable outcome.

MS. 45 (1981)

Directed By: Abel Ferrara 
Written By: Nicholas St John
Cinematography: James Momel
Editor: Christopher Andrews 

Cast: Zoe Lund, Albert Sinkys, Darlene Stuto, Helen McGara 

A timid and mute seamstress goes insane after being attacked and raped twice in one day, in which she takes to the streets of New York City after dark and randomly shoots men with a .45 caliber pistol.

ROAD GAMES (1981)

Directed By: Richard Franklin 
Written By: Everett De Roche 
Story By: Richard Franklin & Everett De Roche 
Cinematography By: Vincent Monton 
Editor: Edward McQueen-Mason 


Cast: Stacy Keach, Jamie Lee Curtis, Marion Edward, Grant Page, Robert Thompson, Angelica La Bozzetta 


Pat Quid is driving a semi across Australia. On the way he encounters various other travellers, and the occasional hitchhikers repeatedly as they're traveling the same road. A favorite pastime of Pat is to play games to pass the time on the journey. (Such as to make up backgrounds of the other people on the road.) Pamela is one hitchhiker he picks up. But when she disappears, he suspects that the driver of a van who has been acting a little strange, (Smith or Jones) maybe the serial killer mentioned on the radio. But his pursuit of the van driver brings him to the attention of the police, who begin to suspect him.

LOOKER (1981)

Written & Directed By: Michael Critchton
Cinematography By: Paul Lohmann
Editor: Carl Kress

CAST: Albert Finney, Susan Dey, James Coburn, Leigh Taylor-Young, Dorian Harewood, Terry Kiser, Vanna White

BUSTIN' LOOSE (1981)

Directed By: Oz Scott & Michael Schultz (Uncredited) Story By: Richard Pryor Adaptation: Lonnie Elder III Written By: Roger L. Simon Cinematography By: Dennis Delzell Editor: David Holden, Skip Lusk & Harry Keramides Cast: Richard Pryor, Cicely Tyson, Paul Mooney, Roger Christian, Earl Billings

THE FUNHOUSE (1981)

Directed By: Tobe Hopper Written By: Lawrence Block Cinematography By: Andrew Laszlo Editor: Jack Hofstra Cast: Elizabeth Berridge, Cooper Huckabee, Largo Woodruff, Miles Chapin, Kevin Conway, William Finley, Sylvia Miles