In keeping with previous polls, I've gone with the contenders in the top 2,000 films, but they now offer the entire starting spreadsheet. Here are the titles that carry through through the top 5,000 films ever.
2054 1541 Mandala Im Kwon-taek 1981 South Korea 1052145 3034 Howling, The Dante, Joe 1981 USA 912200 2340 Lola Fassbinder, Rainer Werner 1981 Germany 1142225 2128 Decline of Western Civilization, The Spheeris, Penelope 1981 USA 1002294 3507 Aviator's Wife, The Rohmer, Eric 1981 France 1042351 2164 Time Bandits Gilliam, Terry 1981 UK 1102369 2220 Body Heat Kasdan, Lawrence 1981 USA 1132373 2189 Thief Mann, Michael 1981 USA 1222454 2253 My Dinner with Andre Malle, Louis 1981 USA 1102489 2699 Do You Remember Dolly Bell? Kusturica, Emir 1981 Yugoslavia 1062518 3284 Lili Marleen Fassbinder, Rainer Werner 1981 West Germany 1202548 2350 They All Laughed Bogdanovich, Peter 1981 USA 1152576 2380 Reisender Krieger [TV] Schocher, Christian 1981 West Germany 1952624 2770 Ms. 45 Ferrara, Abel 1981 USA 842680 2480 Postman Always Rings Twice, The Rafelson, Bob 1981 USA 1232685 2588 Coup de torchon Tavernier, Bertrand 1981 France 1282690 2490 ...All the Marbles Aldrich, Robert 1981 USA 1132865 2746 Cutter's Way Passer, Ivan 1981 USA 1052931 2735 Deprisa, deprisa Saura, Carlos 1981 Spain 993162 3545 Polyester Waters, John 1981 USA 863173 3294 Blood Wedding Saura, Carlos 1981 Spain 723228 3145 Christiane F. Edel, Uli 1981 Germany 1243433 3220 Muddy River Oguri, Kohei 1981 Japan 1053500 3303 Dialogue with a Woman Departed Hurwitz, Leo 1981 USA 2253520 3319 Kagerô-za Suzuki, Seijun 1981 Japan 1393536 3439 Tango Rybczynski, Zbigniew 1981 Poland 83578 3706 Scanners Cronenberg, David 1981 Canada 1023782 3669 French Lieutenant's Woman, The Reisz, Karel 1981 UK 1233806 3594 T.G.: Psychic Rally in Heaven Jarman, Derek 1981 UK 83831 3630 Vernon, Florida Morris, Errol 1981 USA 554197 3809 They Don't Wear Black Tie Hirszman, Leon 1981 Brazil 1204222 3835 Hotel America Téchiné, André 1981 France 954347 3947 Pennies from Heaven Ross, Herbert 1981 USA 1074366 5198 Three Brothers Rosi, Francesco 1981 France 1134537 4272 Prince of the City Lumet, Sidney 1981 USA 1674591 4331 Man of Iron Wajda, Andrzej 1981 Poland 1404671 4413 Empire of Desire, The Reichenbach, Carlos 1981 Brazil 1104685 4429 Woman Alone, A [TV] Holland, Agnieszka 1981 Poland 924756 4508 Montenegro Makavejev, Dusan 1981 Sweden 984824 4881 Sweet Dreams Moretti, Nanni 1981 Italy 1054857 4615 Rat-Trap Gopalakrishnan, Adoor 1981 India 1214860 4621 Eijanaika Imamura, Shohei 1981 Japan 151
― i carry the torch for disco inauthenticity (Eric H.), Monday, 6 September 2021 19:01 (two years ago) link
Surprised that ‘Diva’ and ‘Gregory’s Girl’ didn’t even make the long list.
― Dan Worsley, Monday, 6 September 2021 19:11 (two years ago) link
Blow Out, easily, of the six or seven I've seen. The Evil Dead's funny.
― clemenza, Monday, 6 September 2021 19:14 (two years ago) link
This is totally between Mad Max 2 and Possession
― sarahell, Monday, 6 September 2021 19:16 (two years ago) link
Pixote, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Evil Dead, and Modern Romance are on my '81 list. Hm.
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 6 September 2021 19:17 (two years ago) link
I've seen six on the main list and don't feel that strongly about any. Voted for the Rivette which is pretty second-rate by his standards.On the lower list, would have voted for Time Bandits as a kid.
― Halfway there but for you, Monday, 6 September 2021 19:19 (two years ago) link
it's between Excalibur and Reds for me
― calzino, Monday, 6 September 2021 19:25 (two years ago) link
The Rivette is the most okay Rivette ever.
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 6 September 2021 19:25 (two years ago) link
Modern Romance for me but Blow Out imo is quintessential De Palma, like everything he is in one film.
― Josefa, Monday, 6 September 2021 19:28 (two years ago) link
Polyester
― cheesons to be rearful (Noodle Vague), Monday, 6 September 2021 19:29 (two years ago) link
possession
― STOCK FIST-PUMPER BRAD (BradNelson), Monday, 6 September 2021 19:52 (two years ago) link
1. Blow Out2. Modern Romance3. Raiders of the Lost Ark
On my watchlist: Blind Chance, Le Pont du Nord, Pixote, and The Woman Next Door
― Les hommes de bonbons (cryptosicko), Monday, 6 September 2021 19:55 (two years ago) link
What a year
― Mr. Cacciatore (Moodles), Monday, 6 September 2021 19:55 (two years ago) link
Possession and The Beyond both made my top 100 ballot so it's between those two waking nightmares
― ignore the blue line (or something), Monday, 6 September 2021 20:00 (two years ago) link
Voted Possession before a second-thoughts derailment.
― Profiles in Liquid Courage (WmC), Monday, 6 September 2021 20:16 (two years ago) link
1. Possession2. Escape from New York
Chariots is one of the most boring Oscar winners. The beach scene with the music is the only good part.
― adam t. (abanana), Monday, 6 September 2021 22:31 (two years ago) link
Gregory's Girl is listed as 1980 on IMDB.
― Precious, Grace, Hill & Beard LTD. (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 6 September 2021 23:17 (two years ago) link
I remember really liking the films Peter Weir made between 1975-1982 - Picnic at Hanging Rock, The Last Wave, Gallipoli, The Year of Living Dangerously, Witness - but I haven’t seen any of them in decades
― Dan S, Monday, 6 September 2021 23:48 (two years ago) link
Atlantic City an 1980 film I'd rank among my 1981 ones.
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 6 September 2021 23:49 (two years ago) link
Possession doesn't seem to be available in the US at all at the moment - not on streaming, as a dvd rental, or for purchase
― Dan S, Friday, 10 September 2021 00:23 (two years ago) link
the sword of power!
― mookieproof, Friday, 10 September 2021 00:38 (two years ago) link
Krzysztof Kieslowski’s Blind Chance was completed in 1981 before the declaration of martial law in Poland but it was shelved by authorities until 1987, which is why it is often listed as a 1987 film. It presents three alternative futures for the protagonist
― Dan S, Sunday, 12 September 2021 00:45 (two years ago) link
have never seen Excalibur, Possession, The Evil Dead or The Woman Next Door.
― Dan S, Sunday, 12 September 2021 00:52 (two years ago) link
Surprised My Dinner With Andre isn't higher.
― jmm, Sunday, 12 September 2021 00:54 (two years ago) link
Das Boot, Gallipoli, Mad Max 2, Pixote, Reds I remember liking and want to see again. I was scornful of Chariots of Fire at the time but also want to revisit it
― Dan S, Sunday, 12 September 2021 00:57 (two years ago) link
Didn't realize that Raiders of the Lost Ark has been considered to be the greatest film from this year. I am skeptical
― Dan S, Sunday, 12 September 2021 01:05 (two years ago) link
https://media4.giphy.com/media/H3wg2L1NZ5oOmmcK7e/200.gif
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 12 September 2021 01:14 (two years ago) link
watched Blow Out again recently and thought it was great. It had a rapt quality and it referenced two of my other favorite films, Blow Up and The Conversation
― Dan S, Sunday, 12 September 2021 01:30 (two years ago) link
I liked what Pauline Kael said about Travolta and Allen, that in the films in which they starred together (Carrie and Blow Out) they gave out the same amount of energy and were equally vivid
― Dan S, Sunday, 12 September 2021 01:49 (two years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Thursday, 30 September 2021 00:01 (two years ago) link
Modern Romance over Possession.
― i carry the torch for disco inauthenticity (Eric H.), Thursday, 30 September 2021 01:03 (two years ago) link
don't feel like this was a great year ultimately
― Dan S, Thursday, 30 September 2021 01:14 (two years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Friday, 1 October 2021 00:01 (two years ago) link