Oscar Nominations and Winners (1981)

Best Picture

• Atlantic City
• Chariots of Fire
• On Golden Pond
• Raiders of the Lost Ark
• Reds

Best Director

• Louis Malle (Atlantic City)
• Hugh Hudson (Chariots of Fire)
• Mark Rydell (On Golden Pond)
• Steven Spielberg (Raiders of the Lost Ark)
• Warren Beatty (Reds)

Best Actor in a Leading Role

• Warren Beatty (Reds)
• Henry Fonda (On Golden Pond)
• Burt Lancaster (Atlantic City)
• Dudley Moore (Arthur)
• Paul Newman (Absence of Malice)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

• James Coco (Only When I Laugh)
• John Gielgud (Arthur)
• Ian Holm (Chariots of Fire)
• Jack Nicholson (Reds)
• Howard E. Rollins, Jr. (Ragtime)

Best Actress in a Leading Role

• Katharine Hepburn (On Golden Pond)
• Diane Keaton (Reds)
• Marsha Mason (Only When I Laugh)
• Susan Sarandon (Atlantic City)
• Meryl Streep (The French Lieutenant's Woman)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

• Melinda Dillon (Absence of Malice)
• Jane Fonda (On Golden Pond)
• Joan Hackett (Only When I Laugh)
• Elizabeth McGovern (Ragtime)
• Maureen Stapleton

Best Adapted Screenplay

• The French Lieutenant's Woman (Harold Pinter)
• On Golden Pond (Ernest Thompson)
• Pennies From Heaven (Dennis Potter)
• Prince of the City (Jay Presson Allen and Sidney Lumet)
• Ragtime (Michael Weller)

Best Original Screenplay

• Absence of Malice (Kurt Luedtke)
• Arthur (Steve Gordon)
• Atlantic City (John Guare)
• Chariots of Fire (Colin Welland)
• Reds (Warren Beatty and Trevor Griffiths)

Best Foreign Language Film

• The Boat is Full (Switzerland)
• Man of Iron (Poland)
• Mephisto (Hungary)
• Muddy River (Japan)
• Three Brothers (Italy)

Art Direction

• The French Lieutenant's Woman
• Heaven's Gate
• Ragtime
• Raiders of the Lost Ark
• Reds

Cinematography

• Excalibur
• On Golden Pond
• Ragtime
• Raiders of the Lost Ark
• Reds

Costume Design

• Chariots of Fire
• The French Lieutenant's Woman
• Pennies From Heaven
• Ragtime
• Reds

Documentary Feature

• Against the Wind and Tide: A Cuban Odyssey
• Brooklyn Bridge
• Eight Minutes to Midnight: A Portrait of Dr. Helen Caldicott
• El Salvador: Another Vietnam
• Genocide

Documentary Short Subject

• Americas in transition
• Close Harmony
• Journey for Survival
• See What I Say
• Urge to Build

Film Editing

• Chariots of Fire
• The French Lieutenant's Woman
• On Golden Pond
• Raiders of the Lost Ark
• Reds

Makeup

• An American Werewolf in London
• Heartbeeps

Original Score

• Chariots of Fire (Vangelis)
• Dragonslayer (Alex North)
• On Golden Pond (Dave Grusin)
• Ragtime (Randy Newman)
• Raiders of the Lost Ark (John Williams)

Original Song

• "Arthur's Theme (The Best That You Can Do)" (Arthur) Music and Lyrics by Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Christopher Cross and Peter Allen.
• "Endless Love" (Endless Love) Music and Lyrics by Lionel Richie.
• "The First Time it Happens" (The Great Muppet Caper) Music and Lyrics by Joe Raposo.
• "For Your Eyes Only" (For Your Eyes Only) Music by Bill Conti. Lyrics by Mick Leeson.
• "One More Hour" (Ragtime) Music and Lyrics by Randy Newman.

Animated Short Film

• Crac
• The Creation
• the Tender Tale of Cinderella Penguin

Live Action Short Film

• Couples and Robbers
• First Winter
• Violet

Sound

• On Golden Pond
• Outland
• Pennies From Heaven
• Raiders of the Lost Ark
• Reds

Sound Editing

• Raiders of the Lost Ark

Visual Effects

• Dragonslayer
• Raiders of the Lost Ark