Most Popular Movies 1979
This chart shows the 1979 movie releases that have attracted the most interest on The Numbers web site over the past 24 hours. A share of 100 corresponds to 1 percent of the total views for all 1979 releases.
See also: Domestic Release Schedule for 1979 - Top 1979 Worldwide
| ← 1978 | Most Popular Overall | 1980 → |
1
| Mad Max |
| Director: George Miller |
| Lead Roles: Mel Gibson as 'Mad' Max Rockatansky |
| Initial Theatrical Release: April 12, 1979 (Wide) (Australia) |
| Keywords: Post Apocalypse, Revenge, Vigilante, Gangs, Car Chase, Action Adventure, Near Future, Yesterday's Tomorrow |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Science Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $8,750,000 |
|
International BO: $91,000,000 |
2
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| Alien |
| Director: Ridley Scott |
| Lead Roles: Tom Skerritt as Dallas, Sigourney Weaver as Ripley |
| Initial Theatrical Release: May 25, 1979 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox |
| Keywords: Visual Effects, Parasite, Survival Horror |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Horror, Live Action, Science Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $64,324,049 |
|
International BO: $122,631,433 |
3
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| Life of Brian |
| Director: Terry Jones |
| Lead Roles: Graham Chapman as Wise Man #2/Brian Cohen/Biggus Dickus, Terry Gilliam as Various Roles, Eric Idle as Various Roles, Terry Jones as Various roles, Michael Palin as Various Roles, John Cleese as Various Roles |
| Initial Theatrical Release: August 17, 1979 (Wide) by Warner Bros., released as The Life of Brian |
| Keywords: Same Actor, Multiple Roles, Religious, Satirical Comedy, Satire, Ancient Rome, Directing Yourself, Screenplay Written By the Star |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $20,182,359 |
|
International BO: $366,290 |
4
| Rocky 2 |
| Director: Sylvester Stallone |
| Lead Roles: Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa, Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 15, 1979 (Wide) by United Artists |
| Keywords: Boxing, Training Montage, Sports Action, Comeback, Directing Yourself, Screenplay Written By the Star, Pregnant Women, Troubled Pregnancy or Miscarriage, Coma, Medical and Hospitals, Underdog, Out of Retirement |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $85,182,160 |
|
International BO: $115,000,000 |
5
| Apocalypse Now |
| Director: Francis Ford Coppola |
| Lead Roles: Martin Sheen as Captain Benjamin L. Willard |
| Initial Theatrical Release: August 15, 1979 (Wide) by United Artists |
| Keywords: Vietnam War, War, IMAX: DMR, Special Ops, Set in Cambodia, 1980 Oscars Best Picture Nominee |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Action, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $83,535,860 |
|
International BO: $2,423,850 |
6
| Kramer vs. Kramer |
| Director: Robert Benton |
| Lead Roles: Dustin Hoffman as Ted Kramer, Meryl Streep as Joanna Kramer |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 19, 1979 (Wide) by Columbia |
| Keywords: Romantic Drama, 1980 Oscars Best Picture Nominee, Oscars Best Picture Winner |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $106,260,000 |
7
| The Champ |
| Director: Franco Zeffirelli |
| Lead Roles: Jon Voight as Billy Flynn, Faye Dunaway as Annie |
| Initial Theatrical Release: April 4, 1979 (Wide) by MGM |
| Keywords: Boxing, Sports Drama, Athletes Past Their Prime, Horse Racing, One Last Job, Gambling, Addiction, Money Troubles, Dysfunctional Family, Relationships Gone Wrong, Young Child Dealing with the Death of a Parent |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $30,441,738 |
8
| ...And Justice For All |
| Director: Norman Jewison |
| Lead Roles: Al Pacino as Arthur Kirkland |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 19, 1979 (Wide) by Columbia |
| Keywords: Courtroom / Legal Drama, Film Noir, Lawyers, Corrupt Judge, Sex Crimes, Prostitution, Suicide, Hostage |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action |
|
Domestic BO: $33,300,000 |
9
| Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro |
| Director: Hayao Miyazaki |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 15, 1979 (Wide), released as Rupan sansei: Kariosutoro no shiro (Japan) |
| Keywords: Prince/Princess, Royalty, Rescue, Anti Hero, Conspiracy Theory, Forgery, Anime, Chase Adventure |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Adventure, Hand Animation, Kids Fiction |
|
International BO: $69,506 |
10
| 1941 |
| Director: Steven Spielberg |
| Lead Roles: Dan Aykroyd as Sergeant Frank Tree, John Belushi as Captain Wild Bill Kelso |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 14, 1979 (Wide) by Universal |
| Keywords: World War II, War, Farcical / Slapstick Comedy, Ensemble, Set in Hollywood |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $34,175,000 |
|
International BO: $60,700,000 |
11
| The Wanderers |
| Director: Philip Kaufman |
| Lead Roles: Ken Wahl as Richie Gennaro, John Friedrich as Joey Capra, Karen Allen as Nina, Toni Kalem as Despie Galasso |
| Initial Theatrical Release: July 13, 1979 (Wide) by Warner Bros. |
| Keywords: Gangs, Set in New York City, 1960s, Set in The Bronx, Political Assassination, Crime Drama |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Drama, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $5,017,811 |
|
International BO: $18,000,000 |
12
| Meteor |
| Director: Ronald Neame |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 19, 1979 (Wide) by American International Pictures |
| Keywords: End of the World, Action Thriller, Political, Disaster, Ensemble, Development Hell |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Science Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $8,400,000 |
13
| Passe ton bac d'abord... |
| Director: Maurice Pialat |
| Initial Theatrical Release: August 29, 1979 (Limited) (France) |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
International BO: $938 |
14
| Star Trek: The Motion Picture |
| Director: Robert Wise |
| Lead Roles: William Shatner as Admiral/Captain James T. Kirk, Leonard Nimoy as Commander Spock, DeForest Kelley as Commander Leonard 'Bones' McCoy, M.D., James Doohan as Commander Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott, George Takei as Lieutenant Commander Hikaru Sulu, Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Commander Nyota Uhura, Walter Koenig as Lieutenant Pavel Chekov, Stephen Collins as Captain/Cmdr. Willard 'Will' Decker |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 7, 1979 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
| Keywords: Visual Effects, Action Adventure, Set in Outer Space, Artificial Intelligence, Death of a Girlfriend / Boyfriend, Self-sacrifice |
| Classification: Based on TV, Adventure, Live Action, Science Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $82,258,456 |
|
International BO: $56,741,544 |
15
| I... comme Icare |
| Director: Henri Verneuil |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 19, 1979 (Wide) (France) |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
16
| The Villain |
| Director: Hal Needham |
| Lead Roles: Kirk Douglas as Cactus Jack, Ann-Margret as Charming Jones, Arnold Schwarzenegger as Handsome Stranger, Foster Brooks as Bank Clerk, Ruth Buzzi as Damsel in Distress, Jack Elam as Avery Simpson, Strother Martin as Parody Jones, Robert Tessier as Mashing Finger, Mel Tillis as Telegrapher |
| Initial Theatrical Release: July 20, 1979 (Wide) by Columbia |
| Keywords: Spoof |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Western, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
17
| Quadrophenia |
| Director: Franc Roddam |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 12, 1979 (Limited) (United Kingdom) |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
International BO: $243 |
18
| The Onion Field |
| Initial Theatrical Release: September 21, 1979 (Wide) by Avco Embassy |
| Keywords: Film Noir |
19
| Prophecy |
| Director: John Frankenheimer |
| Lead Roles: Talia Shire as Maggie Verne |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 15, 1979 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
| Keywords: Animals Gone Bad, Pregnant Women, Nature Horror, Native Americans, Native American Folklore, Environment, Set in Maine, Mutants, Animal Lead |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Horror, Live Action, Science Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $22,673,340 |
20
| Diary of a Teenage Hitchhiker |
| Director: Ted Post |
| Keywords: TV Movie |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
21
| Fukushû suru wa ware ni ari |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 17, 1979 (Limited), released as Vengeance is Mine |
|
Domestic BO: $13,565 |
22
| The Warriors |
| Director: Walter Hill |
| Lead Roles: Michael Beck as Swan, James Remar as Ajax, Dorsey Wright as Cleon, Brian Tyler as Snow, David Harris as Cochise, Tom McKitterick as Cowboy, Thomas G. Waites as Fox, Terry Michos as Vermin, Marcelino Sanchez as Rembrandt, Deborah Van Valkenburgh as Mercy, Roger Hill as Cyrus, David Patrick Kelly as Luther |
| Initial Theatrical Release: February 1, 1979 (Limited) (Australia) |
| Keywords: Gangs, Hood Film, Action Thriller, Framed, Fugitive / On the Run |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Action, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $22,490,000 |
|
International BO: $5,493 |
23
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| The Europeans |
| Director: James Ivory |
| Lead Roles: Wesley Addy as Mr. Wentworth, Lisa Eichhorn as Gertrude Wentworth |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 8, 1979 (Limited) by Levitt-Pickman |
| Keywords: 1800s, Romance |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Drama, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
Synopsis
The fortune-hunting Baroness Eugenia Muenster arrives with her artistic and dashing brother Felix for a transatlantic visit with their cousins, the Wentworths. Less calculating than his sister, the bohemian, happy-go-lucky Felix falls for Gertrude Wentworth, who is already being courted (and bored) by the earnest Unitarian Minister suitor Mr. Brand. Eugenia meanwhile sets her sights on the reserved and attractive Robert Acton, who is torn between his captivation with the Baroness and his distrust of her European worldliness. Delightful, elegant and superbly acted, this film inaugurated Merchant Ivory’s long winning streak of period literary adaptations.
24
| Killer of Sheep |
| Director: Charles Burnett |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June, 1979 (Limited) |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $404,508 |
25
| The Rose |
| Director: Mark Rydell |
| Lead Roles: Bette Midler as Rose |
| Initial Theatrical Release: November 7, 1979 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox |
| Keywords: Performing Arts, Singers, Boss From Hell, Relationships Gone Wrong, Romance, Life Drama, On Tour, Addiction, Drug Overdose, You Can't Go Home Again, Inspired by a True Story, 1960s, Rock 'n' Roll |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $29,200,000 |