IMDb 5.9 1981 HD

Alison’s Birthday

Alison’s Birthday

1981
Horror
99 min NR Australia
5 / 10
5.9 IMDB

During a Ouija board session with her teenaged friends, 16-year-old Alison gets a message from beyond the grave not to go home for her birthday three years later.

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Ian Coughlan / Michael Falloon / Pennie Hill / Linda Ray / Andrew Williams
Starring
Joanne Samuel / Lou Brown / Bunney Brooke / John Bluthal / Vincent Ball / Margie McCrae / Julie Wilson / Martin Vaughan

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

eerie foreboding unsettling suspenseful atmospheric intriguing dated moody curious low-key supernatural

Reviews

W
Willow Thorne
May 23, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

Alison's Birthday presents a compelling supernatural mystery rooted in a teenaged foreboding. The film's narrative engine is the chilling message received via Ouija board, setting up a palpable sense of impending doom. Joanne Samuel delivers a strong performance…

A
Alistair Finch
May 23, 2026
2.0 / 5
2.0

An early 80s Australian production, Alison's Birthday, sets out to deliver a supernatural scare. The core idea—a birthday curse from the beyond—is ripe for horror, but the execution proves somewhat wanting. Joanne Samuel navigates the role of Alison…

S
Seraphina Dubois
May 23, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

Alison's Birthday taps into a classic horror trope with a distinctly Australian flavour. The film's strength lies in its focused narrative, driven by a supernatural injunction delivered via Ouija board. Joanne Samuel imbues Alison with a compelling vulnerability,…

M
Marcus Bellweather
May 23, 2026
2.5 / 5
2.5

This early Australian horror effort, Alison's Birthday, attempts to weave a tale of preternatural warning. The central conceit—a Ouija board message advising against attending one's own birthday—is certainly a hook. Joanne Samuel does her best with the material,…

E
Eleanor Vance
May 23, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

Alison's Birthday offers a modest slice of 1980s Australian supernatural suspense. The premise, sparked by a Ouija board prophecy of doom, is intriguing enough to carry the narrative. Joanne Samuel anchors the film as Alison, navigating a growing…

FAQs

Alison's Birthday holds a place within the broader landscape of Australian genre films from the early 1980s. While it might not be universally acclaimed as a cornerstone 'classic' in the vein of some more widely distributed international horror titles, it is certainly a film that cult enthusiasts and those interested in the development of Australian horror cinema often seek out. Its unique premise and era-specific style contribute to its cult appeal.