The Terminator Review

The Terminator

Release Date: 20th December 1984 - Australia

Production Companies

Hemdale Corporation

Pacific Western

Cinema '84 (copyright holder)
Euro Film Funding

Genre: Sci-Fi/Action

Rating: M (Not Suitable for

Younger Children)

Runtime: 107 minutes

Budget: $6,400,000

Box Office Gross: $78,371,200 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

In the post-apocalyptic future, machines rule the planet and are determined to exterminate humanity. A robot assassin known as The Terminator is sent back in 1984 to eliminate Sarah Connor, an unsuspecting woman whose unborn son

will lead the resistance and save the human race from extinction. Meanwhile, a human soldier named Kyle Reese has also travelled back in time to stop the machine from killing Sarah Connor. Will Sarah be able to defend herself from this indestructible android whose mission is to ensure that humanity does not win the war?

Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger - The Terminator

Linda Hamilton - Sarah Connor

Michael Biehn - Kyle Reese

Lance Henriksen - Detective
Hal Vukovich

Paul Winfield - Lt. Ed Traxler
Rick Rossovich - Matt Buchanan
Bess Motta - Ginger Ventura

Earl Boen - Dr. Peter Silberman
Dick Miller - Pawn Shop Clerk (Cameo)
Shawn Schepps - Nancy
Franco Columbu - Future Terminator
Bill Paxton - Punk Leader
Brad Rearden - Punk
Brian Thompson - Punk
Marianne Muellerlelie - Wrong Sarah

William Wisher - Policeman (Cameo)

Crew

Writer/Director - James Cameron

Writer/Producer - Gale Anne Hurd

Additional Dialogue - William Wisher
Executive Producers - John Daly and
Derek Gibson

Casting Director - Stanzi Stokes
Art Director/Set Decorator - Maria Caso
Art Director - George Costello

Assistant Art Director - Shay Austin

Property Master - Tommy Estridge
Costume Designer - Hilary Wright
Makeup Department Head - Jeff Dawn

Hair Stylist - Peter Tothpal

Director of Photography - Adam Greenberg

Production Manager/Post-Production

Supervisor - Donna Smith

Additional First Assistant Director -

Thomas A. Irvine

Second Unit Director: Action -

Jean-Paul Ouellette

Second Unit Director: Effects/Special

Terminator Effects Creator - Stan Winston

Stunt Coordinator/Stunt Coordinator: Second

Unit/Stunt Double: Michael Biehn - Ken Fritz
Special Effects Coordinator/Graphic Animation

Effects/Title Designer - Ernest Farino

Special Effects Supervisor: Fantasy II Film

Effects - Gene Warren Jr.

Terminator Mechanical Effects -

Ellis Burman Jr. and Bob Williams

Terminator Special Effects - Jack Bricker,

Richard J. Landon, Shane Mahan,

David B. Miller, John Rosengrant,

Brian Wade and Tom Woodruff Jr.

Pyrotechnics and Fire Effects: Fantasy II

Film Effects - Joe Viskocil
Model Shop Supervisor: Fantasy II Film

Effects - Michael Joyce

Stop Motion Terminator Model: Fantasy II

Film Effects - Doug Beswick and Ted Rae

(Uncredited)

Matte Artist: Fantasy II Film Effects -

Ken Marschall

Cinematography: Process Photography -

Austin McKinney

Film Editor - Mark Goldblatt

Sound Supervisor/Supervising Sound Editor:

Audio Restoration and Re-Mixing - Tom Bellfort
Synthesized Sound Effects - Robert Garrett
Sound Design Consultant: Audio Restoration

and Re-Mixing - Gary Rydstrom

Re-Recording Mixers - David J. Hudson,

Mel Metcalfe and Terry A. Porter

Re-Recording Mixer: Audio Restoration

and Re-Mixing - Gary A. Rizzo

Music - Brad Fiedel

Review

One film I can confidently say only good things about is THE TERMINATOR. In saying this, I did prefer the second feature (click here) for several reasons. Because it had more depth with a bigger budget, and the title character changed from a cold-blooded killing machine into an anti-hero. THE TERMINATOR is one of those classic movies that makes the action genre look rough, tough and busy. It is the first breakthrough picture from future legendary director James Cameron, who, at the time, was a struggling visionary. After THE TERMINATOR, he made more film masterpieces of an unmatched scale. After all these years, the movie has withstood the test of time and hasn't lost the effect of its horror, thrills and action-based clichés like gun-blazing scenes and explosions.

Similarly, Arnie Schwarzenegger's performance didn't change from when he first took on the role of the killer android. The menacing tone and brutish posture are the exact two things that Schwarzenegger brought into the character. Along with Schwarzenegger, James Cameron made the right move by casting Michael Biehn and Linda Hamilton. These two established actors proved themselves worthy of their status as movie stars. The VFX wizardry remains impressive even by today's standards (excluding the stop-motion technology used in the climax where the Terminator is chasing the lead heroes).

THE TERMINATOR serves James Cameron as his first big break in filmmaking. I strongly recommend this film to anyone new to the Terminator movies. No longer will you be waiting and wondering if I plan to review the rest of the Terminator series. I am happy to announce that I intend to continue writing my reviews for the whole collection for quite some time, so please stay posted.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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