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The Terminator (1984)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
26 October 1984 (USA) moreTagline:
In the Year of Darkness, 2029, the rulers of this planet devised the ultimate plan. They would reshape the Future by changing the Past. The plan required something that felt no pity. No pain. No fear. Something unstoppable. They created 'THE TERMINATOR' morePlot:
A human-looking, apparently unstoppable cyborg is sent from the future to kill Sarah Connor; Kyle Reese is sent to stop it. full summary | full synopsisAwards:
5 wins & 6 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(590 articles)
Comic-Con 2009 Preview: 'New Moon,' 'Iron Man 2' And More (From MTV Movie News. 13 July 2009, 3:39 AM, PDT)
Comic-Con 2009 Preview: 'New Moon,' 'Iron Man 2' And More
(From MTV Music News. 13 July 2009, 3:39 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
The best of the best in its genre... moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only) more
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
108 minColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreSound Mix:
MonoCertification:
Finland:K-18 (cut) (1984) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Italy:T (re-rating) (1991) | Italy:VM14 (original rating) (1984) | Finland:K-15 (uncut DVD version) | Finland:K-16 (1996) (uncut) | Finland:K-16 (1991) (cut) | Finland:K-18 (1991) (cut) | Iceland:16 | South Korea:18 | UK:15 (re-rating) (2001) | Ireland:15 (re-rating) (2007) | Ireland:18 (1985-2006) | UK:18 (1985-2000) | Brazil:14 | New Zealand:M | Malaysia:U | Chile:14 (DVD re-rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Alberta) (re-rating) (1999) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (2001) | France:U | Japan:R-15 | Norway:18 | Peru:18 | Poland:15 | Singapore:M18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 (cut) | West Germany:18 (uncut version) (JK/SPIO) | Netherlands:16 | Germany:BPjM RestrictedFun Stuff
Trivia:
The "fog" in the scene after Sarah and Reese leave the bridge where they spent the night is actually bug spray, due to the big "fly scare" in the filming location at that time. The crew was going to wait until the spray dissipated, but decided to use it as fog for the effect instead. This is revealed in a DVD easter egg, which can be found by pressing the right arrow in the languages section until the square on the right is lit up. moreGoofs:
Factual errors: At the end of the film, the paramedics load Sarah into the ambulance feet first. Paramedics always load a victim's body head first. moreQuotes:
[first lines][the garbage truck's engine stops]
Truck Driver: What the hell? Goddamn son of a bitch...
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Teenagers from Outer Space (#5.4)" (1992) moreSoundtrack:
Photoplay moreFAQ
Couldn't Sarah and Kyle have tried to prevent Skynet (and the Terminator) from being created?Who, or what, is Skynet?
Why the T-800 is sometimes referred to as the T-101 or T-850?
more
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Rarely has a film so frightened an audience as "The Terminator." After its release in 1984, the extremely low-budget sci-fi actioner broke box office records, and gave audiences something more to fear. Through the years, there have been stories of nature's beasts, of creatures from another world, and so on and so forth. "Jaws" was terrifying because it seemed so possible. And if "Jaws" is terrifying, "The Terminator" is horrific. The realization of this hit-man machine dawned on everyone watching the film. In a time of exceeding technology, how long will it be before man is overtaken by the very things he created? And that is what is particularly scary about a film like "The Terminator."
In "The Terminator," Arnold plays a cyborg, Cyberdyne system model 101, a T800, whatever that means. He has been sent back in time to assassinate the soon-to-be-mother of the future world leader, John Connor (who battles the machines in the future and leads an uprising). If Connor is killed, then there will be no one to oppose the machines of the future, and they will triumph. This would be pretty bad. So the future John Connor has sent a protector back in time, to help save his mother. Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) tells Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) about the machine that is trying to kill her. "It can't be bargained with, it can't feel pain or mercy, and it will stop at absolutely nothing until you are dead!" Talk about a bad day.
The Terminator hunts them down time after time, including the famous police station scene, where Arnie says, "I'll be back," and returns moments later, crashing through the wall in a car. He then takes on a whole squad of cops, but don't worry, Sarah and Reese escape slightly unscathed.
There are countless classic scenes in "The Terminator." You will see them spoofed your entire life. From the image of the Terminator, to the lines they speak, to the scenes they act out. Everything is spoofed. And the film is worthy of its fame.
On the special edition "T2" DVD (the second one), there is an on-set documentary for the making of the "Terminator 2" 3-D ride at Universal Studios. As the camera moves around, it shows Cameron detailing what he wants in this scene. Some guy suggests something else, and Cameron gets a tone. "No, no, that won't work. You do it like this - we come off here, he walks around..." etc. The point is, he's a perfectionist, and a demanding director. Some directors are a bit too easy, and don't really care where their films are going. But James Cameron seems to have a clear vision of what he wants, and he goes around making sure it gets done exactly the way he wants it to be done. And it shows in his work. It's hard to find any mistakes in a James Cameron film. And it's even harder to find plot holes.
Some people say "Terminator 2 - Judgment Day" is better than the original. It's hard to choose, because the two films are very different. I view "The Terminator" as more of a deep, intellectually-consuming, dark thriller. I view "Judgment Day" as an action film, with a more or less recycled plot. (The plot is still good, but it's still the same, too.) It's hard to choose a favorite because they are so different. On "T2" the budget is ten times larger, probably even more than that. But if you want a horror/thriller, "The Terminator" is better for you. If you want special-effects and a really fun time, see "T2." They're both excellent films.
"The Terminator" is a great movie. It is one of my favorites; it is terrifying, horrifying, and 100 % entertaining. And unlike a lot of other cheap actioners out there, "The Terminator" has some thought put into its plot, and that is what separates it from the rest of its kind.
5/5 stars -
John Ulmer