The Terminator (1984)

Director:

James Cameron

Writers:

James Cameron (written by) &
Gale Anne Hurd (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

26 October 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

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'

Plot:

A human-looking, apparently unstoppable cyborg is sent from the future to kill Sarah Connor; Kyle Reese is sent to stop it.

Plot Keywords:

The Terminator | Future | Skynet | Cyborg | Soldier

Awards:

5 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	The Terminator
Michael Biehn	...	Kyle Reese
Linda Hamilton	...	Sarah Connor
Paul Winfield	...	Lieutenant Ed Traxler
Lance Henriksen	...	Detective Hal Vukovich
Bess Motta	...	Ginger Ventura
Earl Boen	...	Dr. Peter Silberman
Rick Rossovich	...	Matt Buchanan
Dick Miller	...	Pawnshop Clerk
Shawn Schepps	...	Nancy
Bruce M. Kerner	...	Desk Sergeant
Franco Columbu	...	Future Terminator
Bill Paxton	...	Punk Leader
Brad Rearden	...	Punk
Brian Thompson	...	Punk
William Wisher Jr.	...	Cop who gets burned by the Terminator
Ken Fritz	...	Policeman
Tom Oberhaus	...	Policeman
Ed Dogans	...	Cop in Alley
Joe Farago	...	TV Anchorman
Hettie Lynne Hurtes	...	TV Anchorwoman
Tony Mirelez	...	Gas Station Attendant
Philip Gordon	...	Mexican Boy (long shots)
Anthony Trujillo	...	Mexican Boy (close-ups) (as Anthony T. Trujillo)
Stan Yale	...	Derelict in Alley
Al Kahn	...	Customer
Leslie Morris	...	Customer
Hugh Farrington	...	Customer
Harriet Medin	...	Customer
Loree Frazier	...	Customer
James Ralston	...	Customer
Norman Friedman	...	Cleaning Man at Flophouse
Barbara Powers	...	Ticket Taker at Club Technoir
Wayne Stone	...	Tanker Driver
David Pierce	...	Tanker Partner
John E. Bristol	...	Biker at Phone Booth
Webster Williams	...	Reporter
Patrick Pinney	...	Bar Customer
Bill W. Richmond	...	Bartender
Chino 'Fats' Williams	...	Truck Driver
Gregory Robbins	...	Tiki Motel Customer
Marianne Muellerleile	...	Wrong Sarah
John Durban	...	Sentry
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
J. Randolph Harrison	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Randy Harrison	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Darrell Mapson	...	Bar patron at pay phone with Sarah (uncredited)
John Stuart West	...	MacDougal (uncredited)

Directed by
James Cameron

Writing credits
Harlan Ellison		(The Outer Limits teleplays "Soldier" and "Demon with a Glass Hand") originally uncredited
James Cameron		(written by) &
Gale Anne Hurd		(written by)
William Wisher Jr.		(additional dialogue) (as William Wisher)

Produced by
John Daly	....	executive producer
Derek Gibson	....	executive producer
Gale Anne Hurd	....	producer

Original Music by
Brad Fiedel

Cinematography by
Adam Greenberg

Film Editing by
Mark Goldblatt

Casting by
Stanzi Stokes

Art Direction by
George Costello

Set Decoration by
Maria Rebman Caso

Costume Design by
Hilary Wright

Makeup Department
Jeff Dawn	....	makeup department head (as Jefferson Dawn)
Kyle Sweet	....	hair stylist: second unit (as Kyle Tucy)
Kyle Sweet	....	makeup artist: second unit (as Kyle Tucy)
Peter Tothpal	....	hair stylist
Ellis Burman	....	electrical effects: Terminator (uncredited)
Melissa Street	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Brian Wade	....	special makeup effects artist: Stan Winston Studios (uncredited)

Production Management
Bruce M. Kerner	....	executive in charge of production
Donna Smith	....	post-production supervisor
Donna Smith	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Thomas A. Irvine	....	additional first assistant director (as Thomas Irvine)
Betsy Magruder	....	first assistant director
Jean-Paul Ouellette	....	second unit director: action
Robert Roda	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Shay Austin	....	assistant art director
John S. Curran	....	construction supervisor (as John Curran)
Tommy Estridge	....	property master
Mark Freedman	....	carpenter
Kerry Jennings	....	assistant property master
Amy McGary	....	scenic artist
Kristen McGary	....	scenic artist
Kurt Meisenbach	....	art assistant
Jewel Myrow	....	art assistant
Joe Rainey	....	assistant to the art director
Cynthia C. Rebman	....	set dresser (as Cindy Rebman)
David Reece	....	carpenter
Stephen Reece	....	carpenter
Stephen Rinehart	....	art assistant
Jennie Ryan	....	art assistant
Gary Schoeneck	....	lead man
Linda Schoeneck	....	art assistant
Gregory R. Wolf	....	set dresser (as Greg Wolf)
Christopher Gilman	....	property maker (uncredited)
Jay Koiwai	....	painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Elizabeth Barnard	....	assistant sound editor
Ken Brocious	....	boom operator (as Kenneth Brocious)
David Campling	....	supervising sound editor
Gordon Daniel	....	foley artist
Greg Dillon	....	sound effects editor
James Fritch	....	sound effects editor (as Jim Fritch)
Robert Garrett	....	synthesized sound effects
Gabriel Guy	....	machine room operator: restoration
David J. Hudson	....	sound re-recording mixer
James J. Klinger	....	sound effects editor (as Jim Klinger)
Mike Le Mare	....	sound effects editor (as Mike Le-Mare)
Richard Lightstone	....	production sound mixer
Horace Manzanares	....	sound effects editor
Gilbert D. Marchant	....	sound effects editor (as Gil Marchant)
Mel Metcalfe	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rob Miller	....	sound effects editor
Terry Porter	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Post	....	foley artist
Gary Shepherd	....	sound effects editor
Karola Storr	....	sound effects editor
Jennifer Barin	....	sound recordist: restoration (uncredited)
Tom Bellfort	....	supervising sound editor: restoration (uncredited)
Gabriel Cubos	....	sound utility (uncredited)
Stephen Kearney	....	sound editor: restoration (uncredited)
Gary Rizzo	....	sound re-recording mixer: restoration (uncredited)
Gary Rydstrom	....	sound design: restoration (uncredited)
Tony Sereno	....	digital sound mix technician: restoration (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Jack Bricker	....	terminator special effects
Ellis Burman Jr.	....	terminator mechanical effects
Frank DeMarco	....	special effects
Ernest D. Farino	....	special effects coordinator
Roger George	....	special effects
Richard J. Landon	....	terminator special effects (as Richard Landon)
Ron Macinnes	....	terminator mechanical effects assistant
Shane Mahan	....	terminator special effects
David B. Miller	....	terminator special effects (as David Miller)
John Rosengrant	....	terminator special effects
Brian Wade	....	terminator special effects
Bob Williams	....	terminator mechanical effects
Stan Winston	....	special terminator effects creator
Tom Woodruff Jr.	....	terminator special effects (as Tom Woodruff)
Roger Kelton	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
R. Bruce Steinheimer	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Doug Beswick	....	stop motion terminator model: Fantasy II Film Effects
Don Bland	....	production assistant: Fantasy II Film Effects
Steven Fagerquist	....	technical assistant: process photography
Ernest D. Farino	....	graphic animation effects
Phil Huff	....	optical effects: Image 3
John Huneck	....	camera operator: Fantasy II Film Effects
Leslie Huntley	....	production supervisor: Fantasy II Film Effects
Michael Joyce	....	model shop supervisor: Fantasy II Film Effects
Paul Kassler	....	model maker: Fantasy II Film Effects
Pete Kleinow	....	terminator stop motion: Fantasy II Film Effects (as Peter Kleinow)
Laurel Klick	....	optical effects: Image 3
Ken Marschall	....	matte artist: Fantasy II Film Effects
Gerald McClain	....	rear screen projectionist: process photography
Austin McKinney	....	cinematographer: process photography
Jane A. Pahlman	....	production assistant: Fantasy II Film Effects
Eric Peterson	....	camera assistant: process photography
Gary Rhodaback	....	model maker: Fantasy II Film Effects
Mark Sawicki	....	special optical consultant: Fantasy II Film Effects
Joe Viskocil	....	pyrotechnics and fire effects: Fantasy II Film Effects (as Joseph Viskocil)
Gene Warren Jr.	....	special effects supervisor: Fantasy II Film Effects
Kris Brown	....	visual effects engineer (uncredited)
Sam Longoria	....	stop-motion electronics (uncredited)
Bret Mixon	....	animation assistant (uncredited)
Ted Rae	....	stop motion terminator model: Fantasy II Film Effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Tony Cecere	....	stunts
Jeffrey J. Dashnaw	....	stunts (as Jeff Dashnow)
Hill Farnsworth	....	stunts
J. Suzanne Fish	....	stunts
Ken Fritz	....	stunt coordinator
Ken Fritz	....	stunt coordinator: second unit
Ken Fritz	....	stunt double: Michael Biehn
Marian Green	....	stunts (as Marion Green)
Gene Hartline	....	stunts
Tom Hart	....	stunts
Jean Malahni	....	stunts
Gary McLarty	....	stunts
Frank Orsatti	....	stunts
Jim Stern	....	stunts
Pete Turner	....	stunts (as Peter Turner)
Cynthia Brannon	....	stunts (uncredited)
Monty Jordan	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Peter Kent	....	stunt double: Arnold Schwarzenegger (uncredited)
Rob King	....	stunts (uncredited)
Lee Waddell	....	utility stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bernard Auroux	....	focus puller
Dennis Bishop	....	gaffer
Bruce Byall	....	grip
Anne S. Coffey	....	camera operator: insert photography (as Anne Coffey)
Chuck Colwell	....	director of photography: second unit
Mario Davis	....	grip and equipment: second unit
Mark Ellensohn	....	best boy
Alec Hirschfeld	....	additional camera operator
Sean McLin	....	camera operator: second unit
Dave Michels	....	dolly grip (as David Michels)
Mark Morton	....	electrician
Tim Morton	....	best boy electric
Elliot Nachbar	....	grip
Mark Peterson	....	electrician
Vance Piper	....	assistant camera
Joyce Rudolph	....	still photographer
Roger Schweitzer	....	video playback operator
Dylan Shephard	....	key grip
Gary Wagner	....	camera assistant: insert photography
Rick A. West	....	electrician (as Rick West)
Tim Collins	....	grip (uncredited)
Donald G. Jackson	....	additional cinematographer (uncredited)
John Janusek	....	grip (uncredited)
Kyle T. MacDowell	....	electrician (uncredited)
Barry Seybert	....	electrician (uncredited)
Mark A. Shelton	....	electrician (uncredited)
Philip Sloan	....	best boy grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Gregory Robbins	....	extras casting coordinator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Deborah Everton	....	costume supervisor
Julia Gombert	....	costumer: second unit
Virginia Hartman	....	costume production assistant

Editorial Department
Lorna Anderson	....	first assistant editor
Michael Bloecher	....	associate editor
Spike Allison Hooper	....	assistant editor
Mary Nelson-Duerrstein	....	negative cutter (as Mary Nelson)
Peter Silverman	....	color consultant

Music Department
Budd Carr	....	music consultant
Robert Randles	....	music post-production coordinator
Emilie Robertson	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Wayne Nelson	....	transportation captain
Wayne Stone	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Polly Apostolof	....	assistant to producer
Jo Barnett	....	assistant production accountant
Terry Benedict	....	production assistant: second unit
Kathy Breen	....	production coordinator
Ernest D. Farino	....	title designer
J. Randolph Harrison	....	assistant to producer
Randy Harrison	....	assistant to producer
Deborah Hebert	....	set production assistant (as Deborah A. Hebert)
Scott Javine	....	production assistant
Sharon Kirkpatrick	....	script supervisor: second unit
Joseph A. Liuzzi	....	location manager
Andy Marx	....	publicist (as Andrew Marx)
Pattison Newberry	....	first aid
George Parra	....	set production assistant
Kevin E. Patterson	....	utility man (as Kevin Patterson)
Eric Rasmussen	....	craft service
Michael Thomas Slifkin	....	talent coordinator
Lisa Sonne	....	assistant to producer (as T. Elizabeth Sonne)
Anne St. Johns	....	assistant production coordinator
Marilyn Tasso	....	production accountant
Brenda Weisman	....	script supervisor
Frans J. Afman	....	financial services (uncredited)
Lisa S. Girolami	....	extras wrangler (uncredited)

Thanks
Harlan Ellison	....	acknowledgment to the works of

Production Companies

• Hemdale Film
• Cinema 84
• Euro Film Funding
• Pacific Western

Distributors

• Orion Pictures Corporation (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• Orion Home Video (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• Hemdale Home Video (1985) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (1991) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Artisan Entertainment (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (1995) (USA) (laserdisc)
• TF1 Vidéo (1996) (France) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (1997) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS) (widescreen)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Sony Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox (1985) (France) (theatrical)
• Filmverlag der Autoren (1985) (Germany) (theatrical)
• J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (1985) (UK) (theatrical)
• Kinosto (1985) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Monopole-Pathé (1985) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1985) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2007) (USA) (DVD) (The Definitive Edition)
• FS Film Oy (2001) (2005) (Finland) (DVD) (special edition) (ultimate edition)
• Hemdale Home Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2001) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1987) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Oy Europa Vision AB (1991) (Finland) (VHS)
• RCV Home Entertainment (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Roadshow Home Video (19??) (Australia) (VHS)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2001) (Sweden) (DVD)
• TV3 (1991) (Finland) (TV)
• Thorn EMI Video (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Thorn EMI (19??) (UK) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Germany (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• VCL Communications (1998) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1996) (Finland) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Fantasy II Film Effects
• Stan Winston Studio

Other Companies

• Albert G. Ruben and Company  insurance
• Birds & Animals Unlimited  animals provided by
• Christal Blue Casting  extras casting
• Consolidated Film Industries (CFI)  post-production services (as CFI)
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Ellison Machinery Co.  GMF robots supplied and operated by
• Film Finance  completion services
• Image 3  optical effects
• Laser Products  laser guns
• Mayflower Recording  adr recording
• Mayflower Recording  sound effects
• Ray Mercer & Company  opticals
• Skywalker Sound  audio restoration and re-mixing (restored version)
• Studio Picture Vehicles  vehicles provided by
• Yaskawa Electric America  Motorman robots supplied and operated by

Also Known As:

Terminator (USA) (trailer title)

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

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) | UK:18 (1985-2000) | Ireland:18 (1985-2006) | Brazil:14 | New Zealand:M | Malaysia:U | Chile:14 (DVD re-rating) | Australia:MA (Definitive Edition DVD) | 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 Restricted

Filming Locations:

2nd Street Tunnel between Hill and Figueroa, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Hemdale Film

Trivia:

Most of the car chase scenes were shot at normal speed and sped up slightly. To add more of a sense of speed, other cars rode along with them out of frame with revolving lights attached to them that made it seem like the car was passing other light sources faster.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the black pickup rolls over, it is obvious that it has no engine, transmission, or driveshaft.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[the garbage truck's engine stops]
Truck Driver: What the hell? Goddamn son of a bitch...

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Total Overdose: A Gunslinger's Tale in Mexico (2005) (VG)

Soundtrack:

You Can't Do That

The best of the best in its genre...

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.