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The Terminator

  • 19841984
  • RR
  • 1h 47m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
843K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
448
127
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator (1984)
On this IMDbrief, we break down our favorite movies from the IMDb Top 250 that boldly look to what might lie ahead.
Play clip4:04
'The Platform' & Future Films From the IMDb Top 250
16 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Action
  • Sci-Fi

A human soldier is sent from 2029 to 1984 to stop an almost indestructible cyborg killing machine, sent from the same year, which has been programmed to execute a young woman whose unborn so... Read allA human soldier is sent from 2029 to 1984 to stop an almost indestructible cyborg killing machine, sent from the same year, which has been programmed to execute a young woman whose unborn son is the key to humanity's future salvation.A human soldier is sent from 2029 to 1984 to stop an almost indestructible cyborg killing machine, sent from the same year, which has been programmed to execute a young woman whose unborn son is the key to humanity's future salvation.

IMDb RATING
8.1/10
843K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
448
127
  • Director
    • James Cameron
  • Writers
    • James Cameron
    • Gale Anne Hurd
    • William Wisher(additional dialogue)
  • Stars
    • Arnold Schwarzenegger
    • Linda Hamilton
    • Michael Biehn
Top credits
  • Director
    • James Cameron
  • Writers
    • James Cameron
    • Gale Anne Hurd
    • William Wisher(additional dialogue)
  • Stars
    • Arnold Schwarzenegger
    • Linda Hamilton
    • Michael Biehn
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1KUser reviews
    • 244Critic reviews
    • 84Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #215
    • Awards
      • 8 wins & 6 nominations

    Videos16

    The Terminator
    Trailer 1:04
    The Terminator
    'The Platform' & Future Films From the IMDb Top 250
    Clip 4:04
    'The Platform' & Future Films From the IMDb Top 250
    How Mackenzie Davis Expands the 'Terminator' Universe
    Clip 2:09
    How Mackenzie Davis Expands the 'Terminator' Universe
    The Evolution of Sarah Connor & The Terminator
    Clip 2:21
    The Evolution of Sarah Connor & The Terminator
    'The Terminator' | Anniversary Mashup
    Clip 1:13
    'The Terminator' | Anniversary Mashup
    Top Gun! Terminator! The '80s Live at SDCC
    Clip 2:29
    Top Gun! Terminator! The '80s Live at SDCC
    Questions We Have About "Stranger Things" Season 4
    Clip 3:35
    Questions We Have About "Stranger Things" Season 4
    Upside Down the Rabbit Holes of "Stranger Things"
    Clip 3:45
    Upside Down the Rabbit Holes of "Stranger Things"
    Dark Fate for Terminator Franchise or a Requel That Works?
    Clip 4:20
    Dark Fate for Terminator Franchise or a Requel That Works?
    What We Know About 'Terminator: Dark Fate' ... So Far
    Clip 3:27
    What We Know About 'Terminator: Dark Fate' ... So Far
    Who Nearly Starred in The Terminator Franchise?
    Video 4:38
    Who Nearly Starred in The Terminator Franchise?
    Cheat Sheet: 'Terminator: Dark Fate'
    Video 4:49
    Cheat Sheet: 'Terminator: Dark Fate'

    Photos336

    Linda Hamilton and Michael Biehn in The Terminator (1984)
    Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dick Miller in The Terminator (1984)
    Michael Biehn in The Terminator (1984)
    Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator (1984)
    Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator (1984)
    Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator (1984)
    Lance Henriksen and Paul Winfield in The Terminator (1984)
    Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator (1984)
    Linda Hamilton in The Terminator (1984)
    Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator (1984)
    Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, and Marian Green in The Terminator (1984)
    Arnold Schwarzenegger, Darrell Mapson, Patrick Pinney, Bill W. Richmond, and Bob Ritchie in The Terminator (1984)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Arnold Schwarzenegger
    Arnold Schwarzenegger
    • Terminatoras Terminator
    Linda Hamilton
    Linda Hamilton
    • Sarah Connoras Sarah Connor
    Michael Biehn
    Michael Biehn
    • Kyle Reeseas Kyle Reese
    Paul Winfield
    Paul Winfield
    • Traxleras Traxler
    Lance Henriksen
    Lance Henriksen
    • Vukovichas Vukovich
    Rick Rossovich
    Rick Rossovich
    • Mattas Matt
    Bess Motta
    Bess Motta
    • Gingeras Ginger
    Earl Boen
    Earl Boen
    • Silbermanas Silberman
    Dick Miller
    Dick Miller
    • Pawn Shop Clerkas Pawn Shop Clerk
    Shawn Schepps
    Shawn Schepps
    • Nancyas Nancy
    Bruce M. Kerner
    • Desk Sergeantas Desk Sergeant
    Franco Columbu
    Franco Columbu
    • Future Terminatoras Future Terminator
    Bill Paxton
    Bill Paxton
    • Punk Leaderas Punk Leader
    Brad Rearden
    Brad Rearden
    • Punkas Punk
    Brian Thompson
    Brian Thompson
    • Punkas Punk
    William Wisher
    William Wisher
    • Policemanas Policeman
    • (as William Wisher Jr.)
    Ken Fritz
    • Policemanas Policeman
    Tom Oberhaus
    • Policemanas Policeman
    • Director
      • James Cameron
    • Writers
      • James Cameron
      • Gale Anne Hurd
      • William Wisher(additional dialogue)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    Linda Hamilton Returns to Her Iconic 'Terminator' Role

    Linda Hamilton Returns to Her Iconic 'Terminator' Role

    Has it really been 27 years? The Terminator: Dark Fate actress lets us in on why she's back in the franchise.
    Watch now
    [object Object]

    More like this

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    8.6
    Terminator 2: Judgment Day
    Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
    6.3
    Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
    Jaws
    8.1
    Jaws
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    8.4
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    Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
    8.2
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    8.1
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    8.4
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    Back to the Future
    8.5
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    8.5
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    Storyline

    Edit
    Sent back from a dystopian 2029--where the cold machines have conquered the entire world--to 1984 Los Angeles, the indestructible cyborg-assassin known as the "Terminator" commences his deadly mission to kill humankind's most important woman: the unsuspecting Sarah Connor. However, from the same war-torn post-apocalyptic future comes a battle-scarred defender--Kyle Reese, a brave soldier of the human Resistance Army--bent on stopping the cybernetic killer from eliminating the world's last hope. But, the Terminator has no feelings, he doesn't sleep, and above all, he won't stop until he carries out his grim task. Does our future lie in our past? —Nick Riganas
    • time travel
    • human versus cyborg
    • robotics
    • cyborg
    • future war
    • 373 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • La sua missione e una sola: distruggere, uccidere... (His one and only mission: to destroy, to kill...) (Italian DVD)
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Sci-Fi
    • Certificate
      • R
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      While shooting this film, James Cameron often resorted to what he called "guerilla filmmaking" as a way of getting around acquiring permits needed to film certain scenes. This involved the production crew and actors quickly arriving at a specified location, shooting the scene and leaving before the police arrived. As a result, some of the people seen in a few shots are actual everyday citizens completely unaware they're in a movie. This was also used for re shoots with Cameron even calling and waking Arnold Schwarzenegger once at 3am to meet him at a location already in full costume to quickly re-shoot a scene. Cameron also used this tactic to film the very last scene where Sarah drives off into the desert. This almost backfired, however, when the police came sniffing around.
    • Goofs
      (at around 33 mins) When Sarah is in the night club she has to put change into the pay phone to call 911. While 911 calls are free, many pay phones in the 1980s required you to insert a coin in order to obtain a dial tone.
    • Quotes

      Cleaning Man at Flophouse: [1:14:18] Hey, buddy. You got a dead cat in there, or what?

      [the Terminator visualizes: 'POSSIBLE RESPONSE: YES/NO; OR WHAT?; GO AWAY; PLEASE COME BACK LATER; FUCK YOU, ASSHOLE; FUCK YOU']

      The Terminator: Fuck you, asshole.

    • Crazy credits
      The opening credits run while large outlines of the two halves of THE TERMINATOR cross each other. After the last directorial credit is shown, the title THE TERMINATOR zooms backward, is filled by metallic blue, and reveals itself.
    • Alternate versions
      NBC edited 7 minutes and time-compressed 4 minutes of this film for its 1987 network television premiere.
    • Connections
      Edited into The Terminator: 'Terminated' Deleted Scenes (2001)
    • Soundtracks
      You Can't Do That
      Performed by Tryanglz

      Written by Ricky Phillips

      Published by Ricky Lynn Phillips Music (BMI)

    User reviews1K

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    The Terminator has heart. Cameron might be well advised,less is more.
    Many people look back at the films of James Cameron and suggest that the smaller, the budget, the tighter the limitations, the better the end product. Films like Avatar, Titanic and True Lies had huge budgets and drew in even bigger box office but many still yearn for the Cameron that gave us The Terminator and Aliens which were huge movies but packed a far bigger punch artistically. My feelings all these years on are that Cameron has earned the right to make those huge movies but i have to admit to preferring his earlier body of work. The Terminator is a nightmarish, time travelling science fiction film told at a breakneck pace and delivered with confidence and style. The film has a very gritty, underground look to it and does a great job of telling its story amid the frenetic action. There is also a huge slice of horror and suspense thrown in, an impression that has diminished in the years since it's release due to inferior sequels. Viewed as a standalone piece however, The Terminator is fine piece of work from a director with a very clear vision.Everyone knows that The Terminator is the film that gave us Arnold Schwarzenegger but when i look back at the film, it has heart and its the Michael Biehn character, Kyle Reese, that provides it Artistically speaking,Cameron might be well advised that less is more.
    helpful•52
    8
    • axlrhodes
    • Jan 28, 2011

    FAQ46

    • When the janitor bothers the Terminator, why does he select "Fuck You, Asshole" as his response?
    • In one of the future scenes when the resistance base is under attack, is the model of Terminator a T-800 but with a different skin job?
    • How did the Terminator know how to drive a car, Kyle would know how as they were still using cars to fight Skynet, but the Terminators used more advanced machines so wouldn't have ever needed to drive a car.

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 26, 1984 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Facebook
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Terminator
    • Filming locations
      • 720 S Hill Street, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Cinema '84
      • Euro Film Funding
      • Hemdale
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $6,400,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $38,371,200
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $4,020,663
      • Oct 28, 1984
    • Gross worldwide
      • $78,371,200
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 47 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono(original release)
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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