The Terminator

This week, we take look at the classic and franchise-setting film, The Terminator! We'll be discussing The Terminator movie cast, The Terminator special effects, the Nike shoes product placement in the film, our own The Terminator film review and rating, and more! So take a seat, listen to our podcast episode and/or read and learn about this legendary movie (and if you leave, you'll be terminated...jk).

The Terminator Movie Cast and Director

James Cameron as Director/Writer

We've briefly discussed James Cameron here at Force Fed Sci-Fi before when we discussed and reviewed Strange Days, which Cameron wrote. However, The Terminator was his directorial debut. And for his directorial debut, Cameron was beyond successful. Of course, we'll talk about the legacy a bit later, but we all know this first film spawned a globally known franchise.

Arnold Schwarzeneggar as the Terminator / T-800 / "model 101"

It may be safe to say that this movie helped Schwarzeneggar reach global fame while his previous film Conan the Barbarian was more of a break-through role. It's interesting to think as to why his terminator role raised his stardom. While it did help that this film was praised for its special effects, why did a part with little emotion and only 17 to 18 lines make Arnold famous?

Prior to selecting Schwarzeneggar as the title role, Mel Gibson and Sylvester Stallone were in line to receive the part. In fact, Cameron wanted OJ simpson to be the terminator but decided against it (ironically) because he felt OJ could not convey a convincing killer.

Schwarzeneggar was actually considered for the role of Kyle Reese first, but it's probably a good thing that his role switched due to Cameron wanting someone bigger and intimidating playing the role (kind of a no-brainer in our opinion). His ability to play such a brutal and murdering cybernetic robot with no emotion was excellent and well portrayed.

Michael Biehn as Kyle Reese

We weren't too familiar with Biehn's filmography prior to The Terminator. With that being said, we think he did a pretty good job executing the role of Reese. What we were intrigued about was casting someone who had more smarts to fight the terminator rather than another body builder. In addition, he's a kind of a scrawny guy. As we talked and thought about it more, you wonder how much actors like Schwarzeneggar and Stallone influenced roles of villains and superheros.

Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor

Hamilton does a great job playing Connor, who's arc is the most interesting, but doesn't reveal itself until close to the end of the film. For most of the movie, she's an unassuming and almost damsel in distress of a character. She doesn't believe in herself which makes her doubt Reese's story of her raising the leader of a future resistance. Maybe it's because the terminator has closed in on her and is about to take her life, but she musters up a lot of courage to start fighting back, even yells at Reese as he's badly injured, "On your feet soldier!" While Reese is the one who damages the terminator, its Connor that ultimately leads the cyborg a certain way so she can crush and defeat it.

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