american science fiction action thriller film written directed produced distributed stars assassin sent time kill son day machines post apocalyptic future plays soldier future sent time protect connor expected success topped american box office weeks helped launch film career cameron received critical acclaim praising pacing action scenes role success led franchise consisting sequels judgment day rise machines salvation television series comic books novels video games selected preservation deemed culturally historically aesthetically significant plot los_angeles assassin programmed kill young woman named arrives future shortly soldier sent protect connor arrives kills people including women named listed telephone tracks sarah nightclub kyle arrives saves sarah steal car escape steals police car pursues kyle explains sarah near future artificial intelligence defense network known self aware initiate nuclear holocaust says sarah conceived son john rally survivors lead resistance movement army machines resistance verge victory sent time kill sarah john born order formation resistance efficient killing machine powerful metal external layer living tissue makes appear human kyle sarah pursued police escapes kyle questioned criminal psychologist concludes kyle paranoid sarah questioned repairs body attacks police station killing police officers including attempt locate sarah sarah kyle escape spend night bridge seeking refuge assemble pipe bombs sarah realizes find safe matter kyle admits love sarah john gave photograph sarah kyle feelings sex tracks kyle sarah escape truck ensuing chase kyle throws pipe bombs wounded gunfire sarah knocks motorcycle loses control truck truck kyle pipe bomb trailer causing explosion emerges flames artificial flesh completely destroyed chase continues factory kyle factory machinery confuse attacks metal pipe knocks jams final pipe bomb abdomen bomb blows apart seemingly destroying injuring sarah unknown reason kills kyle kyle armed grabs breaks free grip away hydraulic press crushing finally months later pregnant sarah traveling mexico recording audio tapes pass son john debates tell kyle father gas station boy takes photograph purchases photograph john kyle cast model android disguised human sent time assassinate human resistance fighter sent time protect sarah target soon mother future resistance leader police lieutenant questions sarah police sergeant questions sarah criminal psychologist sarah roommate boyfriend additional actors included gun shop clerk professional friend partner confronted women shot production development rome italy release spawning director cameron fell ill dream metallic dragging explosion holding kitchen knives contemporaries horror movies cameron said guy halloween break dream stylish horror movie cameron nightmare film type image launching pad story cameron returned california stayed home wrote draft cameron later stated influences writing script 1950s science fiction films episodes outer limits contemporary films including driver translate draft script cameron enlisted friend similar approach storytelling cameron gave early scenes involving police department scenes write lived far away cameron communicated script ideas recording tapes wrote telephone cameron agent resented idea requested work cameron dismissed agent initial outline script involved sent past similar film second liquid metal destroyed conventional weaponry cameron think good way depict robot stating seeing things head couldn existing technology ultimately appeared film liquid metal revisited character sequel judgment day worked assistant showed interest film project cameron sold rights dollar promise produce cameron direct producer suggested edits script took screen writing credit film cameron stated actual writing cameron friends worked previously working mgm agreed distribute film cameron financial backing script picked cameron wanted pitch deal friend meeting early dressed acting like showed office kicking open door wearing leather jacket gold foil teeth fake cuts face sat chair cameron arrived shortly relieved staff act impressed screenplay cameron sketches passion film late agreed film help hbo originally million later raised million italian film mechanical man contains scene mechanical man breaks armored door hole extends hand unlock closes inside influenced substantially identical scene pre production cameron tasks find play wanted star popularity rising united_states foreign appeal founder met sent agent script cameron dubious casting felt need bigger play originally offered role turned offered role turned studio suggested role cameron feel simpson believable killer cameron agreed meet film devised plan avoid casting cameron planned pick fight return find unfit role meeting cameron entertained talk villain played cameron began face asked stop talking remain meeting cameron returned saying play hell excited film interview set conan interviewer asked pair shoes responded shit movie couple weeks recounted memoir total recall initially hesitant thought playing robot contemporary film challenging change pace conan film low profile wouldn risk career unsuccessful admitting took figure jim cameron real deal director talented preparation role spent months training weapons able use feel comfortable speaks lines film words said austrian accent worked strange synthesized quality like hadn gotten voice thing worked role suggestions role including rock musician sting cameron chose role originally skeptical feeling film silly meeting stated feelings project changed stated came audition tough believed gon human connection little time fall love lot people came pull pages script character written small delicate features pretty flawed accessible way doesn stop party walks like know vulnerable quality masks strength doesn know exists role cameron chose finished filming children corn previously auditioned cameron found role detective essential finding finances film special effects shots film cameron wanted previously worked godfather taxi driver smith cameron offer suggested friend job new agent named found cameron working sent cassette music invited screening film cameron certain having compose score worked television music previously theatrical films convinced right job showing experimental piece worked thinking know going play dark think interesting song convinced cameron sign film filming filming set begin early toronto halted producer applied option contract unavailable months filming conan destroyer waiting period cameron contracted write script blood refined script met producers discuss sequel alien aliens released limited interference suggestions forward included addition android cameron refused strengthen love interest sarah cameron accepted create look cameron passed sketches forth eventually deciding design nearly identical cameron original drawn rome team seven artists work months create puppet clay plaster reinforced steel pieces painted sculpted reproduction face poses clay plaster sequences set stop motion scenes developed special effects company headed stop motion model scenes film involving skeletal frame cameron wanted convince audience model structure capable saw allow scene filmed injured away easier model imitate guns seen film film poster pistol modified include laser sight non functioning functioning versions prop created time movie available high power requirement neon laser sight external power supply activate manually states compensation project promotional material film march film began production los_angeles cameron felt set style film changed explaining movie took larger life found set things didn think scenes purely horrific couldn flamboyant action scenes filmed night led tight filming schedules sunrise week filming started ankle leading production change scenes hamilton needed run occurred late filming schedule allowed hamilton ankle taped day spent film production pain tried iconic line changed difficulty word felt robotic character speak cameron refused change line worked line written best later line numerous films career production finished post production shots needed included scenes showing outside apartment body bag head crushed press release faith performing box office feared negative critical reception early screening film actors agents insisted producers film screened critics held press screening film film premiered october opening week played theaters grossed million making number box office film remained number second week lost number spot week god devil cameron noted hit relative market summer christmas better big fish small pond way writer stated loved movie blown away believed screenplay based short story episode outer limits written titled soldier threatened sue infringement settled gave undisclosed money credit later prints film accounts settlement state demon glass hand outer limits episode written claimed film explicitly stated soldier demon glass hand cameron decision told agree settlement pay damages lost suit cameron replied choice agree settlement course gag order couldn tell story frankly don care truth marketing shortly film theatrical release number merchandise items media released sold coincide film wrote novelization film published february september comics released comic based film published comic took place years film video games based released nintendo sega systems soundtrack film released included score pop rock songs club scenes home video released vhs film performed financially initial release premiered number video cassette number video cassette sales charts second week reached number video cassette number video cassette sales charts march released letter boxed edition laserdisc film premiered dvd september ign referred dvd pretty bare bones released soundtrack kind poor transfer acquisition film library catalogue mgm released special edition film october included documentaries script advertisements film january hong_kong edition released online june film released blu ray sony united_states late film released blu ray time transfer 20th century features improved compared sony blu ray revised color grading expanded extra material deleted scenes making feature reception legacy received critical acclaim consider best films positive reviews focused action scenes rapid pacing variety praised film calling cinematic comic book terrific momentum solid performances compelling story perfectly cast machine like portrayal requires lines dialog time magazine said film plenty tech noir action fans satisfied time placed best list los_angeles_times called film thriller sorts treats loaded fuel injected chase scenes clever special effects sly humor gave film stars calling chilling science fiction thriller alien review magazine stated distinguishing virtue relentless tension right start action violence time taken set story like streamlined movie exposition guns guns guns issue cinefantastique referred film manages derivative original time road warrior genre exhibited example science fiction horror best cameron nonsense approach sought united_kingdom monthly film bulletin praised film script special effects design performance reviews focused film level violence story telling quality new_york_times opined film movie flair suspense personality dull far form car chases brutally gets way wrote negative review calling film films like streets fire chicago_tribune gave film stars adding times violent style actually helps providing little humor sci plot turns sluggish dialogue called film violent piece british author called film degree charging charging appeal rooted compound fashion fascination film won saturn awards best science fiction film best best writing entertainment_weekly reviewed film giving rating writing originally somewhat inflated generous energetic big picture good little film called original movies 1980s likely remain best sci films gave film stars calling sci action thriller launched careers entertaining guide gave film stars referring effective picture impressive considers small budget money film far superior mega grossing mega sequel empire gave film stars calling efficient thrills audience titular character executing targets film database gave film stars saying established master action special effects quasi narrative intrigue turning hard body star 1980s described film slick nasty undeniably compelling comic book adventures review aggregator website rotten_tomatoes reported approval rating average rating based reviews website consensus reads impressive action sequences economic direction fast pace clear continues influence sci action film holds score universal acclaim review aggregator website metacritic received recognition american_film_institute film ranked 42nd afi years thrills list america heart pounding films character selected 22nd greatest movie villain afi years heroes villains arnold catch phrase voted 37th greatest movie quote afi total film named best film empire magazine selected greatest movies time empire placed 14th list greatest movie characters deemed culturally historically aesthetically significant selected preservation film initiated long running franchise currently consists films adaptations media biographer writes influential film affecting generation science fiction arnold best performances themes leader sees example cinema dealt problem writes shown time man requires biological body male added man means body plus symbolic ultimately human frequent motif man machine film explores potential dangers rebellion robots self aware future reject human authority determine human race needs destroyed impact theme important prevalent visual representation risk robot soundtrack soundtrack composed performed synthesizer described film music mechanical man music film performed live theme played opening credits played points film sped versions slowed version dies piano version love scene described having simple melody line haunting synthesizer music time signature came experimented rhythm track music equipment initially accident found liked created music connor escape police station appropriate heroic moment cameron turned theme believed lose audience excitement factory chase features electric violin played track love scene softer piano based version main theme described soundtrack film released tracks soundtrack comprise score second half performed artists described synthesizer based dance oriented pop rock songs contain hard rock rhythm guitar pictures emphasis synthesizer differs hit songs intimacy described day new wave primitive early techno personnel instrumentation production electric violin music editing music post production digital editing release soundtrack album originally released records followed cassette reissue july remastered edition containing score entitled definitive edition titled definite edition cover released august edition contained minute running time included bonus track theme liner notes album contained extensive track released remastered version score april reception online music database allmusic praised score film referring highlight referred synthesizer score review stated second half album featuring pop songs generic review praised definitive edition version album featured entire film score opining comprises best science fiction oriented film music recent decades reviewing issue pitchfork gave album rating labeled best new review stated root success way score holds close main theme central melodic rhythmic motifs sense narrative continuity shifts sound tone metallic march piano love scene firm backbone runs end credits cold dawn holds fireworks emotional resolution
The Terminator