The Terminator (1984)

Forty years ago this Fall, we saw the release of one of the most influential genre films of the Modern Era, this low-budget sci-fi horror thriller directed by a young upstart named James Cameron....this being his first full-on feature film.  It was a simple tale about a mild-mannered young waitress named Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) who unknowingly holds a very unique position to fight a future war against the machines, the imposing cybernetic assassin (Arnold Schwarzenegger) sent back from the future to kill her, and a spirited freedom fighter ALSO sent back from the future to protect her.  That freedom fighter's name is Kyle Reese and he's played by Michael Biehn (Aliens, Tombstone) amidst a pretty strong cast including Paul Winfield, Lance Henrickson, and Rick Rossovich.  What results is a tight 100 LA-based cat-and-mouse set mostly at night featuring lots of intense action set to a VERY iconic score from Brad Fiedel.  Dun Dun Dun DUN DUN...indeed!

Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon

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Transcript

THE TERMINATOR - 1984

Directed by James Cameron

Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, Paul Winfield, Lance Henricksen, Rick Rossovich, Bess Motta, Dick Miller, and Earl Boen

Genre: Sci-Fi Horror Thriller (Audio clip)

Why is it not ok to refer to this film as a horror film?? This shit was scary back in the '80's and it's still scary in 2024! 😬

From the "Dundun dun DUNDUN" theme to the overall dark color palette of the film to Arnold's general demeanor, so much of this film is truly menacing...I have little doubt that scaring you was what James Cameron was going for this time around despite some very well-executed action sequences throughout. This film is structured like an '80's slasher movie with Sarah Connor being the ultimate "Final Girl." And that's not in any way dammning it with faint praise....

This was a pure B-movie that ended up transcending its B-movieness based on the intelligence behind the story and the craft behind the camera. Everyone involved is firing on all cylinders on a limited budget here from F/X guru Stan Winston with some crafty stop-motion effects to the very tight editing by Mark Goldblatt who would go on to hava a strong career of piecing together muscular genre films including Commando, Starship Troopers, and Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

Everyone in the cast inhabits their roles well, always conscious of the type of movie they're in - it was no accident that this was Arnie's TRUE breakout because this character played to all of his outsized strengths...you never have any doubt that he's an unstoppable machine. Linda Hamilton and Michael Biehn aren't doing anything groundbreaking with their characters but they keep them relatable which goes a long way....I still think the late-film love story between them is the weakest part of this film but not because of a lack of chemistry, moreso in the '80's Skin-a-max style with which Cameron portrays it. I love Cameron and he's probably among my all-time favorite directors but let's face it....romance was never his strong suit. (Except for The Abyss and chunks of Titanic)

Best Needle drop (best song cue or score used throughout runtime of film): 

Definitely one of the most lasting and influential legacies from this film remains its score which of course includes that now ICONIC five note main theme….EACH note seemingly a piercing metallic sound. (Audio clip) 

It was done almost entirely on synthesizer with some standard old-fashioned piano thrown in a few key emotional points….and the composer is the LEGENDARY New York City native Brad Fiedel.  In the mid ‘70’s, he started out as a bass player for pop due Hall & Oats before becoming a composer for film and TV – it’s funny as I like most others only really know him from the Terminator films but dude has over 100 credits including a WIDE variety of genres from that era including the intense courtroom drama The Accused and a raunchy comedy which I remember being an HBO staple starring a young, baby-faced Tim Robbins….Fraternity Vacation.  Who knew?  But of course his scores for those first two Terminator films remain his most signature achievements….and for good reason.  As I stated earlier, this first Terminator was VERY much a horror movie and this score reflects that with intense droning beats throughout whenever the action ramps up.  This occurs very memorably during the film’s final chase sequence towards the end….as Kyle and Sarah are trying evade the Terminator, Kyle’s also throwing pipe bombs….this track is called, “Tunnel Chase.” (Audio clip)  

Wasted Talent (most under-utilized talent involved with film):

For a filmmaker who would eventually become known for directing several of THE most expensive films of all time, this would also be the last time that he would be working with a small budget.  And this being a lean, mean production for its day costing around $6 million, I honestly don’t believe any talent and/or resources WERE wasted.  In fact they were filming much of the night action taking place in LA AROUND LA on the fly….sometimes without permits.  I’m fairly confident that at one point, Cameron even donated his OWN car to be used in one of the chase sequences.  

Trailer Moment (scene or moment that best describes this movie):

For me, THE most effective scene is still when the Terminator lays siege to the police station...even in a 2024 context, it's still pretty terrifying to see play out! It just genuinely raises the stakes of the story and you really wonder after that point just how hopeless Sarah's situation is - Cameron and co-writer Gale Ann Hurd are just going all out to make you squirm at this and other points in the story. And making the audience squirm is a key ingredient of what makes an excellent horror film. ;)

MVP (person or people most responsible for the success of this film):

Undoubtedly this movie was a game-changer in so many ways, having impact on dystopian fiction, the action genre, movie stardom, and society’s perception of time travel as an idea.  And as far as I’m concerned, it took TWO game-changers to really make it happen.  From this point on, James Cameron became a force in Hollywood and for good reason – not only did he redefine genre filmmaking but he also helped set the template for more genre protagonists to be WOMEN. (Audio clip) 

And the other game-changer was Arnie…..yes he had already broken out a couple of years prior with the success of Conan the Barbarian but his unique performance here – a genuinely ICONIC one despite having minimal dialogue and in essence being a different spin on the slasher villain – pretty much set him on the path towards being one of our most unlikely movie stars.  I mean by this point, we had already HAD Leatherface and Jason….Freddie was to make his first on-screen appearance within weeks of this one….but his T-800 was that rare slasher villain who could not only blend in to normal life but leave SUCH a distinct impression just based on his line readings that audiences would soon clamor to see him play GOOD guys too.  For collaborating here to pretty much revolutionize modern mainstream cinema, James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger are your CO-MVP’s. (Audio clip) 

Final Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Streaming on Apple TV+ & AMC+

Happy 40th Anniversary to one of the best genre films of the 1980’s!  Oh and in case you’re wondering….the question, WHICH Terminator do I prefer….this OR previous episode T2??  It’s always been SUCH a close call but if I HAD to choose, it’s probably T2….not only thanks to the larger scale action but Linda Hamilton’s performance.  But don’t get me wrong, SHE doesn’t pull that off without laying the groundwork here. 

And that ends another TECH NOIR review!