When James Cameron had a feverish dream
of a metal endoskeleton rising from the flames of destruction, little
did we know that he would craft this vision into the terminator
franchise and redefine what an action and science fiction series
could be. Legend has it that Arnold Schwarzenegger auditioned for
the role of Kyle Reese, human soldier sent back in time to protect
one very important mother, due to his rising stature in Hollywood
with the success of the Conan the Barbarian in the early 80’s.
Upon meeting, both Schwarzenegger and Cameron secretly thought that
the role of the terminator would fit Arnold perfectly, with his
unnatural build fitting the nightmarish image of an unstoppable
cyborg killer from the future. Cameron initially wanted the
terminator to be a machine that looked like a completely normal man
in order for it to blend in with the crowd. Lance Henriksen (See
also Aliens) was initially going to play the terminator and
although he would have provided a unique and original interpretation
of a machine with no remorse, fate gave the world Arnold in what
could arguably be called his most memorable and iconic role of his
career.
Filmed in L.A. with a small budget and
not all of the proper police permits,
The Terminator would
become a classic in the genre and push both its’ star and director
into the limelight of talent in showbiz land. Although
Schwarzenegger’s performance and attitude lifted the film to
immediate cult status, the picture would not have worked half as well
if the character of Reese had been played by a sub-par actor.
Michael Biehn (See also
The Abyss; Planet Terror) incorporates
the right amount of intensity and emotionality into a role that has
to explain to the audience what the fuck is going on. He brings to
life the serious threat that the T-800 represents while Sarah Connor,
a.k.a. Linda Hamilton, tries to come to terms with the horror and
unrealism that has stormed into her 1984 material girl life. Arnold
went on to bigger budget movies and the list of nameless foes he so
entertainingly ended rose into the hundreds, but never was he more
lethal or convincing than in this tech-noir tale. With Stan Winston
providing the special effects and Brad Fiedel orchestrating the
heart-pumping score,
The Terminator still reverberates today
as a warning against unchecked technological progress and the power
of the human spirit. While many a night has been wasted endlessly
debating whether this film or its’ sequel,
Terminator 2:
Judgment Day, is the superior work, the question for me is
answered with the scene of Schwarzenegger breaking into and
annihilating an entire police station in the original. His
systematic and unemotional disposal of human interference is truly
something to behold. ‘It can't be bargained with. It can't be
reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it
absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead.’ And for once
in a movie, the statement matches the villain perfectly and then
some. An everlasting testament to the creative talent behind this
keeper.
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