As a fan who has grown up with the action-packed adventures of Arnold Schwarzenegger, I can’t help but feel a profound sense of respect and admiration for this indomitable figure. His journey from a bricklayer in Germany to an iconic Hollywood star is nothing short of inspiring. The bond he shared with Franco Columbu, his best friend who was by his side during the early days, adds another layer of depth to his story.
The T-800 promised he’d be back.
time after time, he came back, taking on different shapes, ultimately transforming into a kinder, emotionless robot-like being.
For forty years now, a vow was given in “The Terminator,” a movie where Arnold Schwarzenegger, aged 37 at the time, portrayed the initial destructive machine. This character hailed from a dystopian future (2029) with the task of extinguishing any remaining resistance, specifically targeting Sarah Connor, who was yet unborn but would later become John Connor’s mother and an influential freedom fighter. Linda Hamilton played this role in the movie.
He was a machine of few words, but the iconic part cemented Schwarzenegger’s status as an action superstar, well on his way to becoming “Ah-nuld,” let alone “the Governator,” no last name necessary.
Indeed, the course of human history might have taken a different path if James Cameron hadn’t been let go from “Piranha II: The Spawning.” This unexpected turn of events allowed him to pen “The Terminator” while temporarily residing with a friend in Pomona, California.
He brought his disturbing(ly prescient) story to his agent, who hated it and told him to work on something else.
So, Cameron fired his agent.
On a production budget of approximately $6.4 million, the film titled “The Terminator” went on to generate $38 million within the U.S. and an additional $78 million globally. This success placed it among the ranks of sleepaway hits.
In the same year that The Karate Kid earned $90 million, making it a success, but not an enormous one as some might imagine, Michael Biehn, who portrayed Kyle Reese, shared this insight with Ain’t It Cool News in 2011. He explained that the movie truly gained traction in 1984 when many people started receiving VHS players, and he believes that it was this home video format that contributed significantly to the film’s widespread popularity.
Biehn also worked with Cameron on Aliens and The Abyss.
35 years after they first teamed up in “The Terminator” (1984), Hamilton, who reconnected with Cameron for “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” and even had a brief marriage with him, would not have imagined that she and her muscular physique would return to the franchise for “Terminator: Dark Fate,” which was released in 2019.
In 2009, I openly acknowledged that my identity is deeply intertwined with being Linda ‘The Terminator’, as I shared with MTV News. Whenever I step out into the world, I’m greeted with enthusiastic cries of “I love you!”, which serves as a testament to the lasting impact of my work. It’s truly heartening to know that I’ve left a legacy that transcends the confines of my own lifespan.
And the rest is sci-fi history. Here are some epic secrets about the making of The Terminator:
As per Rebecca Keegan’s 2009 book “The Futurist”, James Cameron sold the rights to his script for just $1 to Gale Ann Hurd, who was once an assistant to B-movie legend Roger Corman and had discovered Cameron while he worked in the art department at New World. The deal included a promise from Hurd that she would only produce the movie if Cameron agreed to direct it.
Hurd kept her promise, even in the face of studio execs who tried to push Cameron aside.
In response, Cameron shared with Keegan, “That choice led me to my profession, which I haven’t looked back on with regret, despite the financial strain it caused initially.
Cameron parted ways with his first spouse, Sharon Williams, in 1984. The year after, he wed Gale Ann Hurd, who, apart from ‘The Terminator’, also produced ‘Aliens’, ‘The Abyss’. Following their separation in 1989, she was instrumental in the production of ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’.
Hurd shared some ideas and collaborated on the script of the movie “The Terminator“, earning a co-writing credit with Cameron. In 2009, Cameron expressed annoyance that people often attributed the creation of his fierce female character to Hurd, stating emphatically that she did not contribute any writing at all in their conversation with Keegan.
He didn’t earn any income from the films, theme park attractions, merchandise, or video games in the Terminator series, as he wasn’t their director or producer.
The director of both ‘Avatar’ and ‘Titanic’, who happen to be among the top three and six highest-grossing movies ever made, expressed that he viewed it as an expense associated with a Hollywood education.
In 1984, Cameron utilized his acquaintance, Lance Henriksen, whom he met during ‘Piranha II’, to portray the Terminator character for a meeting with potential financier John Daly at Hemdale Pictures. Without warning, Henriksen dramatically entered the office, startling the receptionist, and remained ominously still for about 15 minutes before Cameron arrived.
In our joint efforts, I’m thrilled to share that we successfully secured a financing deal worth $6 million, partnering with Orion Pictures and HBO. Daly agreed to this arrangement.
Initially, Cameron believed Henriksen could be suitable as a Terminator character, envisioned as a machine pretending to be human and infiltrating the human resistance in 2029. However, it was Henriksen who played Detective Hal Vukovich instead, within the movie “The Terminator”. They would collaborate again when the experienced actor took on the role of Bishop once more for “Aliens”.
As a devoted follower of the cinematic universe, I was the one who facilitated the collaboration between Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Cameron. My role was instrumental in suggesting Schwarzenegger as Kyle Reese, while football legend O.J. Simpson was envisioned for The Terminator character in our project.
In response to the Independent in October 2019, Arnold Schwarzenegger jokingly commented that James Cameron initially didn’t seem convincing as a lethal machine. However, since he wasn’t considered believable for the role, they ended up hiring Arnold instead. That’s essentially what transpired.
Initially, Simpson held a strong connection that led Cameron to create some preliminary sketches depicting the athlete. To this day, Schwarzenegger still retains these drawings.
In the artwork residing at his home, which was created by Jim Cameron, a surprising truth was disclosed. On that very canvas, instead of his own visage, there lies the face of O.J. Simpson. Remarkably, the image was previously painted onto it, depicting him in a leather jacket and holding a gun in hand.
Cameron didn’t find much acting talent in Arnold Schwarzenegger when they first met, as his most significant role at that time was “Conan the Barbarian,” a character whose impact mainly came from his physical strength rather than his acting skills.
To Men’s Journal, Cameron was asked about his prior acting experience, to which the 37-year-old Austrian responded, “Irrelevant. My goal is to become a film icon, just like Clint Eastwood and Sylvester Stallone.
The director commented, “That seems almost unbelievable to me,” expressing his skepticism. In simpler terms, it’s as if he was saying, “Look at this lottery ticket I just bought – I’m going to win!” However, once you understand Arnold better, you realize that he simply makes things happen.
In an unexpected twist, it was Arnold Schwarzenegger who, while trying to demonstrate his heroic abilities, actually gave stronger evidence of being a potential antagonist instead.
He told Keegan that he had talked up the Terminator character quite a bit, emphasizing his ability to manage weapons and his constant machine-like demeanor.
In 2019, Schwarzenegger explained to Men’s Health in a similar fashion as he usually does, “He’s just a machine.” He emphasized that everything should be straightforward with no excitement or satisfaction involved. He told Jim that there shouldn’t be any celebration or victory lap; just the task at hand, completed. After hearing his analysis, Jim later said to him, “Wow, you understand it better than I wrote it. Why don’t you play the Terminator?
The following day, Cameron approached producer John Daly, expressing that he had identified the Terminator, thereby prolonging the search for Kyle Reese.
Back then, I found myself exclaiming, “Just 27 lines, The Terminator utters!” During an interview with Men’s Health, I shared this tidbit. Fortunately, I managed to keep my pride in check.
People held him in high esteem because he could accomplish tasks they all wished they could, according to Schwarzenegger. Everyone dreams of demolishing a police station when frustrated with the police. During our test screening, we presented it to 50 officers. They all cheered as I destroyed the police station – since it wasn’t a person causing the destruction, but rather a machine.
Sting was inquired regarding portraying Kyle Reese, the crucial character who is a resistance fighter sent from the future to safeguard Sarah Connor and also turns out to be the father of her son, John. However, he had a global tour scheduled ahead.
As a devout admirer of science fiction, I had the privilege of witnessing the Police frontman grace the silver screen in 1984, portraying his role in the cinematic interpretation of Frank Herbert’s revered masterpiece, Dune.
According to Terminator Vault, the potential actors under consideration also featured Mel Gibson, Matt Dillon, Kurt Russell, Tommy Lee Jones, and rock star Bruce Springsteen.
As a lifestyle expert, I’d share this intriguing fact by saying, “Did you know that action legends, Sylvester Stallone and Mel Gibson, both passed on the opportunity to bring the iconic character, The Terminator, to life? Can you imagine Rambo or Mad Max in those boots?
Interestingly, it so happened that the filming of The Terminator was postponed while Schwarzenegger worked on Conan the Destroyer, providing Cameron with an opportunity to take up a new writing assignment: drafting the script for Rambo: First Blood Part II.
When Michel Biehn was offered a chance to try out for the role of Kyle Reese, he inquired about who else was involved in the project. At that point, only Arnold [Schwarzenegger] had been cast.
In an interview with Ain’t It Cool News back in 2011, Biehn stated that although he was a bodybuilder and played Conan, his acting abilities were not highly regarded by many. People believed he wouldn’t have a sustainable career because of his limited English proficiency, particularly his difficulty articulating words like ‘California.’ Few expected him to carve out a significant career in the industry.
Working with Jim Cameron, fired director of Piranha II, didn’t sound all that enticing, either.
Later on, Biehn explained, “I walked inside. There, I encountered Jim and tried out for him. To my delight, I secured the part, and it didn’t take me long to realize that Jim was extraordinary. Granted, I wasn’t aware that he would go on to create a film we’d still be discussing after 30 years, or that there would be four sequels, or that it would achieve such iconic status. However, that’s how I became part of this project.
Linda Hamilton recollected Jennifer Jason-Leigh, who had just starred in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, as another strong candidate for the role of Sarah Connor. Sarah Connor was a 19-year-old waitress, living life carefree, until she discovered that a relentless assassin from the future was pursuing her.
Initially, Michael Biehn read the script together with Rosanna Arquette. Later, they started reading it with Hamilton. After that, Michael Biehn and Hamilton ended up playing their characters as Kyle and Sarah respectively.
As stated in the 2013 publication titled “Terminator Vault: The Comprehensive Account Behind the Creation of The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day“, Arquette had requested $250,000, but this amount was considered excessive.
According to Keegan, Arnold Schwarzenegger spent three months learning about and getting accustomed to various types of firearms by undergoing extensive training.
Biehn learned karate and built his physique to convincingly fight alongside Arnold, yet retain an appearance that made a romantic connection with Sarah plausible.
Prior to the scheduled filming, Hamilton suffered a broken bone and ligament damage in her foot. However, she persevered, as she stated to MTV News in 2009 when she was recognized among their Top All-Time Movie Badasses.
Hamilton didn’t just have a pain in her foot.
According to Hamilton, Jimbo and I didn’t have a great relationship. As I departed from “The Terminator,” I remarked, “That guy is undoubtedly rooting for the machines.” He wasn’t attuned to the human experience. He was the only person I ever scolded on set. Everyone could hear me. I lost my temper. I exclaimed, “If you want to portray a genuine human being on screen, start treating me like one!
The message left on Sarah’s answering machine that cancelled their date for the night was from Cameron.)
In a turn of events, the situation wasn’t particularly unfavorable. Hamilton reappeared as Sarah in 1991’s “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” and subsequently, she chose to live with James Cameron following the conclusion of his marriage to his third wife, Kathryn Bigelow.
Cameron and Hamilton welcomed daughter Josephine in 1993, married in 1997 and divorced in 1999.
Arnold Schwarzenegger significantly increased his muscle mass for the role of the T-800 by working out at the gym every day (although not to the same degree as he did back then), and he would eat whatever was available in the kitchen, including items that might typically be found on a kitchen floor. He fondly recounted this eating habit recently to Men’s Health, stating, “If there’s something on the kitchen floor, just scoop it up and put it in there, and I will enjoy it.
Cameron’s script portrays Sarah Connor as attractive yet imperfect and relatable. She doesn’t command attention upon entering a room, but there’s an allure that invites curiosity about her personality. A hidden resilience lies within her, unbeknownst to herself.
Later on, he shared with Keegan that when he was working on “Terminator”, he preferred to create something new and original, as at that point, a strong, dynamic female character like Sarah Connor wasn’t commonly portrayed.
As per The Sci Guy’s explanation, the Terminator’s computer vision is essentially a copy of the Apple II system’s ROM assembler code. If you have an Apple II and enter ‘call -151 * p’ at the basic prompt, it will provide you with the Terminator’s view. The rest of the visible code is written in COBOL.
That’s some Cyberdyne Systems Corp.-level stuff right there.
In the year 2029, it was Franco Columbu, a long-time friend and fellow bodybuilding champion of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who portrayed the Terminator that Kyle Reese fought. Known for his roles in movies like Conan the Barbarian and The Running Man, Columbu took on this role.
In the year 1965, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu initially crossed paths in Germany. Subsequently, they started their professional lives as bricklayers together when they relocated to America. Meanwhile, Schwarzenegger ventured into a career within Hollywood’s realm. Their bond endured until Franco’s passing in August 2019, which occurred in his homeland of Sardinia.
In a heartfelt tribute posted on Medium, Schwarzenegger reminisced about shared experiences with his dearest companion: pumping, playing chess, building, eating meals, pulling pranks, and learning life’s lessons. Together, they grew, learned, and loved. My life was richer, more vibrant, and more whole because of your presence.
Arnold wondered if it would be alright to utter “I will be back” at the police station window rather than using the contraction “I’ll be back”, as he found it challenging to pronounce.
Cameron refused, but ensured his star he’d use the best possible take in the final cut.
Good choice, as “I’ll be back” became iconic and was ranked No. 37 on American Film Institute’s 100 Years…100 Movie Quotes.
28 years after the release of “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” Arnold Schwarzenegger and Hamilton are joining forces once more. They’re working on “Terminator: Dark Fate,” a film produced by Cameron and directed by Tim Miller, which is being considered as the next installment in their story following “T2.” Despite Arnold appearing in two more movies set in this universe that weren’t produced by Cameron, he declined a cameo in “Terminator Salvation.
Hamilton clarified to NME that Cameron didn’t pressure him into not doing something; instead, it was the elapse of time that allowed him to reflect and make his decisions. In the latest installment, Gabriel Luna portrays the destructive Terminator, Rev-9, but the question remains: how will they overcome this formidable foe?
Occasionally, there are instances when you can’t help but empathize with The Terminator and the T-800 model, as Arnold Schwarzenegger explained to Men’s Health. It’s a strange mix of wanting him to be destroyed, yet hoping he triumphs against his adversaries.
Oh…right. That dastardly chip.
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2024-10-26 16:20