The Beginning of the end. The Terminator

Rating: Null/10 (27 June 2009)

Here is the real thing. This is the reason I went to see a sci-fi movie when I usually don't...The Terminator starring a young Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was mean and he was huge. He seamed unstoppable!! He was frightening, at very least. As I watched a low-budgeted extravaganza film, I had an altogether different emotional connection with a movie by the ending credits. The feeling of actually being in this, while I sat in a dark theater. The pounding score set the feel of the story. I swear my heart was in my throat. Horror and terror films should take note as to the effect that the Terminator had on my central nervous system. No 'pretty people' like newer movies and Television, just a concrete in your scared-face, movie event of the summer type of deal. That doesn't come from teenagers and early twenties with perfect hair and designer wardrobes, and the new MTV song-score of the most popular group or individual. I saw the terminator coming and destroying almost everything in his path. He did not feel pain, or remorse and he was 'Programmed' for just one thing ...kill john Connor. Sending a much smaller, even though he was strong, soldier back through time to protect Sarah, was interesting too. Michael Beihn, the military man that volunteered for the job was a cool and kind of guy, with a sort of numbness in his mode of operation. He was trained,smarter and faster, and still, he seemed like he was nothing for this mighty emotionless, murdering cyborg, that had a mission to bring down the entire human race.
I was astounded, in high school when I first saw this film. I was very impressed as to the quality in a story from a low budgeted film. The special effects man Stan Winston was part of the saving grace of this feature. By him the story really became more three dimensional by his expert eye and ability to make real that which is not. I believe that low budget miracle films are amazing to the whole spectrum of the entertainment world. It's that freedom that allows the film makers to get something off-of-the-ground that might be stalled out in a big production studio, otherwise. So I say three cheers for the very mechanical and powerfully mastered Terminator. James Cameron has done a magnificent work with this sci-fi wild ride, that ends with many thoughts and emotions. (****) A MOVIE SIDE NOTE: The original choice for this movie to play the terminator was Not Arnold...it was set to be 'Shot' with O.J. Simpson, he was gonna take a 'stab' at Action -drama film, but that changed before production.