Looking back at the films released in 1984, it was really a hell of a year. Ghostbusters, Beverly Hills Cop, Gremlins, Karate Kid, Indiana Jones, and the Temple of Doom were huge hits that would spawn numerous sequels, some even recently released. However, one of the hidden gems released that year was the sci-fi film The Terminator, which would change the lives of those involved and help reshape the world of science fiction in cinema.
The Terminator, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, gave us a unique combination of great characters, an interesting sci-fi story, and intriguing visuals. It is a time travel tale in which a killer machine called a Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is sent back in time to kill the leader of the future human resistance, John Connor. To do this, it must kill John’s mother, Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), thus ensuring he is never born. While the Terminator has arrived to kill her, the resistance sends Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) to try and protect Sarah from a machine that will not stop.
It seemed that humans had miscalculated how truly advanced the technology had become. Before the celebrations of their crowning achievement were even over, the now self-aware machines deemed humans a threat and launched nuclear missiles around the globe to solve their human problems. Skynet, the human-created AI technology, began to systematically hunt down the survivors to stop any chance of an organized resistance fighting back.
The film wove the idea of technology as a threat of destruction and the conversation of fate versus free will in a way that allowed discussions to be meaningful and important plot devices. The film was a child born of the era, with Ronald Reagan’s new “Star Wars” initiative being introduced, which would serve as a way for the US to defend itself if under attack from Russian missiles. This added a sense of realism to a story that, while a science fiction/action tale, could be seen as the consequence of human beings’ aggressive and arrogant way of thinking.
The Terminator also introduced the world to director James Cameron and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Cameron’s dark and apocalyptic views of the future would have an impact even he could not have seen. The film continues to intrigue generations of fans, while others debate the ideas in the film, like nuclear holocausts, AI, fate versus freedom of choice, and the dangers of unregulated and dangerous applications of new, cutting-edge technology. Cameron would become a household name, directing many celebrated and/or massively successful films such as Aliens, Titanic, and Avatar.
Schwarzenegger was probably best known for his two Conan movies, but with The Terminator, he took his first real step into what would become the world of a Hollywood star. A famed bodybuilder, his physique was perfect for the indestructible look of the machine, and the world would soon be swimming in action stars like himself, Stallone, Chuck Norris, etc. His speech, movements, and build all gave off the perfect look and feel of a killing machine that could not be bribed, bought, or persuaded to abandon its mission.
RELATED: Scott McCord Says ‘From’ Season 3 Will Have an “Epic Episode 10” (Exclusive Video)
The Terminator has become a gigantic franchise, with movies, TV shows, video games, and comics keeping it relevant and making newer generations curious about how it all started. Some special effects and scenes might seem a little dated now, but back then, with a small budget and twelve weeks to shoot it, Cameron and crew created a piece of cinema that continues to live on.
The iconic line uttered by Schwarzenegger’s Terminator, “I’ll be back,” could apply to the relentless drive of the machine. Not only the cyborg in the film but also the machine of ideas the film gave the public, and it continues to be a source of conversation today.