Questions
Who directed The Terminator and when did it come out?
James Cameron directed and co-wrote it with producer Gale Anne Hurd, and it was released on October 26, 1984.
Where did James Cameron get the idea for the movie?
Reportedly the film grew out of a fever dream Cameron had in Rome in 1982 while working on Piranha II, in which he saw a metallic torso dragging itself forward holding kitchen knives.
Was Arnold Schwarzenegger originally cast as the Terminator?
No, Orion had actually pitched Arnold for the hero Kyle Reese, and Cameron went into their meeting planning to reject him, but he came away convinced Schwarzenegger would make a hell of a Terminator instead.
Which stars turned down the Terminator role?
Sylvester Stallone and Mel Gibson both passed on it, and O.J. Simpson was suggested but Cameron reportedly felt he was not believable as a killer.
How many lines does the Terminator actually have?
Schwarzenegger speaks only 17 lines in the whole film, fewer than 100 words, and Cameron liked that his accent had a strange synthesized quality that suited a robot.
What is the story behind the line "I’ll be back"?
AFI ranked it the 37th greatest movie quote, but Arnold reportedly struggled to pronounce "I’ll" and asked Cameron to change it to "I will be back," which Cameron refused.
How did Cameron sell the movie to producers?
Reportedly he had Lance Henriksen show up to a Hemdale office meeting dressed as the Terminator, in a leather jacket with fake cuts and gold foil teeth, kicking the door open to sell the concept.
Is it true Cameron sold the rights for one dollar?
Yes, he sold the rights to producer Gale Anne Hurd for just $1, on the condition that she would produce it only if he directed, a deal he later said he regretted.
Did Linda Hamilton film hurt?
Reportedly she sprained her ankle about a week before shooting, so she was taped up daily, endured pain throughout production, and had her running scenes scheduled late to help her recover.
Why was filming delayed?
Production was postponed about nine months because Schwarzenegger was contractually committed to Conan the Destroyer, and during the downtime Cameron wrote Rambo: First Blood Part II and developed Aliens.
How was the movie’s eerie music created?
Composer Brad Fiedel built the theme in an unusual 13/16 time signature, which he reportedly stumbled onto when an incomplete synthesizer loop turned out propulsive and herky-jerky.
Did they have permits for all the filming?
Reportedly the final highway scene was shot without a permit, and Cameron and Hurd talked a police officer into letting them continue by claiming they were making a UCLA student film.
Was there a lawsuit over the screenplay?
Yes, writer Harlan Ellison claimed it borrowed from his Outer Limits episode "Soldier," and Orion settled in 1986 for an undisclosed sum and added an acknowledgment to the credits, though Cameron opposed the settlement.
How did the movie do at the box office?
Made for about $6.4 million, it topped the US box office for two weeks and went on to gross roughly $78.3 million worldwide, far beyond the studio’s low expectations.
Has The Terminator been officially recognized as a classic?
Yes, in 2008 it was selected for the National Film Registry as culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and it won three Saturn Awards including Best Science Fiction Film.
