HORROR 101 with Dr. AC: THE TERMINATOR (1984) 40TH ANNIVERSARY BLOW-OUT!!!

THE TERMINATOR (1984) d. James Cameron (USA)
TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY (1991) d. James Cameron (USA)
TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES (2003) d. Jonathan Mostow (USA)
TERMINATOR: SALVATION (2009) d. McG (USA)
TERMINATOR: GENISYS (2015) d. Alan Taylor (USA)
TERMINATOR: DARK FATE (2018) d. Tim Miller (USA)

**CLICK HERE TO WATCH FULL YOUTUBE EPISODE**

Released in 1984, The Terminator captivated critics and audiences alike with its mind-blowing special effects, intriguing characters, and well-written time-travel storyline. Pitting a relentless killer android from the future against two ordinary humans with the fate of mankind lying in the balance, this whirlwind tour-de-force combined horror and sci-fi elements with breathtaking action sequences. Not bad for a film with an unproven director and an actor known more for his bulging biceps than his acting chops.

Writer/director James Cameron spun his tale about an assassin from the future from an actual nightmare he’d had and, teaming up with producer Gale Ann Hurd, the resulting effort is a lean, mean piece of adrenalized storytelling. After years of attempting to transition from Herculean bodybuilder to Hollywood star, 7-time Mr. Universe Arnold Schwarzenegger was perfectly cast as the titular menace, his Teutonic accent and powerful build put to excellent use.

Similarly, rising makeup and special effects star Stan Winston’s career took a massive leap forward, crafting gooey gory set pieces alongside some solid old-school stop-motion sequences, with Brad Fiedel’s pounding electronic score setting the pace.

Join AC and his fantastic panel of guests (Mark Easteadt, Kate Hansen, Daniel Millhouse, Tim Palace) as we celebrate 40 years of The Terminator, which, like its antagonist, remains unstoppable, with sequels, TV spin-offs, and videogames galore. He said he’d be back, and since then, he’s never gone away.