Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic Home Theatre/HDTV/16:9/480P DVD Review!!
Review: This is my 3rd Home Theatre DVD Review and "THE TERMINATOR - Special Edition" gets it right on the second time around. Now that Home Theatre is more common many early released movies are being re-released with many enhancements & extras.
This movie definitely set Arnold Schwarzenegger to the super star level. Under the direction of James Cameron (Titanic) this scfi thriller has Schwarzenegger cast as the ultimate bad guy in the futuristic bombed out Los Angeles (2024 AD and 1984 AD). A complex plot with lots of action & special effects that we expect from a Schwarzenegger movie!
Brief movie summary - 2024 AD LA is ruled by Robots & Arnold plays a Killer Android sent from the future to "TERMINATE" a woman who will bear a future "PATRIOT LEADER". In turn the "Patriots" send a human warrior to safe guard this woman from the Killer Droid. This makes for a real interesting twist of fate for the woman.
This DVD is All new Master from a HI-DEFINTION TRANSFER / Enhanced for WIDESCREEN 16:9 / NEW 5.1 Stereo Remix. In a nut shell - AWESOME VIEWING & LISTENING!!!! Lots of extras including Interviews with Schwarzeneggar.
If you love the BIG THEATRE this one brings it home!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: The Terminator wasn't good
Review: The sound effects especially the gun shots were not
the original movie. The extras were great, but it wasn't
the same as the original.
Rating: 
Summary: Much improved over the the original DVD release
Review: If you've already layed out money for the bare-bones DVD, as I did, you would do well for yourself to lay out more for this one. The 5.1 surround sound is excellent, if limited by the original mono soundtrack. The improved video transfer, still a bit grainy due to the style it was filmed in, makes this the best-looking video ever released for the film. The real selling point, however, are the bonus features. There are two informative retrospectives with interviews with most of the cast and crew. But the true jewels are the deleted scenes with director commentary. Watch them and see some of the plot devices that set up the sequel. Ever since the release of the T2 "Ultimate Edition", the original Terminator DVD just seemed sadly lacking. Finally, this "Special Edition" places this great film in the light it deserves.
Rating:
Summary: FANTASTIC sound and picture quality!
Review: This updated version of the classic Terminator movie is by far the best this movie's ever been. The sound and picture quality on this DVD are top notch, and you'd never guess the movie is over 15 years old. The sound must be heard to be believed, with the remixed 5.1 digital making good use of all surround sound channels. I personally rent for the extras and buy for the picture/sound quality, but the extras on here are very nice as well.
Rating:
Summary: The classic film that changed the face of science fiction.
Review: Academy Award winning director James Cameron envisioned
this sci fi classic it's reaction created something never before
seen and set the standerd of action films to come of the 80's ,
as well as many rip off's.But Camerons nightmarish vison as cold
and as strikingly real he envisioned it, it hit a chord with many
people around the world as possibly a scary reality that may come
true.The story starts in a war torn Los Angeles in 2029 a place
unrecognizable gothic and shrouded with mechinized machines that
hunt down the remaining survivors of judgement day and are now
fighting the war against the machines avoiding hunter killers
and the most deadly machine of all the terminator. When one of the terminators is sent back through time to 1984
who which strikingly looks like Arnold Schwartzenagger is sent to
terminate Sarah Connor who is played by Linda Hamilton who will
carry the future leader of the resistance Jhon Connor , he will
stop at all costs to complete his mission.When a protector from
the future is sent in to the past Kyle Reese played by Micheal
Beihn his job is to protect Sarah at all costs even if it means
his life.Little does he know that he will start to fall in love
with Sarah but there task in front of them is far more important
then either of them and that they ever imagined in this important
sci fi classic that started a cult phenomonon. James Cameron envisioned not just an ordinary action film it
has a heart the terminator is more of a dramatic film then even a
sci fi film but it does classify more as sci fi , which sets the
tone for it's much more lavish and ground breaking sequal T2 ,
new redifined sound and loaded with new options this new vision
of this film is now kept for the new millenium grab it it's worth any price.
Rating:
Summary: Terrible Sound
Review: I don't understand who is in charge of soundtracks for DVD's. I just finished watching Dead Presidents and it has one of the best soundtracks I heard in terms of bass, spaciial sound and rear surround. So here is this special edition and the sound is barely audible. Dead presidents was made in 1995 and sounds better than half the DVD's I own made in 2000! I would think a special edition would be special. The movie, picture and specials are fantastic but I bet all will be dissappointed with the audio
Rating:
Summary: Not so Special Video But story still realistically chilling
Review: This special Edition isn't full with high tech special features but the story boards are cool and original beginnings (screen story). I waited 17 years to own a copy the story. A Classic, in that It blends Sci Fi with a feel of creepiness; like the Old Outer Limits Episodes or 'Things to Come'.
Rating:
Summary: B Movie Greatness
Review: Probably the best B movie ever made. The story is exceptional and the effects are excellent. The Special Edition offers many extras. I didn't have that high of an opinion of Cameron after his 'King of the World' thing at the Oscars, but after seeing the docu's I have a new respect for his talent and vision. The slickest thing? The extras are on the flip side of the DVD. Sure you might miss a cool label but I appreciate the space saved by not having to shelve yet another oversize double or triple disk case. A+ all the way around.
Rating:
Summary: Video / Audio Restoration alone make this video worth it
Review: The original budget for this film was $6 million; rumor has it, they spent almost as much restoring it for transfer to DVD, and it shows. The colors are vibrant and brilliant, without overpowering the show, and the new Dolby 5.1 soundtrack is amazing. This version looks and sounds better than the original theatrical release. The transfer, and the additional material make this DVD a must-have for any sci-fi fan.
Rating:
Summary: "I'll Be Back... in a deluxe DVD release!"
Review: THE TERMINATOR is at its heart, a B-movie, but its creators put a level of respect to the work that thrusts the film up with the A-list. Its director/screenwriter was a basic unknown who had been fired from his last film job, the low-budget film "PIRANHA 2". Terminator's budget was scarce which resulted in "guerilla" filmmaking tactics. It's special effects were conceived in the same manner as the Roger Corman school of filmmaking, cheap. But, somehow, the film attracted a big name interest in a 6'4" Austrian, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The rest is history. The director, James Cameron, continued his success with such other films as ALIENS, THE ABYSS, TRUE LIES, T2 (The awesome Terminator sequel), and most recently a little movie about a boat with a hole in it. That movie, TITANIC, would win him an Oscar. Cameron's final cut of TERMINATOR was not only saved from the shelf, but it became a big film enjoying nice financial and critical success. Even moreso with its first appearance on Video Tape. TERMINATOR started it all and this excellent DVD serves as a great reminder of that growth. The film has its basis in Science Fiction, depending largely on robots and time travel. But, like ALIEN before it, the protagonist is a she. LINDA HAMILTON portrays Sarah Connor, a young, beautiful woman whose jobs include waiting tables and giving birth to/training the saviour of the human race. Throughout the film she is hunted by the cyborg (Arnold) who kills without fear or concern. Also along to help her is MICHAEL BIEHN, Sarah's love interest from the future. Basically, the film is a high concept film peppered with several thought provoking statements. The effects were at the time state-of-the-art, but now the seams show, only adding to the charm. This little movie sparked an even more successful sequel (with a hugh budget) and togeher have become part of movie mythology. Watch for BILL PAXTON (TWISTER) and RICK ROSSOVICH (ROXANNE) in very small roles. This DVD offers some little value added deleted scenes as well as a couple of press docket quality documentaries. But it's the new transfer that makes this DVD a hit. If things go as planned, this film is the start of a great science fiction trilogy as TERMINATOR 3 comes down the pipeline. When in Universal Studios, be sure to visit the wonderful interactive Terminator attraction.
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