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.
Rating:
Summary: Deleted scenese are the best feature
Review: The transfer of this film is beautiful. I can finally toss my VHS copy. The features are the reason we're purchasing this one. There are 2 well made documentaries but the first thing you will want to check out are the delted scenes. This is what makes the dvd worth it. There are only 6 segments. Each feature commentary from James Cameron. You only wish he did commentary on the film. The scenes are too short to get in real insight into the film from the commentaries. The final deleted scene is really an alternative ending. This edition is 1 dvd but there are materials on both sides. Cool, now-standard animated menus.
Rating: 
Summary: a great classic film
Review: Even though the movie is 15 years old and has crumy special
effects its still one of the best movies of the eightes. ... Be smart and buy the new MGM version of the film.
Complete with new 5.1 stero sound,better picture quailty,2
documentries,deleted scenes,traliers,and more. ...
Rating:
Summary: Groundbreaking...
Review: James Cameron has to be one of the finest Directors of our time. An elite perfectionist, he is one of the few who knows how to meticulously balance a love story smack dab in the middle of a Science Fiction action movie. The story starts in modern day 1984 (not so modern anymore) where a cyborg has been sent back in time to destroy the birth mother of the machines greatest enemy so that their nemesis cannot be created. Thankfully the girl has a common name and lives in Los Angeles where several women exist with the same name. Being logical, the killer intends to take them all out. One by one the women fall victim to this 'serial killer' and Sarah, played by a younger Linda Hamilton, starts to think she's next...and she's right. Enter the man to save her life, Kyle Reece, played intensly by Michael Biehn. He's a soldier from the future who is sent back to protect her from this unfeeling machine. The best part about these two coming through the portal from the furture is that they come through with nothing. So they have to rely on what is already in 1984. This eliminates many complex elements in the story, as well as some costlier special effects. It keeps grounded a little more. Since the weaponry they're forced to use is less sophisticated, the Terminator is harder to kill. Kyle and Sarah find themselves not only running for their lives but finding something more in each other. This movie sounds like a cheesy love story within an action movie but there is a special chemistry between the two leads and Cameron juggles them all like a professional circus performer. Both Hamilton and Biehn's character have a dire innocence about them. Sarah has no idea that anything she ever does could be considered so important, and being told the reason why this machine is after her makes her world seem that much smaller. Reece has never known deep emotions of love, and the only women he has ever known are tough soldier types. Getting to know Sarah makes him really feel what he knows was in his heart already. No one but Arnold could play the Cyborg Tank that stalks poor Linda Hamilton throughout the movie. His unstoppablility is only outdone by his cold unfeeling exterior and deadly violent actions. The chemistry between Biehn and Hamilton is strong and believeable. The action scenes are intense and you always know what's going on. I would highly recommend this film. It set a standard for many other Sci Fi films, as well as gave birth to one of the greatest sequels of all time, Terminator 2, Judgement Day.
Rating:
Summary: An Action Classic
Review: James Camerons trend-setting action masterpiece is finally getting the treatment it deserves. I haven't viewed the dvd yet, but it has to be better than that horrible dvd peddled off a few years ago. What else can I say, Arnold is truly terrifying from beginning to end. The scene in which he tears the punk's heart out still scares the hell out of me everytime. It is just so disheartening to see no expression as he mows down old women and then proceeds to unload his gun into them. Cameron shows his extraordinary talent for action-suspense pictures in this film, it is engrossing its entire running length, never once letting up. It is a truly satisfying action thrill ride. If you haven't seen this, you need to. And if you already have, you are probably going to buy this. So I will say no more.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating deleted scenes
Review: This DVD is more than you'd expect for this movie. The best part overall, is the introduction of a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack (the DVD has been out in the UK for a while) but if you want a real treat, watch the deleted scenes on the second disc and be gob smacked at how Cameron would consider leaving these out of any restored edition. There's one superb scene between Reece and Connor when she realises they should take out Cyberdyne systems itself. The re-introduction of these scene into the main film (as with the others) would have fleshed out the movie a great deal and set the scene more for the sequel. The character development of Sarah Connor from unconfident waitress to gun-ho vigilante in the second would be less of a shock. Cameron states some of these scenes were removed to maintain the pace of the film, but now, 17 years later proper reinstatement would have breathed new life into the film. At least with the T2 disc we have the option to watch 1 of 3 versions. Highly recommended. Not as good as the sequel, but great features, great menus, great packaging and good special features.
Rating:
Summary: awesome
Review: just a must have will never be made like this ever again ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Rating:
Summary: Hold on little terminators, New version coming soon enough.
Review: Buy if you must but this version has been out since 1997 and a great new version is coming in October with plenty of extras and a new anamorphic widescreen print. Here are the good things in store for those who wait. Two featurettes entitled "Other Voices: Back Through Time" and "The Making of The Terminator: A Retrospective documentary", 7 deleted scenes with optional audio commentary by writer/director James Cameron, storyboards and stills galleries (James Cameron Artwork, Production Photos, Stan Winston Effects, Fantasy II: Visual Effects and Publicity Materials), James Cameron's original story treatment, teaser trailer, theatrical trailer, international trailer, 2 TV spots, DVD-ROM features (including "script-to-screen"), Easter eggs. WOW!!!...
Rating:
Summary: He's Back...on DVD
Review: This DVD looks like it's going to rock. Tons of new features, and hopefully a commentary (you have got to figure from the low-budget reality of this film there must be some amusing stories about filming), plus deleted scenes and more. I bought the VHS for this movie, but I am buying the DVD anyway. The story, for those of you who have lived in a cave for twenty years, is a visceral sci-fi thriller which is also a commentary on killing, an intriguing love story, and an influential and monumental production in its own right. Arnold is at his best here, he doesn't have a handful of lines of dialogue, but he is as sinister as possible. Some people say the second movie is better and scarier. Well, the second film is more fun, but this movie started it all, and it disturbed me the first time I saw it. The special effects are not nearly as good, in fact they are almost B-moviesque. But incredible acting by Arnold, Michael Biehn, and Linda Hamilton, as well as an intricately plotted and well-written story make The Terminator a great and timeless film.
Rating:
Summary: This rocks.
Review: I want to speak to Sarah Conner. I want to watch more of this movie. This was so great, and the sequel is just as good. Too bad Cameron had to start being a wimp and make awful movies that are a sell-out to Hollywood....Please make a third one!
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