The Terminator (Two Disc Special Edition) [1985]

On the DVD: Rejoice, The Terminator is back, better looking and louder than ever. After years of inferior VHS versions, the cleaned-up print of this DVD is a revelation, as is the digitally remastered Dolby 5.1 soundtrack: from the opening MGM lion's roar to the crunch of Arnie's boots and the pounding of Brad Fiedel's techno-industrial score, both picture and sound are of a quality that belie the movie's age. The first disc has the movie plus a DVD-ROM feature containing three different versions of the screenplay, which can be read scene-by-scene along with the film. On the second disc there are seven deleted scenes, including a fascinating foreshadowing of Sarah Connor's mission in T2, as well as trailers and TV spots. There are also two "making of" featurettes, one being an 18-minute piece from 1992 based around a friendly at-home chat with Cameron and Schwarzenegger ("We did the first Terminator for the cost of your motor home on the second film", jokes director to actor). The hour-long "Other Voices" featurette is an in-depth montage of cast and crew reminiscences covering all aspects of the production from its initial genesis as a fevered nightmare to the "guerrilla" filmmaking of getting the final shots. Script collaborator Bill Wisher neatly sums up the movie as "It's a Wonderful Life, with guns". The second disc also contains a stills archive of production photographs, James Cameron's amazing original conceptual artwork, plus his first story treatment. If you own a player, how can you resist? After all, the Terminator movies are what DVD was invented for. --Mark Walker

For example, after the shoot out in the nightclub, when the Terminator returns to his room the part where he cuts into his arm and in particular the part where he cuts out his damaged eye are missing from this DVD.

These are 2 examples of many bits that I picked uo on whilst watching through the film, even some bits at the beginning during the fight with the punks there are cuts.

I feel it inapropriate that an edit be dubbed a special edition - did someone re-master the ITV version by mistake?


Great film, very good DVD and not censored at all!   February 22, 2003
25 out of 25 found this review helpful

To start with, Terminator is much better than Terminator 2. I enjoyed T2 a lot, and own it on DVD too, but it just can't compare as a film. I think the 1st film plugged into the Eighties' zeitgeist of fear at developing technology, growing hedonism, and the potentially dangerous atmosphere of Regan and Thatcherism. Cameron had no studio pressure to produce a blockbuster, and it shows. T2 is commercial-yes, it's funny, has great stunts and revolutionary special effects, but the darkness of Terminator is replaced by audience-pulling sentimentality and too much didacticism. Terminator is dark, edgy, and genuinely chilling.
Arnie is perfectly cast as the Terminator, creating a malevolent, completely relentless and really frightening villain. T2 never left you in any doubt that the T1000 would be defeated, but in Terminator, it really does seem as if Sarah may not make it. Watch the infamous 'I'll be back' scene when Arnie searches the police station for Sarah. He really pulls off a remarkable performance-as he strides down the corridors, scanning left to right, you can believe he is a machine. Linda Hamilton and Michael Biehn pull off their roles with aplomb, too, avoiding fluffy, romantic stereotypes. Hamilton makes Sarah a heroine you can truly feel for, and the love story is moving.

Enough about the film...what is the actual DVD like? Several reviewers commented on their versions being cut but as far as I can tell, the special edition is the full, uncut version. My old copy that I taped off TV actually had a few cuts, but this DVD version includes the full scenes. One reviewer mentioned that his DVD lacked the scenes where the Terminator repairs his damaged arm and face but the special edition DVD has both these. The eye-removing scene is included in every second of its glory (I still can't watch it without squirming!) This reviewer also mentioned that part of the early scene with the punks was cut, but the special edition DVD has the full version of that, too. However, I do agree with another common complaint-the titles of the future sequence are appallingly naff, and they really should have left the original, which suited the film.
The extras don't compare with the ultimate edition T2 disc, but I suppose with such a low-budget movie from the 80s, they didn't have much content to include. The deleted scenes are interesting, the trailers and storyboards are just trailers and storyboards, the production photos and publicity are quite interesting, but the documentaries are extremely good. I think it's the 'Other Voices' one which I especially enjoyed, as it describes the guerrilla film shooting needed to complete the movie, and the effects used. Obviously it has dated-the stop motion metal skeleton is laughable, but the full size model and robotic parts are fine. I also like the future scenes-they are suitably surreal, and fit the noir-ish feel of the movie. Sometimes miniatures and models are more convincing than CGI . Sadly, no commentary--I would have enjoyed an Arnie/Jim one!

Overall, anyone who has a special interest in sci-fi, noir, or 80s movies should rush out and buy this, but I reckon that anyone who likes film at all should also own it! I love old black and white movies, foreign subtitled movies and 'arthouse' movies, but Terminator is also up there on my list!


Why cut a special edition?   September 11, 2001
cwilmarsh@btinternet.com (UK)
20 out of 28 found this review helpful

Don't get me wrong, The Terminator is a great film, and with T2, you can't go wrong if you like sci-fi & robots. The film is 5 star ...

But the only people who want to buy a 'special edition' DVD with all the bells and whistles - and are prepared to pay for it - are fans & enthusiasts. These people do NOT want adulterated or cut films. It's bad enough not getting the same as our cousins in 'Region 1' land, but this version is not worth having.

I would rather see the full uncut widescreen version on video than this any day. I feel cheated. Do not buy this thinking you are buying a special edition of the film - you will only get a special version of the packaging!


James Cameron's ground-breaking sci-fi thriller!   February 28, 2001
13 out of 14 found this review helpful

The most terrifying robot in cinema history has to go to Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator. In this thrilling action movie from James Cameron, Schwarzenegger is a relentless killing machine hell-bent on carrying out his 'programmed' mission. Linda Hamilton stars as Sarah Connor, a woman targeted by the android for termination since she will later give birth to the saviour of mankind. This saviour is the only hope against battling an onslaught of robotic terrors, in the near future. Because of this, the machines send an assassin back through time in order to wipe Connor out (in the form of Arnie). But the humans have sent someone as well. Connor is protected by a military soldier, played wonderfully by Micheal Biehn. The action that follows is excellent, as the Terminator tries franticly to kill his target. Although low-budget, Cameron's mid-80's sci-fi epic is a highly entertaining affair. Crammed full of violence and memorable scenes - including Schwarzenegger's attack on a police precinct - the film is a landmark in Cameron's career, and sci-fi movies alike. It grabs your attention from beginning to end, and the climax is particulary riveting. Cameron's direction is practically fautless, and the tension is great. A cinema gem, that was suprisingly eclipsed by it's sequel 'Terminator 2: Judgement Day', which Cameron also helmed.

David James Nock


If your a fan dont get this!   June 17, 2005
Dante (UK)
11 out of 18 found this review helpful

This is an amazing film, but for some reason, not documented anywhere, this UK version is cut to pieces. It's run time of 103 mins, is 5 mins short of the 107 mins the US region 1 version has.

The violence has been cut down to a minimum, and swearing almost removed entirely. No one seems to know why this was cut for british audiences, but the cuts are bad and obvious to anyone who watches movies.

Buy the Region 1 if you have a multi region player, or you'll be annoyed!