18 More Things You Didn't Know About The Terminator
17. A Fake Arm Was Used For The Car Windshield Scene
As Kyle and Sarah try to drive away from The Terminator, the metal menace launches himself at their automobile and punches straight through the windshield. As hard as it is to believe, the arm that smashes the glass... is fake. To achieve this shot, a dummy fist was attached to a hydraulic rig, which Arnie had to shove through the windshield.
This prop hand was cast in plaster wrapped around a steel bar before being painted in latex. It had to be made extra thick so it could withstand the force of striking a windshield. Considering Arnie is wearing gloves in this scene and the hand prop was visible for less than one second, its astounding how much effort the crew put into it. It's also amazing Arnie was able to hold onto a car's bonnet one-handed while smashing a prop into the glass.
This is just another example of the director putting 100% in every aspect of his work, even if the audience doesn't notice or appreciate it. What's more impressive about this shot is that it was accomplished on the first take.