The movie that rocketed both James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger towards the Hollywood A-list remains as gripping as ever, almost 30 years since its release. Based on a vivid dream the director had about a metallic figure crawling away from an explosion, Cameron sold the rights to the movie for $1 as long as he was able to direct. And as they say, the rest is history. With a budget of just $6.5m to deliver a sci-fi action thriller that primarily takes place at night, the sophomore director had a hell of a job on his hands. It didn't help either that Linda Hamilton had an injured ankle, considering she spends a great deal of the movie running away from The Terminator. You couldn't tell from watching the finished product though; The Terminator is a relentless barrage of gunfights, car chases and wanton destruction that features three instantly iconic performances from Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn and Linda Hamilton. The Terminator was also a surprising success at the box office; topping the domestic charts for two weeks on its way to a worldwide gross of over $78m. The movie succeeds on so many levels, delivering a brilliant original sci-fi concept, a fast-paced thriller, an explosive action spectacle, and belied its status as a low-budget genre flick to become one of the most popular and iconic action movies of all time.
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