All The Right Movies

alltherightmovies.comMad Max: Fury Road (2015) - All The Right MoviesDiscover the story behind Mad Max: Fury Road with ATRM. We explore how George Miller's 15-year passion project won six Oscars.

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD | EPISODE OUT NOW Fifteen years to make, one long chase to watch. We tell the story behind George Miller’s masterpiece with big opinions and laughs throughout. On all podcast platforms now. www.alltherightmovies.com/podcast/mad-...

THE TERMINATOR was released 42 years ago today. Acclaimed as one of the great science fiction/action films of the 1980s, and the film that launched the career of writer-director James Cameron, the story of how it was made absolutely will not stop. Ever. Until it is read… 1/65

Kathleen Turner was suggested, but she was filming Romancing The Stone. Similarly, Kate Capshaw was tied to The Temple of Doom, and Daryl Hannah was apparently suggested but busy with Splash. Cameron eventually got his leading lady, though… 16/65

… and cast An Officer and a Gentleman star, Debra Winger. She accepted the part of Sarah but, concerned what The Terminator might do to her reputation as a talented and serious actress, she dropped out. 17/65

Arnold only has 14 lines, and Lance Henriksen (who ended up cast as Sgt Vukovich) said he had no ego either” “Jim would say, 'I want you to lay there Arnold. Then, when I tell you, I want you to lift up your head. Then your shoulders. Then sit up. Then look up.'” 14/65

The protagonist of the film, and target of The Terminator, is Sarah Connor, future mother of humanity’s saviour, John. Cameron reportedly wrote the role with Bridget Fonda in mind, but she turned it down. 15/65

Cameron and Arnold hit it off instantly, but agreed the Austrian Oak wasn’t right for the part of Reese. Cameron drew sketches of Arnold as The Terminator there and then, convincing him Arnold was the right man, and Schwarzenegger was cast. 12/65

There was a problem, though. Arnold was already contracted to star in Conan The Destroyer. Cameron was so keen on him playing The Terminator though, that production was pushed back 9 months to wait for Arnold. In that time, Cameron wrote the script to Aliens. 13/65

The studio wanted a big name in the part and, reportedly, Mel Gibson, Tom Selleck and Sylvester Stallone turned the role down. Orion co-founder Mike Medavoy later said he had wanted O.J. Simpson to play The Terminator, but Cameron couldn’t see him as a killer. 10/65

Medavoy also wanted up-and-coming Austrian actor Arnold Schwarzenegger in the film as one of the good guys, Kyle Reese. Cameron was far from convinced, but Orion were keen on casting somebody who was known outside the US, and a meeting was set up. 11/65

In the title role, Cameron envisioned casting an actor who looked like a regular guy – somebody who could disappear into a crowd – and discussed the part with Lance Henriksen. Cameron even drew concept art using Henriksen’s likeness. 8/65

When Cameron was pitching to Hemdale, Henriksen turned up at their office in a leather jacket with gold foil on his teeth. He kicked the door in, causing the receptionist to drop her typewriter, and sat down. Maybe as a result, Hemdale didn’t want him in the film. 9/65

Hurd had contacts at Orion Pictures and took the script to them. They agreed to distribute if the production budget could be found elsewhere. It was then up by Hemdale Film, who greenlit a $4m budget (later rising to $6.4m). 6/65

Having suggested some edits, Hurd also took a co-writing credit on the film, and Cameron would later say "If I had a time machine and could send back something the length of a tweet, it'd be — 'Don't sell The Terminator.' " 7/65

Cameron’s agent at the time disagreed, thinking JC should work on something else, so Cameron fired him. Fleshing the idea out, Cameron wrote a script and called it The Terminator. He shopped it round studios who loved it, but didn’t want to hire him as director. 4/65

Gale Anne Hurd was a young producer who had worked at New World Pictures as Roger Corman’s assistant. She loved the script to The Terminator and struck a deal with Cameron: Hurd bought the script for just $1, with it written in that Cameron had to direct any production. 5/65

In 1981, James Cameron was a former special effects artist who had been promoted to direct his first feature film – Piranha II: The Spawning. The young filmmaker didn’t last long, reportedly getting fired after just 2 weeks. It wasn’t a waste of time, though… 2/65

During the release of Piranha II, Cameron was in Rome and became ill. Falling into a deep fever sleep, Cameron dreamt about a robotic killer – as he would later put it “metal death figure coming out of a fire” – and thought it might make a good slasher flick. 3/65

alltherightmovies.com20 Interesting Facts About The Terminator - All The Right MoviesJames Cameron's full debut and the film that launched Arnold Schwarzenegger. We've got the full lowdown with 20 facts about The Terminator.

It's the birthday of THE TERMINATOR so what better way to celebrate than on our website with 20 epic facts about the making of the film... alltherightmovies.com/feature/20-i...

Very sad to hear about the passing of ERIC BAUZA, the modern day voice of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and many other beloved characters. Here he is working his magic...

We love it when filmmakers take direct inspiration from great artists and classic paintings. Here are some of our favourites… First up, The Truman Show (1998) and Au clair de lune (1956) by René Magritte. 1/35

Melancholia (2011) and Ophelia (1851-1852) by John Everett Millais 6/35

Dreams (1990) and Wheatfield with Crows (1890) by Vincent van Gogh 7/35

Shutter Island (2010) and The Kiss (1907-1908) by Gustav Klimt 4/35

A Clockwork Orange (1971) and Prisoners Exercising (1890) by Vincent van Gogh 5/35

Django Unchained (2012) and The Blue Boy (c. 1770) by Thomas Gainsborough 2/35

Gladiator (2000) and Pollice Verso (1872) by Jean-Léon Gérome 3/35

alltherightmovies.beehiiv.comHome | All The Right MoviesMonthly film insights, hidden gem reviews, and exclusive updates from the team behind All The Right Movies podcast.

THE ATRM NEWSLETTER Once a month we round up the latest episodes, review a hidden gem you’ve probably missed, chat to one of our patrons and recommend something film-related that isn’t actually a film. It’s free and lands straight in your inbox: alltherightmovies.beehiiv.com

To make LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, the Swedish crew shot the vampire tale in real, deep winter snow, using the silence and cold of a genuine Scandinavian town to give the child's story its bleak, tender chill. Follow All The Right Movies for more.

Mel Gibson built Max. Tom Hardy inherited him. Who did it better? We get properly stuck in during our MAD MAX: FURY ROAD deep dive. Catch the whole thing on all podcast platforms.

geni.usAll The Right Movies: The Stories and Secrets Behind the Making of 25 of Hollywood's Greatest FilmsAvailable Now!

OUR BOOK IS OUT NOW The making of 25 iconic films, from STAR WARS and THE GODFATHER to SE7EN and DIE HARD. Fifty facts on each (plus a bonus), with exclusive interviews from the cast and crew who were there. geni.us/AllTheRightMovies

The studio didn’t like the bleak ending Don Siegel shot for INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, where Kevin McCarthy’s Dr Miles Bennell warns the world that an alien invasion is underway. They forced a story onto the front and back to soften it, against his wishes. Follow us for more film history.

alltherightmovies.comMad Max: Fury Road (2015) - All The Right MoviesDiscover the story behind Mad Max: Fury Road with ATRM. We explore how George Miller's 15-year passion project won six Oscars.