She was attractive enough to director James Cameron. He married her.

I can't take anybody seriously who thinks an unclothed Arnold is attractive! Also, from someone who was alive in 1984, that is what most women's hairdos (big & fluffy) looked like.

https://www.styleinterest.com/80s-hairstyles/

@mechajutaro said:

Also, from someone who was alive in 1984, that is what most women's hairdos (big & fluffy) looked like.

All of which was still infinitely more attractive than what was occurring south of most women's waistbands back then, Remember, The Brazilian hadn't quite taken off in this decade

So mech, do you do any deforestation below the waistband?

@mechajutaro said:

The plot makes it clear that Sarah Connor is meant to be an ordinary person, who finds herself in uncanny circumstances.

Exactly, that's one of the things that made this such a landmark flick. Her character arc from ordinary person in the beginning to tough survivor at the end (and badass hero in the 2nd movie) was unheard of for a female character in the 80s. The typical fare was either a glamorous model or a goofy damsel in distress. While Sarah was definitely on the attractive side of the scale, that wasn't her schtick. She was supposed to be an "everyman" who becomes a survivor.

@rooprect said: Exactly, that's one of the things that made this such a landmark flick. Her character arc from ordinary person in the beginning to tough survivor at the end ... She was supposed to be an "everyman" who becomes a survivor.

Man, I just don't see it. The audience meets a below-average waiter in scene 1 - which is fine, but she's like 25-35 so I mean I don't have high hopes for the future of the world resting on her shoulders, based on what I've seen in this movie. She's pretty useless up to the police station (I think?). -She still isn't interested in the Reese story/defending him at the station (at least, we see her watch the Reese interview, ask the psych if he's crazy, then go to sleep on the chief's couch). -Then she hears a car drive into the building. She waits. She hears gunfire, like 10 cops are dead. She waits, hasn't moved from the couch. The chief comes in, tells her to stay put/lock the door.

• Reese has to save himself/knockout the guard/uncuff himself. Then save Connor.
• Later, she sees Reese has been shot, and wraps a bandage around his arm (maybe she sutures him off-screen)
• She helps make pipebombs.
• She drives when Reese has been hurt. This is the most she's done all movie, and it's like the penultimate scene, and quickly flips over the truck (while they're both not wearing seatbelts, and Reese is so injured that he can barely move)
• The terminator's driving the fuel truck- she's running around without direction (she might have shrapnel in her thigh at this point, so props there). Reese (previously immobile) plants the pipebomb on the truck.
• The final fight happens. Reese sacrifices himself to bisect the terminator. She's still scared of the torso up until the end where she pushes a button to crush it ("you're terminated fucker" .. I mean you were pretty scared in the second leading up to that line and whimpering after it. Also it's a machine, so I'd appreciate it more if you addressed yourself, rather than it, here).
• Movie ends with her driving the Jeep through maybe Mexico. Revolver on her lap. Recording tapes. Can't speak Spanish. Pays $4 for a picture that's probably worth $1.

I understand that Sarah Connor is retconned to be a badass, but I don't see how it's there on screen in T1.

I'll concede that she's a survivor. But, if the same situation happened, but it was the President in Connor's place, I'd call the President a useless sack. I don't see how the character is worthy of admiration through this. I don't think this is an arc. Does anyone have faith that the person in the final scene is capable of fighting one terminator? Maybe the revolver is meant for personal defense from other present-day humans. Maybe the audience is meant to assume she's .. more focused on developing the traits in a child for future leadership. But nothing tells me she's any more capable of doing that than she was of 'surviving' for the last 90 minutes. I wouldn't want to rely on the waiter in scene 1, and I wouldn't want to rely on the survivor in the finish.

I'm assuming that the special effects were cool for 1984 and caused the sequel (and, I guess, Arnold? This was his major breakthrough?). That flashback scene where the terminators rush the resistance base is pretty subpar.

@issnce said:

@rooprect said: Exactly, that's one of the things that made this such a landmark flick. Her character arc from ordinary person in the beginning to tough survivor at the end ... She was supposed to be an "everyman" who becomes a survivor.

I understand that Sarah Connor is retconned to be a badass, but I don't see how it's there on screen in T1.

I'll concede that she's a survivor.

Right, that was the point that mech & I made: in T1 she was ordinary. By the end of the movie she had become a survivor. For the rest of her character arc you definitely need to watch T2. That's where the badassery happens.

T2 begins with her having been locked up in an insane asylum for a few years with nothing to do but hate & workout. If you're confused about her character I highly recommend watching at least the first few mins of T2 and I think it'll all make sense.

I'm surprised Linda Hamilton never had more of a career. She was clearly well liked in both Terminator films, was different in both and in T2 gave one of the most convincing female action hero performances we've ever had. She's not the best looking actress ever but she's not bad. She's no less attractive than Sigourney Weaver. And probably better looking than Meryl Streep if looks were that much of a concern to the studios.

But other than Dante's Peak I can think of little else she's been in.

@mechajutaro said:

Exactly, that's one of the things that made this such a landmark flick. Her character arc from ordinary person in the beginning to tough survivor at the end (and badass hero in the 2nd movie) was unheard of for a female character in the 80s.

Dunno about unheard of; Jamie Lee Curtis very much fit this mold in Halloween.

Good call on JLC. I haven't seen Halloween since I was a little kid but I remember thinking "wow she's not crying and falling to pieces like all the other girls" lol

@JustinJackFlash said:

I'm surprised Linda Hamilton never had more of a career. She was clearly well liked in both Terminator films, was different in both and in T2 gave one of the most convincing female action hero performances we've ever had.

She was also in Children of the Corn right around Terminator. It seemed like she had a promising career but you're right, something went wrong.

Reminds me of Diane Lane who also got off to a running start in the early 80s ("The Outsiders", "Streets of Fire", "The Cotton Club") but never really made it to superstardom. Both Linda & Diane have stayed busy with roles to this day though. Maybe they'll pull a Travolta and get a second wind in the action genre.

@rooprect said:

She was also in Children of the Corn right around Terminator. It seemed like she had a promising career but you're right, something went wrong.

Reminds me of Diane Lane who also got off to a running start in the early 80s ("The Outsiders", "Streets of Fire", "The Cotton Club") but never really made it to superstardom. Both Linda & Diane have stayed busy with roles to this day though. Maybe they'll pull a Travolta and get a second wind in the action genre.

I forgot about Children of the Corn.

My god Diane Lane was hot.

@JustinJackFlash said:

@rooprect said:

She was also in Children of the Corn right around Terminator. It seemed like she had a promising career but you're right, something went wrong.

Reminds me of Diane Lane who also got off to a running start in the early 80s ("The Outsiders", "Streets of Fire", "The Cotton Club") but never really made it to superstardom. Both Linda & Diane have stayed busy with roles to this day though. Maybe they'll pull a Travolta and get a second wind in the action genre.

I forgot about Children of the Corn.

My god Diane Lane was hot.

Was?

In an October 2005 appearance on Larry King Live, Linda Hamilton discussed her depression and bipolar disorder history. It led to violent mood swings and suicidal thoughts during her first marriage to Bruce Abbott and, in her view, caused the failure of both of her marriages. She eventually received therapy and medication to manage the condition.

She got a $50 million divorce settlement from James Cameron. So she likely does not need to work at all. Her identical twin sister, who appeared in T2 with her, died in 2020.

I first saw Linda Hamilton in her first film, TAG: The Assassination Game (1982), with Robert Carradine. I liked it. She married the villain, Bruce Abbott. So I was glad to later see her get the role in The Terminator.

@bratface said:

I can't take anybody seriously who thinks an unclothed Arnold is attractive! Also, from someone who was alive in 1984, that is what most women's hairdos (big & fluffy) looked like.

https://www.styleinterest.com/80s-hairstyles/

Have you got the physique Arnie had in the 80s? Gym efforts instilling fear into the faint hearted is a thing.

@Adammm said:

@bratface said:

I can't take anybody seriously who thinks an unclothed Arnold is attractive! Also, from someone who was alive in 1984, that is what most women's hairdos (big & fluffy) looked like.

https://www.styleinterest.com/80s-hairstyles/

Have you got the physique Arnie had in the 80s? Gym efforts instilling fear into the faint hearted is a thing.

No, I do not, mainly because I am a female. But I never thought he was attractive in any way.

@bratface said:

@Adammm said:

@bratface said:

I can't take anybody seriously who thinks an unclothed Arnold is attractive! Also, from someone who was alive in 1984, that is what most women's hairdos (big & fluffy) looked like.

https://www.styleinterest.com/80s-hairstyles/

Have you got the physique Arnie had in the 80s? Gym efforts instilling fear into the faint hearted is a thing.

No, I do not, mainly because I am a female. But I never thought he was attractive in any way.

So what kind of actors do you find attractive? Do you like the gentle nerdy types perfectly fine if you do? And what turns you off Arnie? The Greek god body? The hair, the Austrian accent the biceps?