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‘The Terminator’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Shea Serrano

January 21, 2021 · The Terminator (1984) · Action · Adventure · Sci-Fi · 1:37:22 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

Categories

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill SimmonsTech Noir scene, Bill Paxton scene, the 'Reese, why me?' tunnel explanation scene, and Arnold fixing his arm scene▶ 36:00
Chris RyanGinger scenes, Tech Noir scene (especially the slow-mo shot of Arnold walking across the dance floor)▶ 39:08
Shea SerranoRick Rosevich fight scene and the tunnel explanation scene where Kyle explains the future▶ 35:01

What's Aged the Best

Bill SimmonsArnold's iconic line decision, the synthesizer-heavy Terminator soundtrack from the 80-85 era, 'I came across time for you, Sarah' as the best pickup line, and Stan Winston's special effects team work▶ 56:35
Shea SerranoThe Terminator soundtrack - 'anytime you hear that now, you're like, all right, let's fucking do this' and Arnold as the unkillable bad guy▶ 57:13

What's Aged the Worst

Bill SimmonsThe future setting (2029 being only 9 years away without promised technology), stop-motion Terminator effects, Linda Hamilton's 80s hair, Arnold's nudity, and the Harlan Ellison lawsuit controversy▶ 1:03:11
Chris RyanLasers not being in our lives as expected, post-sex snacks (giant sandwich and milk), weird off-brand pets like iguanas, and John Connor's terrible message to Sarah▶ 1:02:47

Casting What-Ifs

Chris RyanRosanna ArquetteRosanna Arquette for Sarah Connor - agrees she seems like 'cool punk rock new wave waitress at an L.A. diner'▶ 1:12:21

Joey Pants Award

Bill SimmonsRick MoranisRick Moranis (initially questioned if he qualifies as 'that guy' but then affirmed)▶ 1:12:54
Chris RyanRick MoranisRick Moranis (confirmed the name and agreed)▶ 1:12:57

Dion Waiters Award

Apex Mountain

Bill SimmonsNo for Arnold, James Cameron, Linda Hamilton. Yes for mid-80s Los Angeles and Tech Noir bar scene▶ 1:21:09
Chris RyanMichael BiehnMichael Biehn yes (better in Aliens). Mid-80s Los Angeles yes. James Cameron's apex is Titanic. Time travel apex possibly▶ 1:21:17
Shea SerranoNo for Ray-Bans (Top Gun better). Suggests cheesy 80s hotel room sex as potential apex▶ 1:23:03

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill SimmonsDiscussed multiple questions: sci-fi vs horror (chose sci-fi), Reese didn't know he was John Connor's father, Kyle dying was necessary for the story, time travel paradoxes are unsolvable, Tech Noir location logistics, phone book killer concept unused potential, wants Arnold's red motorcycle as memorabilia▶ 1:29:14
Chris RyanDiscussed Kyle Reese not surviving Cameron films, speculated about alternate scenarios with Kyle living in Mexico, identified Tech Noir as downtown near 7th and Broadway, questioned why Kyle didn't go back earlier to have Sarah unlist her number, wants Rick Rossovich's briefs as memorabilia▶ 1:29:38
Shea SerranoArgued Kyle Reese had to die because audiences wanted to see Arnold/Terminator return not Kyle, discussed time travel loop confusion, wants the crawling Terminator torso as memorabilia for his living room▶ 1:30:29

Who Won the Movie

Bill SimmonsArnold SchwarzeneggerArnold, though considers Cameron as potential co-winner but ultimately picks Arnold because Cameron's career would have happened anyway while Arnold's wouldn't have without this movie▶ 1:34:01
Shea SerranoArnold SchwarzeneggerArnold - agrees that Cameron was talented and would succeed anyway, but this movie was crucial for Arnold's career transformation from Conan to action star▶ 1:34:03

Movies Referenced (40)

Title (year)LinksMentionsMentioned byFirst
First Blood (1982)IMDb ↗Lb ↗8Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano▶ 1:28
Aliens (1986)IMDb ↗Lb ↗7Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 22:43
Beverly Hills Cop (1984)IMDb ↗Lb ↗7Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 14:49
Halloween (1978)IMDb ↗Lb ↗7Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Shea Serrano▶ 4:01
Rambo (2008)IMDb ↗Lb ↗7Chris Ryan, Shea Serrano, Bill Simmons▶ 4:33
Top Gun (1986)IMDb ↗Lb ↗7Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Shea Serrano▶ 57:11
Alien (1979)IMDb ↗Lb ↗6Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 19:50
Blade Runner (1982)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano▶ 19:48
Escape from New York (1981)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano▶ 6:15
Total Recall (1990)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 9:22
Die Hard (1988)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons▶ 2:45
Miami Vice (2006)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano, Chris Ryan▶ 15:28

Directors Referenced (9)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
John CarpenterIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Shea SerranoHalloween▶ 4:08
James WisemanIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris Ryan▶ 9:22
Mel GibsonIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Chris RyanBraveheart, Lethal Weapon 3, Conspiracy Theory▶ 1:10:28
Roger CormanIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris RyanThe Silence of the Lambs, Apollo 13, Little Shop of Horrors▶ 4:40
Clint EastwoodIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsMillion Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven▶ 18:29
John ColoradoIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Shea SerranoHancock▶ 58:18
John McTiernanIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris RyanDie Hard, Last Action Hero▶ 22:01
John WooIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris Ryan▶ 22:01
Michael MannIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsThe Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans▶ 31:25

Actors Referenced (36)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Arnold SchwarzeneggerIMDb ↗Lb ↗64Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano, Chris RyanTerminator 2: Judgment Day, The Terminator▶ 2:57
Linda HamiltonIMDb ↗Lb ↗17Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano, Chris RyanTerminator 2: Judgment Day, The Terminator▶ 3:04
Rick RossovichIMDb ↗Lb ↗13Shea Serrano, Bill Simmons, Chris RyanTop Gun, The Terminator▶ 34:40
Bill PaxtonIMDb ↗Lb ↗11Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Shea SerranoAliens, Apollo 13▶ 14:35
Michael BiehnIMDb ↗Lb ↗8Bill Simmons, Chris RyanAliens, The Terminator, The Abyss▶ 37:21
Mike MedavoyIMDb ↗Lb ↗7Bill SimmonsBlack Swan▶ 24:02
Lance HenriksenIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill SimmonsAliens▶ 44:29
Paul WinfieldIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Chris RyanThe Terminator▶ 54:52
Demi MooreIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill SimmonsStriptease, Indecent Proposal▶ 1:17:22
Dick MillerIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Chris RyanThe Terminator, Gremlins▶ 53:41
Lou FerrignoIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Shea Serrano, Bill SimmonsThe Incredible Hulk, Hulk▶ 16:22
Rosanna ArquetteIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill SimmonsPulp Fiction, After Hours▶ 1:12:03

Writers Referenced (5)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
James CameronIMDb ↗Lb ↗36Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Shea SerranoAvatar, Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day▶ 4:01
Brian KoppelmanIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill SimmonsRunaway Jury, Michael Clayton▶ 1:28
Ray HarryhausenIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Shea SerranoSpies Like Us▶ 1:04:07
Roger EbertIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons▶ 23:46
Harlan EllisonIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill Simmons▶ 1:05:59