Although the recent sequels (2003’s Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and 2009’s Terminator Salvation) and the short-lived TV series The Sarah Connor Chronicles are given a brief mention, the book almost exclusively focuses on the production of the first two (and to many fans, the only) Terminator films.
It must be said that there’s not a huge amount of new material or unseen images about the production of the James Cameron directed sci-fi action classics. If you’re familiar with the DVD extras and production stories of these two films, there probably won’t be anything additional you will gain from purchasing the book. The tales of OJ Simpson or Lance Henriksen nearly playing the Terminator, or Cameron coming up with the original idea of the Terminator coming out of the flames during a fevered dream he had in Rome, will already be familiar with fans of the series.
Most of the interviews or quotes appear to be taken from the various DVD documentaries or articles written over the years (although it is of course possible that the new interviewees told the same anecdotes to Mr Nathan…) There are a few new nuggets of information (one studio executive suggested Kyle Reece has a robot dog as a sidekick) but nothing massively revelatory.
The book is also disappointingly lacking in decent behind the scenes photos. The majority of the photographs are publicity shots of the actors in character that, while looking very slick, don’t really give much insight of the production or creative process of the two films. If you are interested in on set photographs or seeing what type of equipment they used, Stan Winston’s book The Winston Effect features a number of rare production stills of the making of both original Terminator films. There is also Don Shay’s 1991 book The Making of Terminator 2 and Drew Cummings documentary filmed on the set of the first film, which may be of interest to fans interested in that side of the creative process.
There are, however, a lot of storyboards and early concept sketches that are interesting, and a few fun bonus treats like the Polaroid photograph of Sarah Connor sat in her jeep from the first film (perfect to keep with you when living in a futuristic bunker).
It’s a classy book, with some lovely film stills and plenty of information for newcomers, but hardcore Terminator fans are probably best off saving their money and watching the DVD extras again.
Published on Thursday 3 October 2013 by Aurum Press Ltd.
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