Who Is Arnold Schwarzenegger

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic (by 5 people)   Your rating: 1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic

Arnold Schwarzenegger

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American bodybuilder, actor, and politician. He has changed carreer and is now in politics. currently Arnold Schwarzenegger is the Governor of the state of California.

Arnold Schwarzenegger at a Glance 

Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (German ; born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian-American bodybuilder, actor, businessman and politician, currently serving as the 38th Governor of the state of California.

Schwarzenegger gained worldwide fame as a Hollywood action film icon. He was nicknamed the "Austrian Oak" and the "Styrian Oak" in his bodybuilding days, "Arnold Strong" and "Arnie" during his acting career, and more recently the "Governator" (a portmanteau of Governor and the Terminator, one of his film roles).

As a Republican, he was first elected on October 7, 2003, in a special recall election to r...

The most popular Arnold Schwarzenegger Movies 

Arnold Schwarzenegger Comedy Favorites Collection

Release Date: 09/18/2007

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $13.49 (as of 12/03/2008) Buy Now
List Price: $14.98

Usually ships in 24 hours

Collateral Damage / Eraser

Release Date: 01/31/2006

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $11.49 (as of 12/03/2008) Buy Now
List Price: $12.98

Usually ships in 24 hours

Stay Hungry

Release Date: 05/18/2004

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $7.49 (as of 12/03/2008) Buy Now
List Price: $9.98

Usually ships in 24 hours

Pumping Iron (25th Anniversary Special Edition)

Release Date: 11/11/2003

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $4.99 (as of 12/03/2008) Buy Now
List Price: $14.98

Usually ships in 24 hours

Biography - Arnold Schwarzenegger (A&E DVD Archives)

Release Date: 07/26/2005

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $22.49 (as of 12/03/2008) Buy Now
List Price: $24.95

Usually ships in 24 hours

Quick, what do you think of Arnold Schwarzenegger? 

Loading poll. Please Wait...

More Popular Arnold Schwarzenegger Movies 

Pumping Iron (25th Anniversary Special Edition)

Release Date: 11/11/2003

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $4.99 (as of 12/03/2008) Buy Now
List Price: $14.98

Usually ships in 24 hours

Eraser

Release Date: 03/26/1997

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 12/03/2008) Buy Now
List Price: $12.97

Usually ships in 24 hours

Terminator 3 - Rise of the Machines [HD DVD]

Release Date: 09/26/2006

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: (as of 12/03/2008) Buy Now
List Price: $28.99

True Lies

Release Date: 05/25/1999

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: (as of 12/03/2008) Buy Now
List Price: $14.98

Predator (Widescreen Collector's Edition)

Release Date: 08/10/2004

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $14.99 (as of 12/03/2008) Buy Now
List Price: $19.98

Usually ships in 24 hours

News on Arnold Schwarzenegger 

Loading Fetching RSS feed... please stand by

Commando (Director's Cut) - Arnold Schwarzenegger 

If you think you've seen Commando before on DVD then you're gonna pass on this one, right?

WRONG!

This guilty pleasure is one of my all-time favorite testosterone pumping 80's Ahnuld action flicks chock full of some of the most memorable and hilariously over-the-top one-liners ever assembled in a single Schwarzenneger film with an exhaustive body count tally of 81 confirmed kills. Now it's finally getting the UNRATED Director's Cut treatment it deserves so we can see even more of the Governator at his macho 80's Republican finest.

The Commando Director's Cut DVD features the original 90-minute theatrical film and restores 96 seconds of mostly graphic violent shots that were trimmed to garner the film an R rating in this never-before-seen unrated version as envisioned by director Mark L. Lester restored back into the film via seamless branching. Additional DVD special features include director audio commentary, 3 deleted scenes which have not been added back into the film, two behind-the-scenes featurettes, photo galleries and more.

Special Features:

Commando Director's Cut is presented in widescreen (1.85:1 aspect ratio) with English 5.1 Dolby Digital and Dolby Surround audio, Spanish Mono, French Stereo plus French and Spanish subtitles.
Bonus content includes:

* Seamlessly branched Director's Cut with never-before-seen footage
* Audio commentary by director Mark Lester (on theatrical version only)
* Deleted Scenes
* Pure Action featurette
* Let Off Some Steam featurette
* Photo galleries with over 150 images
- Creating Commando
- Domestic Bliss with John and Jenny
- Kill Arnold, Kill!
- Trashing the Galleria

Don't deprive yourself of some pleasure. Come on, Bennett... let's party! -- David Cordes (Denver, CO)

Commando (Director's Cut)

COMMANDO (1985) marked the beginning of "Ahnold's" shift from stoic, badly acted adventure flicks with no dialogue to stoic, badly acted adventure flicks with dialogue.

COMMANDO gives us the Governator at his steroidal apotheosis. The unrelieved muscularity of his physique is unbelievable in this film. A human mountain, he plays John Matrix, a Rambo-like figure who is dragged out of retirement by the Colonel Trautman-like General Kirby after members of his ultra-secret unit are killed in a series of hits.

Although "Matrix" translates as "Womb" in Latin, the English word has an inorganic feel to it, and in fact COMMANDO presages and even exceeds THE TERMINATOR films in its gratutitous violence. Matrix is a killing machine. Fortunately for the story, he is also a sympathetic doting father to Jenny (Alyssa Milano at age ten), and he has a wicked sense of humor---the one-liners in COMMANDO are legendary.

Matrix's idyllic retirement comes to an abrupt end when a crummy South American dictator, once overthrown by Matrix, plots his return to power and kidnaps Jenny to ensure Matrix's cooperation in overthrowing his democratic successor. Matrix sets out with the twin goals of rescuing Jenny and wreaking hell on said South American dictator. Along the way, Matrix shanghaies Cindy (Rae Dawn Chong) into helping him.

The violence is cartoonish and hilarious. Matrix jumps out of flying jets, he rips bucket seats out of cars barehanded, he smashes those same cars into telephone poles without injury, he breaks other people's bones with abandon, he drives bulldozers into stores, kills bad guys by the dozen, creatively "redecorates" the Galleria Mall, and all through it, he mutters lines like, "I eat Green Berets for breakfast...and right now I'm very hungry!" and "Remember when I said I'd kill you last? I lied." shortly before dropping a bad guy off a cliff ("I let him go," Matrix explains to Cindy).

In the third reel the Bandido Osterreicher revenges Butch and Sundance by singlehandedly killing the entire army of a small South American country, in the process rescuing his daughter, eliminating the crummy South American dictator, and finishing off Bennett, a rogue member of his old unit who is impaled by a length of iron pipe (which then emits a ton of steam).

Forget logic. Forget reality. Essentially a live action cartoon, COMMANDO is a classic of the Beer Film genre of the mid-80's. Invite some buddies, crack open a few cold ones, ask She Who Must Be Obeyed to keep an eye on the hot dogs and chili, and kick back. -- J. H. Minde (Fort Lauderdale FL)

Release Date: 09/18/2007

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $14.99 (as of 12/03/2008) Buy Now
List Price: $19.98

Usually ships in 24 hours

California Headlines 

Loading Fetching RSS feed... please stand by

The Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger 

This is the film that cemented Schwarzenegger's spot in the action-brawn firmament, and it was well deserved. He's chilling as the futuristic cyborg who kills without fear, without love, without mercy. James Cameron's story and direction are pared to the bone and all the more creepy. But don't overlook the contributions of Linda Hamilton, who more than holds her own as the Terminator's would-be victim, Sarah Connor--thus creating, along with Sigourney Weaver in Alien, a new generation of rugged, clear-thinking female action stars. It's surprising how well this film holds up, and how its minimalist, malevolent violence is actually way scarier than that of its far more expensive, more effects-laden sequel. --Anne Hurley

In the year 2029, the ruling super-computer, Skynet, sends an indestructible cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger) back in time to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) before she can fulfill her destiny and save mankind.

The Terminator [Blu-ray]

The original Terminator movie became an instant classic action movie for Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, and director James Cameron. With T3 coming out, here's a review of that original movie.

First, you have to remember that in 1984 when this first came out, the whole gritty future-view a la Blade Runner (1982) was just taking hold. Along comes Terminator which melds that future-is-bleak theme with modern day action, and throw a muscle-man and tender-turned-tough woman into the mix.

I am a HUGE fan of this movie for many, many reasons. You have Linda Hamilton as a normal, every day woman who resists what is going on - and in the end finds her strength to go on. That transformation is just amazing. You have the love story between her and the 'normal man' who is sent back in time to try to defend her. And of course you have the 'machine' - Arnold - who single-mindedly works to track her down and destroy her.

There are just so many touches in the movie that show the care that James Cameron put into the film, making it truly the 'baby' of him, Arnold and Linda. This isn't your average action movie where the high bodycount and infinite ammo are key. It is a movie with a lot of thought, with well laid out backgrounds and the time changes between the "current future" of 2029 and the "current present" of 1984 show great connections.

Linda Hamilton in this was always a huge role model to me and many of my friends. She wasn't special. She didn't have ninja training or robotic eyeballs. But she saw what had to be done, and she gathered her strength and did it.

A great movie in its own right, and a must-see for anyone interested in T3! -- Lisa Shea

Release Date: 06/20/2006

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $14.99 (as of 12/03/2008) Buy Now
List Price: $29.99

Usually ships in 24 hours

Arnold Schwarzenegger Videos 

YouTube thumbnail
Arnold Schwarzenegger training

Runtime: 4:47 | 2639629 views | Comments

YouTube thumbnail
Arnold Schwarzenegger Mr. Olym...

Runtime: 1:15 | 2516919 views | Comments

YouTube thumbnail
Arnold Schwarzenegger

Runtime: 9:14 | 1794065 views | Comments

YouTube thumbnail
Young Arnold Schwarzenegger in...

Runtime: 5:15 | 781614 views | Comments

YouTube thumbnail
Arnold Schwarzenegger - Early ...

Runtime: 1:53 | 2027813 views | Comments

YouTube thumbnail
Arnold Schwarzenegger - Dumbel...

Runtime: 0:52 | 2269067 views | Comments

Terminator 2 - Judgment Day - Arnold Schwarzenegger 

After he pushed the envelope of computer-generated special effects in The Abyss, director James Cameron turned this hotly anticipated sequel to Terminator into a well-written, action-packed showcase for advanced special effects and for one of the most invincible villains ever imagined. Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a legitimate sequel: there's more story to tell about a hulking, leather-clad android (Arnold Schwarzenegger) who arrives from the future to protect a rebellious teenager and future leader (Edward Furlong) from being killed by the tenacious T-1000 robot (Robert Patrick), whose liquid-metal construction makes him seemingly unstoppable. The fate of the future lies in the balance, with Linda Hamilton (who would later marry her director) reprising her role as the rugged woman whose son will change the course of history. --Jeff Shannon


He said he'd be back. This time experience T2 like never before! Go EXTREME with the best picture and sound ever! ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER returns as the Terminator in this explosive action-adventure spectacle. Now he's one of the good guys, sent back in time to protect John Connor, the boy destined to lead the freedom fighters of the future. LINDA HAMILTON reprises her role as Sarah Connor, John's mother, a quintessential survivor who has been institutionalized for her warning of the nuclear holocaust she knows is inevitable. Together, the threesome must find a way to stop the ultimate enemy - the T-1000, the most lethal Terminator ever created. Co-written, produced and directed by James Cameron ("The Terminator," "Aliens," "Titanic), this visual tour de force is also a touching story of survival.

Terminator 2 - Judgment Day (Extreme DVD)

This new "Ultimate Edition DVD" of Terminator 2 Judgement Day, one of the biggest box office smashes of all time, is truly The Ultimate Edition. Unless you get this outside of the US (which I did) you have two disks. One disk is the movie (THREE versions of the movie, in fact), and the next disk is all the special features. And it takes DAYS getting through every feature. I mean, three documentary, 8 trailers and TV spots, an entire script, interviews that you can access separately, and 52 chapters of behind the scenes footage, from makeup to visual effects, from editing to restoring deleted scenes. There are so many special features, this is what DVD was made for! You can also look at the original drawings of certain scenes, awesome!!!!

However, I find the real highlight of this disk (or disks) to be the movie itself, I mean WOW!!! You get three, I repeat, three, versions of the movie. One is the original theatrical version, featuring no cut out scenes (the worst), the special edition, featuring 16 minutes of additional footage (second best) and the Extended Special Edition that you need a code for (the best) which features 18 minutes of additional footage, as well as an alternate ending. Here, now, I will give you a step-by-step description of how to get this extended special edition. I'm sure most of you people reading this know how to already, but this is for those who didn't know this version existed, or don't know how to get it. What you do is, you go to the features menu. It'll say "Theatrical Version" and "Special Edition". Click on "Special Edition". Then, you highlight "Play Special Edition" and type in (you may have to type ENTER in-between each number) EIGHT TWO NINE NINE SEVEN (8 2 9 9 7) and then, the "Go To Theatrical Version" option changes to "Play Extended Special Edition". This is the definitive version of the movie. I believe that every single little, tiny scene that they cut out is in this version. Well, thats the code, now back to my review.

The picture and audio on this disk are SO awesome, you won't believe it. Crystal clear picture, and sound so loud that it's like you're in a movie theatre. The additional, restored scenes are remastered as well, and slip perfectly into the movie. If you haven't even seen the film, you won't even notice these scenes put into it. Usually, on additional scenes, the picture is dirty and shakes. Not in these added scenes. And, to make it even better, the scenes are presented in 2:35:1 widescreen anamorphic format. Yes!! Just the first disk makes this DVD the ultimate edition!! Also, there's an audio commentary by 26 members of the cast and crew, however, this commentary is just interviews put together to sound like a commentary. However, there's a noticable glitch in the theatrical version, due to the commentary. Well, if you watch this commentary on one of the special editions, you'll notice it's the same commentary as the theatrical version, but they talk about deleted scenes as well. You may, also, notice that they continue talking about the deleted "Dream Sequence" at the hospital, when it goes into the next scene. So, now, when you watch the theatrical version, you'll notice that the beggining scene with Sarrah Connor watching the tape from six months ago, the beggining of the scene is cut off!!! Oops! Well, that's forgivible. Now, the second disk (or the second side of the disk) has lots of special features. The three documentarys include "The Making Of Terminator 2 Judgement Day", "T2 More Than Meets The Eye", where they talk about deleted sequences and the reason they were cut. The last is "The Making Of Terminator 2 3-D Breaking The Screen Barrier", about the making of that 3-D terminator ride. I loved that ride (yes, I went on it) and this documentary is really interesting. The rest of the features, well, I'm not sure I kinow all of them. Maybe YOU should discover all the features on this disk. If you own the previous DVD release of T2 (which had no extras), then trash it and get this "Ultimate Edition". You WON'T be dissipointed. -- Brett Michael Roberts (Renton, WA USA)

Release Date: 06/03/2003

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $4.99 (as of 12/03/2008) Buy Now
List Price: $9.98

Usually ships in 24 hours

Arnold Schwarzenegger on Flickr 

PZ20081031-010 by Menlo School

PZ20081031-010

Arnie by jblackburn.

Arnie

Trip to southern California, 6/12/08 - 43 of 125 by goodrob13

Trip to southern Cal...

S2020026 by sopues

S2020026

Arnold Schwarzenegger by indichick7

Arnold Schwarzenegge...

Arnold Bike by tom.arthur

Arnold Bike

Arnold Bike by tom.arthur

Arnold Bike

Ahnold by mhall209

Ahnold

Gman2 by mhall209

Gman2

Convoy by mhall209

Convoy

Arnold Schwarzenegger by Itiro

Arnold Schwarzenegge...

071028-A-3715G-422 by jim.greenhill

071028-A-3715G-422

Pumping Iron (25th Anniversary Special Edition) 

Arnold Schwarzengger

From Gold's Gym in Venice Beach California to the showdown in Pretoria, amateur and professional bodybuilders prepare for the 1975 Mr. Olympia and Mr. Universe contests in this part-scripted, part-documentary film. Five-time champion Arnold Schwarzenegger defends his Mr. Olympia title against Serge Nubret and the shy young deaf Lou Ferrigno, whose father is his coach; the ruthless champ psyches out the young lion. Sardinian Franco Columbu competes in the lightweight class; at home in Italy he solves a tight parking problem by lifting the car into place. Joe Weider is the marketer; Mike Katz and Ken Waller go for the title of Mr. Universe. Bodybuilding and a celebrity-to-be go mainstream.

Arnold Schwarzenegger works the crowds, plots strategies for defeating multiple opponents, shares his parents' values with the press, and inspires legions of admirers with his resolute optimism about the future. And all of this long before he decided to run for governor of California, in 1977's hit documentary, Pumping Iron. Larger than life, though not necessarily larger than his rivals for the Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia bodybuilding titles (especially a young Lou Ferrigno, hot on Arnold's competitive trail but much less interesting), Schwarzenegger still comes across, at age 28, as a consummate politician, smart, likable, and crafty about exploiting others' psychological weaknesses. The film still feels redundant (there's only so much beefcake the human eye will tolerate), but the emotional dramas--the unrewarded hard work, the unanswered hopes--are compelling. Complete with a revealing 2003 interview with Schwarzenegger and a reunion of the film's bodybuilders and director. --Tom Keogh


In 1977, an independent documentary movie shone a light on the world of bodybuilding, becoming a huge box office hit and creating an international sensation. It launched one man's multi-million dollar career and changed the world of bodybuilding and physical exercise forever: PUMPING IRON. Starring five-time Mr. Olympia, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the movie followed the 28-year old bodybuilder as he competed for his 6th title.

Pumping Iron (25th Anniversary Special Edition)

I just watched this DVD and can confirm that it is NOT edited. If you really want to see Arnold smoking, eating pastries and carrying girls on his shoulders, it is still here. More importantly, the movie itself looks great as are the extras. One great extra is the making of documentary including a "Pumping Iron" reunion and shots of Arnold's bachelor pad from the 70s. Pretty funny. -- Robert Bracco, Jr. (New York, NY USA)

The 1970's was definitely the halcyon days of international bodybuilding...two forward thinking brothers, Ben & Joe Weider, took a novelty sport, propelled it to stellar heights, built a publishing & business empire and gave the phrase "pumping iron" respectability and recognition worldwide. However, the Weider's would never have been as successful, if it had not been for a brash, young, quick talking bodybuilder from Austria (with a super hero, chiselled physique ) named Arnold Schwarzenneger who was the "golden boy" of bodybuilding's golden age.

This tremendous documentary primarily follows four elite bodybuilders in their lead up to the 1975 Mr Universe & Mr Olympia titles in Pretoria, South Africa. Mike Katz, Ken Waller, Lou "The Hulk" Ferrigno & Arnold Schwarzenneger are all shown training hard, posing down and attempting to psych each other out in the quest for the sport's top prizes. Also featured in the film are some of the other key identities from bodybuilding in the 1970's...Ed Corney, "The Black Prince" Robbie Robinson, Danny "The Giant Killer" Padilla, "The Sardinian Superman" Franco Colombu, Frenchman Serge Nubret & Frank Zane. George Butler's intriguing film is based around the book of the same name by fitness author Charles Gaines, who also wrote the novel "Stay Hungry" that was filmed a year earlier to "Pumping Iron" with a young Schwarzenneger as bodybuiler, Joe Santos !

Butler's probing camera focus's very much on the psychological aspects of the sport and much of "Pumping Iron's" running time is shown on the behind the scenes issues and mental preparation by the athletes and all important confidence boosting by their family and peers. Especially interesting is the intensely close relationship between ex-NYC cop Matty Ferrigno and his shy 24 year old son Lou, as the two ferociously train and methodically prepare to topple untouchable Arnold off his perch as the world's number one bodybuilder. However, we soon see why Arnold achieved the heights of fame and numerous titles, as he psychologically dismantles his opponents confidence and rattles their faith with his laid back & unnerving comments on their physiques !

Although "Pumping Iron" looks a little dated (lots of flared pants and bad haircuts), it is easily the best documentary ever made on competitive bodybuilding and is still compulsive viewing for anyone genuinely interested in one of the oldest, and often most mis-understood sports on the planet ! -- P. Ferrigno "firehouse444" (Melbourne, Victoria Australia)

This is a fascinating docudrama, a "blend of fact and fiction" that centers on the preparation for the Mr. Olympia competition in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1975. The months before the competition is where the story has been enhanced for added dramatic effect, and follows the bodybuilders as they get ready from Muscle Beach in California to a gym in Brooklyn.
Lou Ferrigno (later to be better known from his "The Hulk" character) is one of 5 time winner Schwarzenegger's main challengers, and their determination and discipline is extraordinary, and gives one admiration for what bodybuilders go through, and appreciation of their ability to change the human form, even if like me, one finds the look rather reptilian and gross.

It's hard to not like Arnold Schwarzenneger, "The Austrian Oak", here 28 years old, 6'2 and 240 lbs. He has a disarming charm and bravado, and a natural intelligence, and the mental aspect of bodybuilding cannot be underestimated.
Conceived, directed and written by George Butler, this is a marvelous look into the "no pain, no gain" challenge of sculpting with muscle. The pacing is great without a single scene lacking interest, and the editing excellent. Total time is 85 minutes.

The DVD "Extras" are not to be missed, especially "Raw Iron", which includes many outtakes and tells how the film was made, and "Iron Insights", an interview with Schwarzenneger where one finds out which scenes were created and which were actual events.
A film that will be of interest to anyone who likes success stories and how it is achieved by those who challenge themselves and keep focused on the positive, it will also be enjoyed for its pure entertainment value. -- Alejandra Vernon "artist & illustrator" (Long Beach, California)

Release Date: 11/11/2003

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $4.99 (as of 12/03/2008) Buy Now
List Price: $14.98

Usually ships in 24 hours

Eraser - Arnold Schwarzenegger 

If you're going to submit yourself to a dazzling example of mainstream action, this thriller is as good a choice as any. Eraser is a live-action cartoon, the kind of movie in which Arnold Schwarzenegger can survive nail bombs, hails of bullets, an attack by voracious alligators ("You're luggage," he says, after killing one of the beasts), and still emerge from the mayhem relatively intact. Arnold plays an "eraser" from the Federal Witness Protection Program, so named because he can virtually erase the existence of anyone he's been assigned to protect. His latest beneficiary is an FBI employee (Vanessa Williams) who stumbled across a secret government group involved in the sale and export of an advanced weapon capable of shooting rounds at nearly the speed of light. Fantastic action sequences are handled with flair by director Charles Russell (The Mask), so it's easy to forgive the fact that this movie is almost completely ridiculous. --Jeff Shannon

Eraser

I can't imagine why this film got so many bad reviews in the media. Maybe it was because it came on the heels of "Last Action Hero" and the critics were still annoyed. Whatever the reason, pay no attention to those people; if you love Ahhhhnold (and I sure do) you will be sure to like "Eraser."

The plot is relatively simple, in fact, you will be likely to pick up on the "secret" early on in the film. But the action is non-stop, there are no gratuitous car-chases (which cause me to knock off more stars than a black hole) and there aren't even any stupid helicopter tricks ( It's been DONE. and done and done...)

There are a lot of explosions, especially of vehicles blowing sky-high but hey, we have to give the special effects guys something to do, and the secret weapon's effect is also pretty cool. Vanessa Williams underplays her role as FBI whistleblower, and James Caan is just superb as the heavy. The surprise fun came from the Wise Guys, who pay some debts in the plot. They were amusing and added a bit of fun to the action. The only dull spot was the Russian baddie, who was unconvinicingly Russian (despite the gratuitous "dasvidanya"--maybe thrown in by the director who realized this guy was about as Russian as Russian dressing. )

I found the suspense pleasantly gripping, and if it wasn't the smartest film on the block, it sure was plenty of entertainment. -- Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA)

Release Date: 03/26/1997

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 12/03/2008) Buy Now
List Price: $12.97

Usually ships in 24 hours

Terminator 3 - Rise of the Machines 

Arnold Schwarzenegger

With a reported budget of $172 million, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines starts in high gear and never slows down. The apocalyptic "Judgment Day" of T2 was never prevented, only postponed: John Connor (Nick Stahl, replacing T2's Edward Furlong), now 22 and disconnected from society, is being pursued yet again, this time by the advanced T-X, a sleek "Terminatrix" (coldly expressionless Kristanna Loken) programmed to stop Connor from becoming the savior of humankind. Originally programmed as an assassin, a disadvantaged T-101 cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger, bidding fond farewell to his signature role) arrives from the future to join Connor and his old acquaintance Kate (Claire Danes) in thwarting the T-X's relentless pursuit. The plot presents a logical fulfillment of T2 prophesy, disposing of Connor's mother (Linda Hamilton is sorely missed) while computer-driven machines assume control, launching a nuclear nightmare that Connor must survive. With Breakdown and U-571 serving as worthy rehearsals for this cautionary epic of mass destruction, director Jonathan Mostow wisely avoids any stylistic connection to James Cameron's Terminator classics; instead he's crafted a fun, exciting popcorn thriller, humorous and yet still effectively nihilistic, and comparable to Jurassic Park III in returning the Terminator franchise to its potent B-movie roots. --Jeff Shannon


A decade has passed since John Connor (NICK STAHL) helped prevent Judgment Day and save mankind from mass destruction. Now 25, Connor lives "off the grid" - no home, no credit cards, no cell phone and no job. No record of his existence. No way he can be traced by Skynet - the highly developed network of machines that once tried to kill him and wage war on humanity. Until, out of the shadows of the future steps the T-X (KRISTANNA LOKEN), Skynet's most sophisticated cyborg killing machine yet. Sent back through time to complete the job left unfinished by her predecessor, the T-1000, this machine is as relentless as her human guise is beautiful. Now Connor's only hope for survival is the Terminator (ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER), his mysterious former assassin. Together, they must triumph over the technologically superior T-X and forestall the looming threat of Judgment Day - or face the apocalypse and the fall of civilization as we know it.

Terminator 3 - Rise of the Machines [HD DVD]

I went to an advance screening last night. My expectations were pretty low, given the lack of James Cameron at the helm and the span of years that have passed since T2. My biggest concern going in was that it would just be a Terminator vs. Terminator rehash with no real contribution to the story arc of Cameron's universe. My fears were unfounded, however. Jonathan Mostow has done an admirable job of capturing the audacious action and dark humor of the first two movies, while still managing to provide enough new twists to keep this third incarnation fresh. Yes, there's a lot of T-101 vs. T-X insanity, but these sequences are so well-executed and so over the top you can't help but laugh with glee. Kristanna Loken is every bit as scary as Robert Patrick was in the second installment, to the point where during one scene the girl next to me actually screamed in terror. The script, while a bit light on character development, offers plenty of great moments, both frightening and humorous. There are also many smart and unexpected references to the earlier films to tie everything together. Best of all, without giving anything away, important things happen. Things you'll want to see and know about if you are a fan of the first two films. My only gripe is that certain elements of the plot (which I can't reveal) aren't adequately explained. Perhaps those explanations wound up on the cutting room floor and we'll get them on the DVD. However, by the time that classic Terminator theme faded in and the credits rolled, I was very happy with the experience and my doubts about this third chapter in the series were put to rest. This film is about more than cashing in on a successful franchise. They've tried to do justice to the series' legacy and, in my opinion, they've succeeded. -- Scott F Andrews (Boston, MA)

I did not have high expect ions to REALLY like this film, frankly I was not thrilled with T2. Sometimes MORE is not better. The original film had something T2 never achieved - HEART. The focus in T2 was the special effects. For that it was superior to the smaller budget sleeper Terminator. But flash does not equate to substance, so in T2, I was like WOW - but is that all there is? I expected more of T2 flash in T3, and there is that. Buckle up, baby, it's about to get bumpy is a lot of the film. So it provided the flash. But T3 does something T2 did not, it tries to draw on it's roots of the first film, giving John connor something of his mother "who didn't ask for any of this" into his character. Nick Stahl does very well as making you believe he could be Sara Connor's son. Claire Danes does what she could with the role, but it's a bit limited to "screaming let me out". Kristanna Loken does well as the non-stoppable Female Terminator - but, hey I often wonder if machines really would be machines that look sexy? But, guess we are not supposed to worry about things like that.
Arnold is very well toned, but his performance is same old same old. I has so many concerns, that I was surprised just how much I did enjoy it. Mind bubblegum, but great fun anyway.

Connor is now in his twenties - the great Apocalypse has not come about and he is a drifter going from place to place. Dane's Character Kate Brewster is a vet, planning on marriage and the daughter of the man responsible for pushing the button on the Sky Net Defence that permits the Machines to take over.
Connor breaks into her vet's office, but she catches him. But before the police arrive the Terminators arrive and it's non-stop action.

It's mindless fun, but good fun. So kick back and enjoy. The goodies on the DVD seems rather rushed and half-hearted. As with any time travel film: don't ask, just accept. -- Deborah MacGillivray "Author," (US & UK)

Release Date: 09/26/2006

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: (as of 12/03/2008) Buy Now
List Price: $28.99

True Lies - Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis 

Tom Arnold, Bill Paxton, Charlton Heston

From The Terminator to Titanic, you can always rely on writer-director James Cameron to show you something you've never seen on the big screen before. The guy may not consistently pen the most scintillating dialogue in the world (and, especially in this movie, he doesn't seem to have a particularly high regard for women), but as a director of kinetic, push-the-envelope action sequences, he is in a class by himself. In True Lies, the highlight is a breathtaking third-act jet and car chase through the Florida Keys. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a covert intelligence agent whose wife of 15 years (Jamie Lee Curtis) finally finds out that he's not really a computer salesman and who becomes mixed up in a case involving nuclear arms smuggling. Tom Arnold is surprisingly funny and engaging as Schwarzenegger's longtime spy partner, and Bill Paxton is a smarmy used-car salesman (is that redundant?) whom Arnold thinks is having an affair with his wife. Purely in terms of spectacular action and high-tech hardware, True Lies is a blast. --Jim Emerson

Arnold Schwarzenegger is special agent Harry Tasker, a top spy in the ultra-secret Omega Sector who also dances a mean tango- although to his neglected wife, Helen, (Jamie Lee Curtis) he's just a dull computer salesman. But while Harry's been busy fighting terrorists, Helen's been gathering secrets of her own. And when their two secret lives unexpectedly collide, Harry and Helen find themselves in the clutches of international terrorists, fighting to save not only their marriage but their lives as well. Packed with non-stop action, spectacular special effects and unprecedented stunts, this "domestic epic" from director James Cameron (Titanic, Terminator 2: Judgment Day) is a rollicking `90's twist on the super spy genre.

True Lies

Meet Arnold Swarzennegar - amazing James Bond type spy who's absolutely clueless as a husband and father. He starts out as impeccable as 007, who he is obviously spoofing, but then loses it and goes crazy when he suspects his wife (Jamie Lee Curtis) is cheating on him.

his best buddy, Tom Arnold from "Roseanne" fame, is the perfect comic foil. It's really Tom that makes this act/adv stand out from the crowd. The dialogue is fast, funny, and Tom takes it to the limit. Also up for a laugh is Bill Paxton, another Cameron regular (Aliens), who plays a seedy used-car salesman posing as a spy in order to seduce women. He really goes all the way, completely unafraid of playing a true idiot!

It's just so great to watch an act/adv with great action that isn't limited to the usual, off-hand quips from stoneyfaced he-men. This movie is one of my favorites because it's a great popcorn movie that delivers on many levels. It's not just an excuse to blow things up and no one takes themselves too seriously. Everyone obviously had a great time making this film and it shows. I hope they make the sequel soon. -- shelley de lange "avid reader" (fountain valley, ca USA)

"True Lies" is quite simply, one of the most entertaining, fast paced and hilarious films that Arnold Schwarzenegger has ever starred in. From the very first time I saw this movie in the theater to several viewings both in VHS and DVD format, I've found that the superior script and exceptional acting in this film entertains every time. I've read of and heard many lament over some aspects of this film and the best I could say to those is that quite often the movies that Hollywood produces are a sensationalism of real life events and ultimately a movie such as this one is for entertainment not making statements about any one group or individual and as a medium for entertainment, this film succeeds completely!

Performance wise, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold, Bill Paxton, Tia Carrere and Art Malik all deserve great honors and the accolades they received for their respective parts in this film. "True Lies" was probably Arnold Schwarzenegger's best overall performance both in the action and the dramatic sense. Jamie Lee Curtis couldn't have been any better in this role and I can honestly say that I was impressed with Tom Arnold's performance in this movie whereas any other film or show I've seen him in I was not impressed. I believe the only other movie I've seen that Art Malik was in was "The Living Daylights" and in both that movie and this one his work has been exceptional.

Say what you may like about director James Cameron but you would definitely have to admit that prior to the current but most likely "temporary" culmination of his career as a director with the movie "Titanic" and heading off to run the "Dark Angel" television series, few directors could come close to matching his accomplishments. "True Lies" was James Cameron's fifth highly successful hit in a row and with this movie and "Titanic" one could definitely say that during this run of box office hits, he had the pulse of the fans as he wrote screenplays and directed these extraordinary films.

The Premise:

Harry Tasker (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a high speed "spook" working for a highly secretive government agency that is a watch dog/operator spook agency that identifies and handles terrorist threats to the United States. Along with his handler Albert Gibson (Tom Arnold), they uncover a major terrorist operation which is bent on using nuclear warheads against the US to accomplish its goals. As Harry, Albert and their organization are working to uncover the terrorists plot; his family becomes heavily involved in the story which is where Helen Tasker (Jamie Lee Curtis) comes in to play and some extremely hilarious scenes involving Simon (Bill Paxton). What follows from there is one of the most hilarious and exciting action/drama films to have come out of the nineties.

I highly recommend this film to any and all who are interested in seeing a great, fast paced, highly intriguing and hilarious action/drama movie and aren't interested in reading too much into the plot or the characters in the plot that are used as plot devices. -- K. Wyatt "ssintrepid" (St. Louis, MO United States)

Release Date: 05/25/1999

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: (as of 12/03/2008) Buy Now
List Price: $14.98

Predator - Arnold Schwarzenegger 

Rambo meets Alien in this terrific science-fiction thriller from 1987, directed by John McTiernan just a year before Die Hard made him Hollywood's most sought-after director of action-packed blockbusters. Arnold Schwarzenegger leads an elite squad of U.S. Army commandos to a remote region of South American jungle, where they've been assigned to search for South American officials who've been kidnapped by terrorists. Instead they find a bunch of skinned corpses hanging from the trees and realize that they're now facing a mysterious and much deadlier threat. As the squad is picked off one by one, Arnold finds himself pitted against a hideous alien creature that's heavily armed and wearing a spacesuit enabling the creature to render itself invisible. The title says it all in describing the relentless, escalating action that follows, maintained by McTiernan with an abundance of visual flair. The film's special effects are still impressive, and stunning locations in the Mexican jungles create a combined atmosphere of verdant beauty and imminent danger. The plot doesn't hold up to much scrutiny, but the movie's so exciting and tightly paced that its weaknesses seem irrelevant. --Jeff Shannon

The ultimate hunter meets the ultimate adversary?in the ultimate Collector?s Edition DVD! Arnold Schwarzenegger wages an all-out war against an unseen enemy, a force more powerful and deadly than any on Earth?because the Predator is not of this Earth. Now, you can explore the depths of the Predator jungle with this all-new 2-disc set packed with over 5 hours of out-of-this-world extras, including an in-depth documentary, director?s commentary, never-before-seen bonus footage, revealing featurettes and more!

Predator (Widescreen Collector's Edition)

"There's something out there waiting for us, and it ain't no man."
Arnold Schwarzenegger leads an elite group of U.S. commandos into the deadly jungles of South America to find and rescue a group of government officials who've been kidnapped by terrorists. But over time Arnold and his squad realize that the heavily armed terrorists are the least of their troubles, as they are picked off one by one by an unseen yet deadly foe in the jungle. This mysterious alien creature blends into the environment and takes pleasure from stalking his prey and mutilating them after a painful death.

"If it bleeds, we can kill it."
With future governors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesse Ventura among the tough guys in the squad, you'd think that no one or thing would stand a chance, but finding and killing this unique foe will take much more than big muscles and machine guns. With incredible suspense, often hilarious dialogue, and awesome special effects that remain very impressive, this action movie is even more enjoyable now that it's finally gotten a special edition dvd release. Do yourself a favor, buy this dvd! -- Dave (Tennessee United States)

Now few may know this, but before Arnold Swarzenegger became `The Govenator' of California, he actually starred in a score of action films. It's true! Predator (1987), directed by John McTiernan, whose next film would be the hugely successful Die Hard (1988), solidifying his status as the director with the most machismo in Hollywood, stars the great lumpy one (Ahnold), although not quite as lumpy as he was in his first major action film, Conan the Barbarian (1982), along with Carl Weathers (Apollo Creed from the Rocky films), Jesse `The Body soon to be governor of Minnesota' Ventura, Bill Duke (he also appeared with Arnold in the mindless 1985 action flick Commando), and Sonny Landham (Billy Bear in the popular 1982 Eddie Murphy film 48 Hrs.). There are a few others, but these are main players...along with the Predator, played by the colossal 7'2'' Kevin Peter Hall, who passed away in 1991.

As the film begins, we learn some gooberment officials have been captured as their chopper (that's the cool way of saying helicopter, in case you didn't know) has been shot down in some unfriendly country, which, I believe, is somewhere in South America, but they never really specify. Maj. George Dillon (Weathers) calls in a group that specializes in rescuing captures officials, dignitaries, and so on, lead by Maj. 'Dutch' Schaeffer (Swarzenegger). Among his team are Sgt. 'Mac' Eliot (Duke), Blain (Ventura), who carries one of the biggest guns I've ever seen, and Billy (Landham), along with a couple others. The mission? Go in and rescue the missing men...or so it seems, as later we find out that Dillon knows more than he's letting on, but whatever...the group, with Dillon tagging along supposedly in command, enter the jungle, find the downed chopper, and make some horrific discoveries in that another team had been sent in prior to this one, a highly trained military unit, and only their `skinned' corpses remain. Now, it's never made clear whether Dutch's group is actually in the military, or an ex-military group for hire, or mercenaries. Dutch claims they only do rescue missions, which would seem to indicate they are no longer in the military, as you don't really get to pick and choose your missions, but his men still refer to him as `Major' so I don't know...I guess it doesn't matter...as they travel deeper into the nasty, hot jungle, we get the impression they are being tracked. They find and neutralize the enemy camp, and Dillon's true motives are revealed. This soon becomes a moot point, as they team begins to lose members one by one as a unseen hostile force starts picking them off. As they race back to a safe point for extraction (the choppers won't venture in too far as the area is now `hot', which I took to mean the group's presence is known, and unfriendly soldiers are now swarming, looking for this small band), they begin to understand what they're up against is more than they ever could have bargained for, as the elite team of fighters becomes fodder for something not of this Earth.

If you are looking for sweaty muscle men with big guns, then you've found your Nirvana here. The characters never really reach much more than a two-dimensional level, but that's of little consequence, as the name of the game is guns shooting, things blowing up, and pretty much non-stop action. I swear, I think this film has the most gunfire of just about any movie I've seen, and I've seen lots of them. Ventura's character actually walks around with a Gatling gun, which looks uber-cool, but hardly the type of ordinance I'd take on a covert rescue mission. If you don't know what a Gatling gun is, it usually consists of about six barrels or ten barrels mounted in a revolving frame and fires about 320 rounds a minute. Overkill? Maybe, but when it comes to the Predator, they don't hit much. The battle scenes are exciting, as they're filmed in such a way that puts the viewer into the action, rather than just watching it from the safety of your funky couch. The dialog may evoke a fair deal of wincing, as it's chock full of macho witticisms, a few examples being, "If it bleeds, we can kill it", or, when a character gets his arm grazed with a bullet, another character says, "You're bleeding!", to which the injured character replies, "I ain't got time to bleed". If it had been me, I probably would have been on the ground, crying, but then I'm neither cool or battle-harden like the characters in the film. The Predator costume looks very good, despite the age of the film and the technological advances since, so much credit goes to special effects artist extraordinaire Stan Winston. All in all, Predator is fairly pure actioneer, with a dose of science fiction and a dollop of horror (the skinned bodies...). The film and it's makers know what it is, and there's very little pretense to make it anything more than that.

The wide screen picture looks about as good as it's going to get, and does show some minor flaws, but the audio seems to have been remastered for a DTS soundtrack as well as a Dolby Digital 5.1. There's scads of extras, including a commentary track by the director, text commentary, a making of documentary titled "If it bleeds, we can kill it", a section titled `Inside the Predator' which is broken up into seven featurettes proving a great amount of detail, a Predator special effects section with five featurettes, a few deleted scenes and outtakes, a Predator profile, a photo gallery, and even a few Easter Eggs (hidden features) scattered about. Is this two disc set the definitive Predator edition? I suppose so, that is until another one comes out, like they did with Terminator 2. (It's definitive for me as it's more than I ever wanted or needed) -- cookieman108 "cookieman108®" (Inside the jar...)

Release Date: 08/10/2004

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $14.99 (as of 12/03/2008) Buy Now
List Price: $19.98

Usually ships in 24 hours