(If You Like). The Terminator began life as a low-budget B movie seemingly destined for a short run at malls and drive-ins before blossoming into a billion-dollar franchise that launched the careers of director James Cameron and star Arnold Schwarzenegger. The original 1984 film not only spawned three sequels, a weekly television series, and countless novels, comic books, and videogames, it also redefined the science fiction genre with its blend of high tech and film noir. Here is the first book to explore the spectacular array of films, television shows, and other works that helped inspire The Terminator , as well as those that have drawn inspiration from it. If You Like The Terminator ... delves into the history of science-fiction cinema, from its earliest days to the golden age of the 1950s and beyond, encountering killer robots, time travelers and postapocalyptic wastelands along the way. This turbo-charged journey through time also reviews the improbable career of Arnold Schwarzenegger, revisits the action heroes of the 1980s, and reevaluates the films of James Cameron, before touching down in the computer-dominated realm of today's science fiction cinema and projecting the future of the Terminator franchise. From Metropolis to The Matrix , from Frankenstein to RoboCop , from H. G. Wells and Harlan Ellison to Roger Corman and Roland Emmerich, you'll find them all here in If You Like The Terminator .
If You Like The Terminator...
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more
| |||||||||||||||
Browse our Bookshelf Favorites store for big savings on popular fiction, nonfiction, children's books, and more. |
Book Description
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
Share your thoughts with other customers
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
When James Cameron's TERMINATOR flick was released in 1984, who could have imagined its impact? Billions of dollars later, that original film has spawned three sequels, a weekly TV series and various print and media offshoots not to mention launching Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger's careers into the stratosphere. Scott Van Doviak examines the TERMINATOR saga in this wide-ranging and appealing 2012 Hal Leonard release, part of their 'If You Like' series.
Though Cameron himself has claimed the saga of an unstoppable killing machine owes much to several Harlan Ellison teleplays, Von Doviak demonstrates that there were many films, TV shows and novels that helped inspire the Terminator's creation. These include METROPOLIS, FRANKENSTEIN, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, HALLOWEEN, OUTER LIMITS, STAR TREK, COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT, MAD MAX, etc. Likewise, Cameron's film inspired future efforts like THE MATRIX, ROBOCOP, UNIVERSAL SOLDIER, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, etc.
Von Doviak's informative and insightful cinematic roadtrip takes in over 200 movies, TV shows, novels and what-not that bear on that seminal movie. Film buffs will enjoy Von Doviak's freewheeling, entertaining ride...it's a hoot. Recommended.
Though Cameron himself has claimed the saga of an unstoppable killing machine owes much to several Harlan Ellison teleplays, Von Doviak demonstrates that there were many films, TV shows and novels that helped inspire the Terminator's creation. These include METROPOLIS, FRANKENSTEIN, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, HALLOWEEN, OUTER LIMITS, STAR TREK, COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT, MAD MAX, etc. Likewise, Cameron's film inspired future efforts like THE MATRIX, ROBOCOP, UNIVERSAL SOLDIER, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, etc.
Von Doviak's informative and insightful cinematic roadtrip takes in over 200 movies, TV shows, novels and what-not that bear on that seminal movie. Film buffs will enjoy Von Doviak's freewheeling, entertaining ride...it's a hoot. Recommended.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Steve Lewis
Format:Paperback
I had forgotten most of the great movies mentioned in this book. My Netflix list quadrupled. The author puts across a lot of interesting facts in an amusing way. I laughed out loud a couple of times and I found the background info on The Terminator fascinating. I recommend this book to anyone into Sy-Fy.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Eugene Piper
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
If you enjoy the Terminator movies and all that influenced the successful science-fiction series -- and the movies and television shows inspired by James Cameron's time-twisted apocalyptic vision, as a result - you will love this book. Well written with intelligence and wit, Scott Von Doviak's meticulously researched material will have you yearning to not only re-visit all of the Terminator movies, but to sit through all five Planet of the Apes' movies and the various remakes of the last two decades - not painfully, but with a smile and a new appreciation for the unpredictable nature that is the art of film making. Von Doviak thoughtfully balances the good with the bad in each of the book's film and television series synopses, giving worthwhile mentions of the director's vision and other notable trivia. The book also includes a light-hearted film by film analysis of Arnold's filmography, which means you will undoubtedly be inspired to give deservedly rated unclassics like Twins and Junior another look - though, wisely enough, Von Doviak is understandably upfront about skipping Batman & Robin.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you like.... you will be highly amused by...
I agree with all of the reviews here. Von Doviak made the good movies seem better, and the bad movies seem hysterical.
Published 8 months ago by Jana Christy-seven
5.0 out of 5 stars
Even if you DON'T like The Terminator...
...this is a funny, informative book not only for science fiction fans, but also for movie lovers in general and anyone looking for a smart, breezy read on a wide variety of... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Andrew Osborne
