Why does ``The Terminator'' never get old? “Fear” and “compositional power” that transcend time

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2019.10.30SYO

Director Cameron treats "image" and "language" equally

So far, I have introduced the ``setting'' and ``characters'' of ``The Terminator.'' Lastly, I would like to think about "direction."

It's difficult to express director James Cameron's sense in one word, but one thing that can be said for sure is that he has an exquisite use of ``explanation through images'' and ``explanation through dialogue.''

For example, in the opening scene where the T-800 travels back in time to 1984, the film uses a strong visual of ``a naked man standing on a hill overlooking the city,'' and omit any dialogue-like explanation.

On the other hand, in the middle of the scene, in a scene in which Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn), a human warrior who has followed him from the future in order to protect Sarah Connor, the mother of humanity's savior, is being interrogated by the police from the T-800, he says this in his dialogue. Explain all your questions at once. Cameron's ability to treat images and words on the same level as "information" is an unparalleled talent.

By the way, the interrogation scene takes place chronologically while the T-800 is chasing them, so the audience may want to take a break from the flashy action. If you're good at paying attention to things like that, and taking a breather to match the pace of the piece, you'll be able to maintain your enthusiasm and complete the race.

A similar effect can be applied to the bed scene, in which the T-800 is physically pushed away, then Sarah and Kyle are in love, and the T-800 approaches them in parallel. Rather than an opportunistic flow of ``I'll be there when I notice,'' he gives the work proper travel time to add The Truth to the work, and at the same time provides supplementary information to the story and explanations of the characters.

The frightening thing about the T-800 is that it is always a dynamic character, and if you stop it in favor of the story's development, its awesomeness will be halved. Director Cameron's outstanding compositional ability never slows down the T-800.

Also, the way the characters are played is excellent.

There are four main perspectives on ``The Terminator.'' ① "T-800" ② "Sarah" ③ "Kyle" ④ "Police". Director Cameron carefully depicts the thrill of the ``pursuer'' and ``the chased'' by showing each movement simultaneously.

Furthermore, as the story progresses, the four previously disparate characters are brought closer together, narrowing the audience's focus considerably. In the beginning, it was ①VS②VS③VS④, but in the middle, it was ①VS②③④, and finally, as the conflict structure slides to ①VS②, consciousness no longer becomes divided, and the level of immersion increases without realizing it.

How do you present the situation to the audience and then create a sense of catharsis? In this respect, director Cameron's direction is very clear.

Although he has a strong image as a visual revolutionary, what is truly astonishing may be his ability to ``translate images'' into words, that is, his ability to treat ``images'' and ``dialogue'' equally, and to adjust the balance at will. . And I have to take my hat off to director Cameron's skill in not letting the audience notice any of this ``taking in and taking out''.

This time, I have focused my discussion on the "side" part of "The Terminator," but if you change your perspective, you can talk about an infinite number of things. An inexhaustible treasure trove of ideas, a visual production that leaves a vivid impact, and a script as precise as a textbook...this movie is definitely a ``compulsory education'' for humanity.

Text: SYO

Born in 1987. After The Graduate from Tokyo Gakugei University, he worked at a film magazine editorial production site and a film information site before becoming a film writer. Works on a wide range of topics including interviews, reviews, columns, event appearances, and recommendation comments. Contributed to ``CINEMORE'', ``FRIDAY Digital'', ``Fan's Voice'', ``Eiga.com'', etc. Twitter「syocinema」

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"The Terminator"

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20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Japan

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