The Poster Memorabilia blog

The Terminator Comes Back Years Later

A 35th-anniversary reunion in San Jose, minus one cyborg — until the signing line.

By an anonymous Hollywood insider

If someone in the 90s told me that Arnold Schwarzenegger would one day be California's governor, I would've laughed in their face. Schwarzenegger was the ultimate action star at the time, rivaling only Sylvester Stallone. The 90s were when I watched The Terminator for the first time, and I never would've imagined that that cyborg would hold office one day.

Only goes to show that American politics were already pretty bizarre back then. I mean, actors getting into politics didn't start with Schwarzenegger, but it definitely got weirder with him. I still find it strange, especially after seeing him in person.

It was at the Silicon Valley Comic Con in 2019. The Terminator cast reunited for a special 35th anniversary panel, and it also included stars from the sequels. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, Edward Furlong, Robert Patrick, Jenette Goldstein, Danny Cooksey, and Kristanna Loken appeared.

All respect to the others, but I only asked Schwarzenegger and Biehn to sign my poster since it was of the first movie. It would’ve been weird to ask the others to sign it when they didn’t appear in the film. Most of them starred in the sequels.

To clarify, though, Schwarzenegger wasn't actually at the panel. He appeared way later and only participated in photo sessions and autograph signings with fans.

It was a shame he wasn't at the Q&A. I would've loved hearing his stories about The Terminator franchise. How he got into the role in the first movie, how it impacted his career afterward, and how he feels about the whole thing now.

Oh well, them's the breaks. I still enjoyed listening to the other actors, but let's be real for a second. They're no Arnold Schwarzenegger. They're not even Linda Hamilton, who wasn't there either. She didn't appear at the panel, nor at any fan sessions afterward. Another shame.

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I wouldn't say it was the best movie cast reunion I went to, especially since the movie's two main stars weren't at the main event, but it was still fun. I finally met Schwarzenegger when he showed up later, even got his autograph, and the experience was, well, interesting.

“I ended up liking the guy more than I did before.”

The guy was nice and very accommodating. I'll give him that. I've met a couple of celebrities in my time, and surprisingly, he was one of the nicest. I bet it was from his years of pressing the flesh when he was governor, but it still worked. I ended up liking the guy more than I did before.

I eventually got to meet the others—Linda Hamilton, Lance Henriksen, Rick Rossovich—at other conventions and fan expos. Rossovich retired from the screen early and rarely does fan events, so I had to wait years for one of his occasional appearances to get his autograph. It took patience, but I did what I had to do.

As for James Cameron, I met him at the premiere of Avatar: The Way of Water in Los Angeles. The guy made so many iconic movies over the years that I forgot he directed this one, too. It was a pleasure finally meeting him and getting his autograph on many movie posters, not just The Terminator. I'm also glad he didn't get annoyed with me because of it.

My feelings towards Schwarzenegger, specifically his political career, may be complicated, but I give credit where it's due. He really did something special with The Terminator, and I don't think anyone else, maybe not even himself, could ever do something like that again.

Some things you watch. This one you keep.

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