Terminator 2: Judgment Day : Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

Nowadays, virtually everything about the T-1000's abilities would be CGI. I can understand that, but I feel the T-800 should always stay practical.

1. An amputee actor played the T-100 during the liquid nitrogen scene. The reason the T-1000 wore shades and a motorcycle helmet at this point, is James Cameron knew this scene could be coming, and it'd disguise that it wasn't Robert Patrick.




2. T-800 blasts T-1000's head was a dummy.





3. The T-1000's bullet holes were pasted to his chest.








4. Everything about the T-800 was practical prosthetic. Arnold's damaged face/exposed eye was a prosthetic eye he was wearing over his real one. The budget wasn't there in T1 for these kind of makeup effects, hence why Arnold's entire skin burned revealing his endoskeleton.




5. T-1000 ending explosion was a puppet.




6. In T1, the movement of the endoskeleton was stop-motion. The scenes where you only see the top portion is a stuntman (the top portion) on his shoulders.





Monster, how should I feel? Creatures lie here, looking through the window.

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

Interesting stuff.

Pretty sure that police chopper that the T-1000 flies is a radio controlled model in a few scenes.

In T1, when reece puts the pipe bomb in the terminator's truck and it explodes, that's a big scale model of the truck that blows up.

Practical sfx > CGI

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic



😺 Schrodinger's Cat walks into a bar, and doesn't. 🤨 Let's go, Brandon! 🤨 Try that in a small town.

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

Amen.

When I can tell it's a model tho I can't stand it. I'm thinking about the plane Kurt Russel had to land in Executive Decision.

I thought the truck exploding in T1 was real size just like I thought the train was that went over the uncompleted bridge in the 3rd Back to The Future.

Bing.. Wobbledy wobble, wo-wo-wobble, wobbin'
https://vocaroo.com/1hz4nrSop8zd

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

Yeah the BTTF III train was impressive. Looked like a real train going over the bridge. Executive Decision had some some model shots for the landing, I think everything else was real.

Here's the making of about termimator truck explosion:

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

Thank you.
Great video!
That really does look like a full size truck they blow up.

It really is amazing and never fails to amaze me what they can think of and do for SFX.

If I had a job for movies I would like to be one of those behind the scenes crew members.

"Please vote to preserve the unique character of Warren…" - Robert Duvall

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

It really does look like a real truck blowing up.

If I had a job for movies I would like to be one of those behind the scenes crew members

Agreed. I've always been fascinated by sfx crews (the practical fx ones, not CGI). They're very talented people.

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

Cool. Seems like a lot of work and problem solving to get the perfect visual effects.

I do remember thinking that explosion was spectacular the very first time I watched it in the movie theater. But I was a kid so easily impressed.

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

I was the same, saw it as a kid, but on VHS and not in the theatre.

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

VHS version was awesome also. We waited for it to get to the video store and rented the movie on VHS. That's how much my family enjoyed The Terminator.

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

I saw terminator the first time when terminator 2 was out in theatres, since I was too young to get into T2 (I think that's why I prefer it to T2).

I miss those old video rental stores more everyday. The independent, mom and pop ones, not the shitty chain blockbuster ones.

Post deleted

This message has been deleted.

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

It's funny. I had no problems getting into the theater to watch R rated movies when I was 10-11 with my friends. I saw Jason Takes Manhattan, Terminator 2, Point Break and the horror movie marathons where they showed NOES and some of the Friday the 13th movies and Candyman, Child's Play sequels.

Bing.. Wobbledy wobble, wo-wo-wobble, wobbin'
https://vocaroo.com/1hz4nrSop8zd

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

Did you have someone older with you, like a guardian over 18? I heard in the USA you can get into R's as along as you're with a guardian/parent. You can't do that where I'm from. If you got it in at 10/11, I think your theater was pretty easy going.

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

Nowadays, they'd CGI everything about the liquid metal terminator. I sort of can understand that.

But when the CGI the T-800, that's just lazy. They've actually CGI'd Arnold's damage in later instalments as well as the endoskeletons. Nothing about the T-800 should be CGI.

Monster, how should I feel? Creatures lie here, looking through the window.

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

But when the CGI the T-800, that's just lazy. They've actually CGI'd Arnold's damage in later instalments as well as the endoskeletons. Nothing about the T-800 should be CGI.

One of the best fx sequences in T2 is the future war scene at the beginning, and it was all done in-camera, no CGI.

Sadly Practical fx take skill and time to do, but the rewards are worth it. CGI is cheap and easier to do.

Cameron used CGI sparingly in T2, everything else was in-camera, and it worked. If T2 was made today with a different director, everything would be CG.

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

wow

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

I didn't think anything was CGI except for the actual CGI. I can always tell. I wish they'd only use it for stuff practical can't do. It is better than stop motion, as much as I love stop motion. Also CG is a lot better now thankfully. It was great in its early days, like with anything James Cameron, but like by the mid to late 90's up until recent years, CG was both way too prominent and terrible.

ᴳᵒ ᶠᵘᶜᵏ ʸᵒᵘʳˢᵉˡᶠ

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

Yeah, in the early days CGI looked fake because it was.
I think it may be starting to look better now though there are times when it still looks too phony.

I still prefer practical over CGI though.

The TV series Hulk looked a million times more real and better than the Hulk in the movies.

"Please vote to preserve the unique character of Warren…" - Robert Duvall

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

No, I'm saying the very early stuff looks great. Like up until after Jurassic Park. That wa the peak for a while until this current decade. They only used it when necessary and not as a way to make the effects easier. The Abyss was also good, and aside from a couple shots, T2 holds up. Just wish they didn't do the scene after he comes out of the truck. The age shows there.

Same. Do practical until you can't. Even with today's CG, you can always tell… well, I can.

ᴳᵒ ᶠᵘᶜᵏ ʸᵒᵘʳˢᵉˡᶠ

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

That is Pretty Impressive.

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

What a really cool and informative post!

"Please vote to preserve the unique character of Warren…" - Robert Duvall

Post deleted

This message has been deleted.

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

yeah, no shit, scherlock

My password is password

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

I swear to God to this day, that stuff is still some of the coolest visual effects I've ever seen.

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

That makes this film all the more impressive. Static effects are always cool.

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

There's a reason every movie after the originals failed. There's several, actually, one of which is every attempt at a part 3 looks so damn FAKE.

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

James Cameron didn't direct them, that's why.

Only 1 and 2 are canon to me.

Part 3 was just OK, but the director got a lot wrong. They stated John Conner was 13 in 2, when he was 10. The birthdate on Sarah Conner's tombstone read "born 1959," which would make her 36 in T2, when Dr. Silberman clearly says she's 29.

The James Cameron characteristics are what makes the first 2 great: The Arnold terminator always has to arrive first; the close-up of a toy or sunglasses being stepped on; the "Get Out", the memorable catchphrases.

Even the way Arnold asks for clothes:

T1: "Your clothes. Give them to me, now."
T2: "I need you clothes, your boots, your motorcycle."

How many of us remember what Arnold said in Part 3? Or any lines in the movie that made their way to become catchphrases on popular culture? None. Because it's not memorable.

Monster, how should I feel? Creatures lie here, looking through the window.

Re: Things you might've thought were CGI but were prosthetic

Any 3rd movie made by James Cameron now would be LOADED with CGI. He is not the same filmmaker anymore.

Only 1 ans 2 are canon to most people.

I told myself I liked T3 when it came out, but I don't. It's too cartoony. Most of the sequels are. They got goofy. The fights are too big and fake looking, the humor is awful, and they look fake. In retrospect, Salvation is the best "part 3", but none of them count.
Top