BFI, Cameron reminisced about how a stomach illness and a feverish dream conjured this terrifying future and its antagonists into existence.
“‘The Terminator’ stemmed from a vision I experienced during a fever while staying in a budget pensione in Rome in 1981,” the director reflected. “It featured the depiction of a metallic skeleton rising from flames. Upon waking, I started drawing on the hotel notepaper.” These drawings ultimately gave rise to some of the most iconic imagery within the franchise, propelling James Cameron to become one of the most accomplished filmmakers in history.