why was he getting all these amazing films , don't get me wrong I think some of his performances are excellent , even more so in Predator
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He was so great as the Terminator, both he and James Cameron knew him being a killer robot would play the best to his strengths.
shareHis acting has improved noticeably over the decades. Five years before The Terminator, he co-starred in The Villain a comedy western. His acting was awful... he was expressionless, reciting his lines like a robot.
In 2015, he starred in Maggie, a quiet little zombie movie that is actually a drama. There's virtually no action in this movie so his performance had to stand on its own. The movie didn't get much attention or strong reviews, but, man, I was impressed by his performance as a grieving father.
He's always demonstrated ambition in whatever field he tackles. Combine that with some some good high profile directors and casting agents in his early years who knew how to showcase his physicality, whether in action films, or spoofing it in comedies.
I thought he did fantastic in Maggie too. (I thought that movie was excellent actually...a bit on the slow side but, a nice take on the zombie subgenre.)
shareIt also depends on the role. Some roles require a charismatic bruiser, and he does those just fine. I can't dispute his Conan performance. It's basically perfect. But it's a role that asks him to be taciturn, likeable, and huge. Terminator requires him to be taciturn, imposing, and huge. I also think he works in roles where he's just supposed to be kinda charming. Last Action Hero (underrated) is a good example. He's having fun and we have fun with him. Is it a "good performance"? It doesn't really matter, because we're just supposed to enjoy the ride, and we do.
So, while he's not a great actor, he often fits the bill, and that's what these films needed. I've maintained for years now that Arnie's big quality is his charisma. He's got "it". Audiences like spending time with him; that's what makes him work as a star.
They wanted him for his bron, not his brains. It's that simple.
shareI actually thought that he was a great actor in Predator and The Terminator, but I don't think he had to act much in either film. In the original Terminator he had a bunch of one liners, and basically had to do a lot of action sequences. In Predator he didn't have to act at all. He just had to be himself.
shareDIFFERENT KINDS OF ACTING AND ACTORS...SCHWARZENEGGER IS A GREAT ACTOR WITHIN HIS NICHE.
sharei totally agree, but personally i cannot differentiate if he was really really a good actor or if the character he was playing was great, or both, how do you make the difference? may be an other bodybuilder would have been just as great because the character he was playing is so cool, but i actually still feel he was really really a great actor in this; and i am not a fan of his.
shareMany years ago, at the height of his popularity, he said in an interview that he NEVER considered himself a good actor. He said he was an action movie star.
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