Master Index of Archived Threads


The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

2010 The Expendables

0 votes

2004 Around the World in 80 Days

0 votes

2003 Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

0 votes

2002 Collateral Damage

0 votes

2000 The 6th Day

0 votes

1999 End of Days

0 votes

1997 Batman & Robin

1 votes

1996 Jingle All the Way

0 votes

1996 Eraser

1 votes

1994 Junior

0 votes

1994 True Lies

6 votes

1993 Last Action Hero

1 votes

1991 Terminator 2: Judgment Day

10 votes

1990 Kindergarten Cop

1 votes

1990 Total Recall

9 votes

1988 Twins

0 votes

1988 Red Heat

0 votes

1987 The Running Man

5 votes

1987 Predator

9 votes

1986 Raw Deal

0 votes

1985 Commando

4 votes

1985 Red Sonja

0 votes

1984 The Terminator

14 votes

1984 Conan the Destroyer

1 votes

1982 Conan the Barbarian

3 votes

1977 Pumping Iron

5 votes

1976 Stay Hungry

1 votes

1969 Hercules in New York

1 votes

Other (please specify in your post)

0 votes

Fman99 Jul 27 2012 07:37 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jul 27 2012 08:58 PM

Thought I'd put this to a vote after an ongoing work conversation, where we've been debating the five best Arnold Scharwzenegger movies. No rules apply, just the five films he's starred in that you liked the most. For me, there were four clear choices and a lot of debate over the fifth choice. We'll see if the voting plays out with my opinion before I share it out loud. You'll forgive me for not including all of the guest shots, video games, voice over work, and 1970's schlock that he did between "Hercules in New York" and the first Conan movie. And if the board admins feel this more suited to the Film Review board, feel free to relocate.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jul 27 2012 07:50 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

I'm debating a few choices for the last two, but Pumping Iron is DEFINITELY making my list.

Nymr83 Jul 27 2012 08:16 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

Harder than I thought, he actually made some good movies! What was the movie where he played a russian cop in america?

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jul 27 2012 08:25 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

Harder than I thought, he actually made some good movies! What was the movie where he played a russian cop in america? With the lesser Belushi? Red Heat. I'm going: 1. Pumping Iron 2. Predator 3. Commando 4. Terminator 5. T2 Just saw Total Recall again, or else that might have snuck in. It ages REALLY poorly.

Mets – Willets Point Jul 27 2012 08:36 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

I've seen surprisingly few Scharwzenegger movies. What's that one where he became a governor of a large American state?

Vic Sage Jul 27 2012 08:41 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jul 27 2012 08:55 PM

Ahnold's Oeuvre: Hercules in New York (1969) - Ahnold's debut is one of the worst films ever made! Stay Hungry (1976) - He redeems himself in this, a 70s art film of sorts directed by Bob Rafelson, with Jeff Bridges and Sally Field. He got positive reviews that enabled him to launch an acting career. Pumping Iron (1977) - lauded documentary on weighlifting; Ahnold confirms his star potential. Conan the Barbarian (1982) - Hollywood's resident Zen Fascist John Milius directed and co-authored (with Oliver Stone) Ahnold's iconic launch into international super-stardom; the film launched the "sword & sorcery" sub-genre. Conan the Destroyer (1984) - this more comical sequel nearly buried the genre. The Terminator (1984) - from anti-hero to outright villain, Ahnold as a murderous robot was type-casting in this brilliant SF actioner from James Cameron. Red Sonja (1985) - A supporting role in a terrible S&S Conan spinoff. Commando (1985) - surprisingly solid contemporary actioner; Ahnold is a retired black ops guy going in and destroying a dictator's regime to save his daughter. Raw Deal (1986) - a lesser actioner; Ahnold as a sheriff going undercover for the FBI. Predator (1987) - Best since TERMINATOR; Ahnold vs a sport-killing Alien in the jungle. The Running Man (1987) - Disappointing dystopian SF with Ahnold as wrongly convicted man trying to survive death by "TV execution gauntlet". He's not convincing as an "everyman". Red Heat (1988) - Buddy cop movie with Jim Belushi, with filmmaker Walter Hill already on a career slide. Need i go on? Twins (1988) - After much success as action hero, Ahnold goes the comedy route with Danny Devito, directed by Ivan Reitman. A hit, but pretty lame. Total Recall (1990) - Now THIS is more like it; edgy filmmaker Paul Verhoeven adapts a classic Phillip K. Dick short story with Ahnold kicking ass on Mars. Kindergarten Cop (1990) - another stupid comedy with Ivan Reitman ("It's not a toomah") Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) - Ahnold is back, this time as the good robot, in Cameron's terrific sequel. Last Action Hero (1993) - Ahnold attempts to spoof his action hero persona in a action/fantasy/comedy mashup of ideas that doesn't even work the slightest little bit. True Lies (1994) - Cameron is back in this fun, sexy actioner with Ahnold as a superspy married to Jamie Lee Curtis. Junior (1994) - Ahnold's "trilogy of terror" concludes with this 3rd Reitman comedy, again with DeVito. Eraser (1996) - ties with RAW DEAL as the worst of his contemporary cop action movies. Jingle All the Way (1996) - family holiday comedy too painful to endure. Batman & Robin (1997) - Ahnold plays Mr. Freeze as a comical villain in the worst BATMAN film since the 1940s serials. End of Days (1999) - Ahnold vs Satan at the end of the millenium. Horror/action from Peter Hyams is at least trying for something, despite falling woefully short. Ahnold dies for the only time (other than as a terminator) on film. The 6th Day (2000) - Ahnold vs clones; SF actioner doesn't make a lick of sense and flops accordingly. Collateral Damage (2002) - Ahnold goes after Columbian terrorists who killed his family, continuing the crapfest since TRUE LIES. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) - Cameron didn't direct this one, but Ahnold came back for Chapter 3, an underrated SF/actioner with high degree of Clair Danes content! Ahnold then became governor of CA, in one of his worst performances to date. But after cameos in Stallone's EXPENDABLES movies, he's now got 3 new movies scheduled for release in the next 1-2 years. So it's just like he said: "I'll be back." top 5 (in order): TERMINATOR CONAN THE BARBARIAN TERMINATOR 2 TOTAL RECALL TRUE LIES next 5: PREDATOR PUMPING IRON STAY HUNGRY COMMANDO TERMINATOR 3

Edgy MD Jul 27 2012 08:48 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

My "Other" included Pumping Iron, though I liked Pumping Iron II: The Women better.

Vic Sage Jul 27 2012 08:50 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

You'll forgive me for not including all of the guest shots, video games, voice over work, and 1970's schlock that he did between "Hercules in New York" and the first Conan movie. yet you include his cameo in THE EXPENDABLES, while overlooking two of the best films he's been involved with STAY HUNGRY and PUMPING IRON, dismissed as "schlock"? no, i won't forgive you. and yes, this should be moved to the movie forum.

Fman99 Jul 27 2012 08:59 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

Sorry, Gramps, I was four years old in 1977 and I didn't distinguish those "fine" films from his TV movie work. I have added them for your voting pleasure.

Edgy MD Jul 27 2012 09:05 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

Now I have to re-vote. This polll sucks.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jul 27 2012 09:07 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

How'd I leave out the Conan? Revised: 1) Terminator 2) Pumping Iron 3) Predator 4) T2: Judgement Day 5) Conan the Barbarian

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jul 27 2012 09:36 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

More proof that steroids work. 1 Pumping Iron 2 Terminator 3 Running Man 4 Commando 5 Total Recall

metsmarathon Jul 27 2012 09:58 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

never saw pumping iron, and its been a while since i saw a conan film, so i can't say one way or the other. my top five are the terminator, t2, predator, true lies, and total recall, with the last action hero knocking on the door. yeah.

The Second Spitter Jul 27 2012 10:05 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

1. T2 2. T 3. Total Recall 4. Commando 5. Red Sonja (I accidently voted for Predator instead)

Frayed Knot Jul 28 2012 09:26 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

I guess I'd have to actually see five Arnold movies before answering this.

Fman99 Jul 28 2012 09:33 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

My four gimme's were Terminator, T2, Running Man, and Total Recall. I still haven't picked a fifth yet, though to me it's a toss up among True Lies, Predator, Last Action Hero and the first Conan movie.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jul 28 2012 09:36 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

Last Action Hero? Dude, you HAVE to show your work on that one.

metsmarathon Jul 28 2012 10:06 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

the last action hero wasn't necessarily a good movie, but a) it wasn't trying to be and b) i find it thoroughly enjoyable. i should mention that i don't dislike hudson hawk either. so i'm possibly not a good barometer here.

Ashie62 Jul 28 2012 10:10 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

True Lies...nice strip tease..

Vic Sage Jul 29 2012 11:56 AM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

Fman99 wrote: My four gimme's were Terminator, T2, Running Man, and Total Recall. I still haven't picked a fifth yet, though to me it's a toss up among True Lies, Predator, Last Action Hero and the first Conan movie. RUNNING MAN was a "gimme"? Gimme a break, dude.

RealityChuck Jul 29 2012 01:51 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jul 30 2012 10:25 AM

I liked The Long Goodbye, though his role is too small to count it. I prefer Arnold in comedies; the contrast between his tough guy persona and a comic situation is wonderful. I think I would put The Last Action Hero as my favorite of all his films. It's funny and I just love metafiction. Kindergarten Cop was also fun, and it had the bonus of having a good role for the criminally underappreciated Pamela Reed. Terminator was my favorite of his action roles, closely followed by True Lies Total Recall was one of the stupidest films ever made, though. About halfway through I realized that there wasn't a single pane of glass shown that hadn't been smashed. That record was kept intact at the end of the film, the portrayal of him being hit by explosive decompression was the most ridiculous thing ever shown in a live action film. Philip K. Dick deserved a far better fate for that story, which was completely different and far, far better in every respect; the movie basically trashes the story and dumbs it down. Let's face it, Verhoeven in a hack.

Fman99 Jul 29 2012 02:30 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

Vic Sage wrote: Fman99 wrote: My four gimme's were Terminator, T2, Running Man, and Total Recall. I still haven't picked a fifth yet, though to me it's a toss up among True Lies, Predator, Last Action Hero and the first Conan movie. RUNNING MAN was a "gimme"? Gimme a break, dude. And you've shit on me twice in one thread now. Why don't you give me a break, you haughty asshole? Who died and made you king of the Met loving film critics, anyway. Just because I never sucked corn out of Roger Ebert's shitpipe doesn't disallow me from having my own favorites. They're OPINIONS. Those were the ones that I liked the most from his catalog. Stop acting like Mr. Howell at a caviar eating contest.

Edgy MD Jul 29 2012 04:05 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

Easy, Barney. Three scatological counters over one "Dude" seems like an itchy trigger finger.

Kong76 Jul 29 2012 07:25 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

Fman99 wrote: Just because I never sucked corn out of Roger Ebert's shitpipe I may not eat corn for the rest of the summer.

Vic Sage Jul 30 2012 10:00 AM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

Then you don't know what your missing! MMM-mmmm, good!

Vic Sage Jul 30 2012 10:26 AM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

Here's the top 5 from Rotten Tomatoes: 1) Terminator (100%) 2) T2 (98%) 3) Pumping Iron (96%) 4) Total Recall (83%) 5) Stay Hungry (83%) and the Top 5 from IMDB: 1) T2 (8.6) 2) Terminator (8.1) 3) Predator (7.9) 4) Total Recall (7.5) 3) Pumping Iron (7.29)

soupcan Jul 30 2012 10:34 AM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

For me it's... 1. Commando 2. Terminator 3. Predator 4. Conan The Barbarian 5. Pumping Iron I absolutely LOVE Commando. Arnold is known for his one-liners and this movie is just chock full of them. He holds a guy by one leg over a cliff and then drops him to his death. When Rae Dawn Chong asks him what happened to the guy Ahnold replies 'I let him go.' After breaking a guy's neck in the airplane seat adjacent to him, he puts a pillow behind the guy's head. When the stewardess approaches, Ahnold gets up and says to her, 'please don't bozzer my friend. He's dead tired.' While fighting with a guy in the movie's climatic battle scene, he hurls a hollow pipe at him that impales the guy's torso. The pipe then penetrates a piece of equipment behind the now dead guy, as smoke comes through the pipe, Ahnold says 'You need to let off some steam.' There are many, many more in this so-bad-its-good movie and there is also a great 3 second scene with Alyssa Milano who plays his daughter. As the movie is developing the caring, tender side of Ahnold's character, it tries to show what a great single dad he is. The scene I'm talking about is Ahnold and Alyssa feeding a deer in the forest from their hands. It's just awesomely bad. Everything about this movie from the dialogue to the makeup to the story to the acting is horrible. Don't misunderstand though, I LOVE the shit out of it and I'll watch it every single time its on.

Edgy MD Jul 30 2012 10:39 AM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

“Why don’t zay just call him Gurl George? Eet would cuht down on the conFYOOHzhun.” --- Gay Hatin' Arnold Schwarzenegger in Commando. Stay Hungry? I couldn't even stay tuned in.

Vic Sage Jul 30 2012 12:00 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

top 5 in this poll so far: Terminator (13) Predator (9) Total Recall (9) T2 (9) True Lies (6)

soupcan Jul 30 2012 12:05 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

Vic Sage wrote: top 5 in this poll so far: Terminator (13) Predator (9) Total Recall (9) T2 (9) True Lies (6) I would guess that if you switched the places of Terminator and T2 that would be the order the top 5 highest grossing movies he's made.

Vic Sage Jul 30 2012 12:06 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

i make no excuses for CONAN, i just love it. I watched it again recently with my son. From great action, to great cheesy 1-liners, to the perfect use of Ahnold's cartoonish physique, its a guilty pleasure over which i have no guilt. Here's the hilarious CONAN the MUSICAL video from youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBGOQ7SsJrw

metirish Jul 30 2012 12:14 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

Nymr83 wrote: Harder than I thought, he actually made some good movies! this Went with Terminator Terminator 2 Total Recall.......although I feel like I should have gone with Predator I voted without influence from reading the thread first.........going to do that now

Vic Sage Jul 30 2012 12:18 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

top 5 by domestic grosses (according to BOX OFFICE MOJO): T2 = $205M ($387m worldwide, inflated to 2011) TRUE LIES = $146M ($285m) TOTAL RECALL = $119M ($224m) TWINS = $111M ($216m) T3 = $150M ($198m) Neither TERMINATOR, PREDATOR, COMMANDO, CONAN, PUMPING IRON or RUNNING MAN were big domestic box office hits (though most were profitable eventually), yet all have garnered some support in this poll, while hits like TWINS, T3, BATMAN & ROBIN and KINDERGARTEN COP have been pretty much ignored, so i don't think its a simple correlation between this poll and a movie's commercial success. I mean, TWINS has made double what TERMINATOR has made, yet TERMINATOR leads the poll with 14 now, and TWINS is still sporting a donut. People have their faves, for their own reasons. But their is a lot of correlation with the IMDB poll, which is simply a large sampling of similar views -- i.e., movie fans who've self selected to register their opinions about Ahnold's movies. Of course, the much larger sampling represented by IMDB gives an obscure documentary like PUMPING IRON a better chance to find voters than our small numbers here at the Pool.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jul 30 2012 12:46 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

soupcan wrote: For me it's... 1. Commando 2. Terminator 3. Predator 4. Conan The Barbarian 5. Pumping Iron I absolutely LOVE Commando. Arnold is known for his one-liners and this movie is just chock full of them. He holds a guy by one leg over a cliff and then drops him to his death. When Rae Dawn Chong asks him what happened to the guy Ahnold replies 'I let him go.' After breaking a guy's neck in the airplane seat adjacent to him, he puts a pillow behind the guy's head. When the stewardess approaches, Ahnold gets up and says to her, 'please don't bozzer my friend. He's dead tired.' While fighting with a guy in the movie's climatic battle scene, he hurls a hollow pipe at him that impales the guy's torso. The pipe then penetrates a piece of equipment behind the now dead guy, as smoke comes through the pipe, Ahnold says 'You need to let off some steam.' There are many, many more in this so-bad-its-good movie and there is also a great 3 second scene with Alyssa Milano who plays his daughter. As the movie is developing the caring, tender side of Ahnold's character, it tries to show what a great single dad he is. The scene I'm talking about is Ahnold and Alyssa feeding a deer in the forest from their hands. It's just awesomely bad. Everything about this movie from the dialogue to the makeup to the story to the acting is horrible. Don't misunderstand though, I LOVE the shit out of it and I'll watch it every single time its on. All excellent points. Commando also includes a villain turn by the guy who played Luther in The Warriors (dropped over the cliff).

metirish Jul 30 2012 01:18 PM Re: The Top 5: Ahnold Movies

Great points indeed...IIRC the opening scene was explosive.