Bill and Wisher

Yes, there is a level of shame in adding a novelisation of an Arnold Schwarzenegger film to my library, but in my defence, I am a child of the 80s and I love the film. Strip away the dodgy acting and 'special' effects (although, give me stop motion animatronics and miniature models over CGI any day), and there is a truly dark, intelligent and even romantic story at the heart of James Cameron's low-budget B-movie. The rest of the franchise is pure Hollywood, trading black humour and originality for explosions and catchphrases, but that first film is almost brutal in the treatment of Sarah Connor, the mother of the future and heroine in the making. Her actions not only guarantee the survival of the human race, but also lead to the creation of the very machines that are out to destroy her. The predestination paradox of a son sending his own father back in time to save his mother so that he can be born is still generating confusion on movie forums, twenty five years later - how is that for impact? But what captured my imagination is the doomed love affair of Sarah and Reese, which is why I now own both novelisations and of course a copy of the film!

"And you're from the future, too?"
"That's right."
"Right," Sarah answered. She decided that not only were his oars out of the water; he didn't even have a boat.

Out of the two books written to tie-in with the film, Randall Frakes, working in conjunction with William Wisher and James Cameron, definitely adds more to the original screenplay, without veering too far from the spirit or direction of the film. Shaun Hutson, who penned the first novelisation, sticks closer to the script but doesn't really add to the characters. Frakes has a clear sense of soldier Reese, perhaps because the author also served in the armed forces, but also conveys the gradual change in Sarah as she reacts, accepts and then starts to fight what is happening to her. The only time when Frakes flounders is the description of Sarah and Ginger getting ready for a night out!

For what it is, this is a well-crafted story, albeit with the dialogue taken from a script - think Stephen King writing fan fiction. Frakes adds introspection to pad out the scenes and characters (the point of the whole exercise), convincing details about location, weaponry and the mechanics of the terminator, and even gives names and mini-backstories to the secondary characters! (The garbage truck driver who mutters 'What the hell ..?' is Del Roy Goines, and the original owner of Reese's hobo pants is called Ben Schantz - amusing little injokes for anybody who has watched the film far too many times.) Two inserted scenes which were either cut from the script - Sarah meeting Ginger and Matt at the gym - or the film - Reese's tearful appreciation of nature - are restored, as in Hutson's version.

The - *ahem* - love scene is not quite as graphic compared to Hutson's novel, but I sort of prefer Frakes' romance novel imagery: 'She was a thief, and he was a willing victim'. Those two almost demand violins and fireworks, so I revelled in the mush. Plus, Kyle gets to have a shower and change his rank trousers for a pair of new jeans!

The final chase is slightly rushed, but Frakes' novelisation is a fun, indulgent addition to the film. I just wish the cover didn't have Arnold's face plastered on the front and back, so I could enjoy my guilty pleasure in public!… (plus d'informations)