A cyborg assassin from the future attempts to find and kill a young woman who is destined to give birth to a warrior that will lead a resistance to save humankind from extinction.
Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater, Griffith Observatory Loading Access, Los Feliz Neighborhood Council District, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, 90027, United States of America
Griffith Park Boys Camp, 4730, Crystal Springs Drive, Los Feliz Neighborhood Council District, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, 90027, United States of America
Scene: (drainage culvert where Kyle Reese and Sarah Connor hide for the night)
Carl's Jr., 219, West 7th Street, Jewelry District, Historic Core, Downtown, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, 90014, United States of America
Scene: (Terminator takes police car after alley chase/Kyle Reese arrives)
Before the blockbuster sequel, James Cameron’s lean, mean original was a low-budget chase shot through the neon and shadow of nighttime Los Angeles – a punk nightclub, a roadside motel, a lonely desert gas station – turning the everyday city into a hunting ground for an unstoppable machine.
Where was The Terminator filmed?
The Terminator was filmed across Los Angeles – downtown, South Pasadena, Huntington Park and the desert around Littlerock.
Every Terminator location, explained
1
Tech Noir – downtown LA
The nightclub where the Terminator first hunts Sarah used a venue on South Hill Street in downtown Los Angeles.
2
The motel and the chase
Kyle and Sarah’s motel refuge and the pursuit used real LA-area spots, including Huntington Park.
3
The final gas station – Littlerock
The film’s closing scene, with its ominous gathering storm, was shot at a gas station on Pearblossom Highway near Littlerock in the high desert.
4
South Pasadena and Vernon
Diners and the police station used locations in South Pasadena and industrial Vernon.
Planning a visit
Downtown Los Angeles holds the film’s neon-noir heart, and the high-desert highways around Littlerock still carry the lonely, end-of-the-road feel of the finale.
The Terminator Fun Facts
1
A low-budget breakout Made cheaply, the film shot largely at night around Los Angeles to hide its modest means – and launched James Cameron.
2
'I'll be back' Arnold Schwarzenegger’s flatly delivered line became one of cinema’s most quoted.
3
The villain was the star Schwarzenegger was cast as the machine rather than the hero, cementing his screen persona.
4
Stan Winston's effects The film’s groundbreaking practical effects came from the legendary Stan Winston.
5
A dream inspired it Cameron said the idea came from a fever-dream image of a chrome skeleton emerging from fire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Tech Noir club?
It used a venue on South Hill Street in downtown Los Angeles.
Where was the final gas-station scene filmed?
On Pearblossom Highway near Littlerock, in the high desert north of LA.
Can you visit the locations?
Yes – downtown LA and the desert highways around Littlerock are accessible.
