and lures it into a hydraulic press, crushing and finally destroying it. Months later, Sarah, pregnant with John, travels through Mexico, recording audio tapes to pass on to him. At a gas station, a boy takes a polaroid of her, and she buys it. It is the exact photograph that John will one day give to Reese. Cast Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator, a cybernetic android disguised as a human being sent back in time to assassinate Sarah Connor. Michael Biehn as Kyle Reese, a human Resistance fighter sent back in time to protect Sarah. Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor, a young diner waitress and the Terminator's target, who is soon to be the mother of the future Resistance leader John Connor. Paul Winfield as Ed Traxler, a police Lieutenant who tries to protect Sarah. Lance Henriksen as Vukovich, a member of the LAPD. Bess Motta as Ginger, Sarah's roommate who the T-800 murders after mistaking her for Sarah. Rick Rossovich as Matt, Ginger's boyfriend whom the T-800 also murdered. Earl Boen as Dr. Silberman, a criminal psychologist. Additional actors included Shawn Schepps as Nancy, Sarah's co-worker at the diner; Dick Miller as a gun shop clerk; professional bodybuilder Franco Columbu as a Terminator in the future; Bill Paxton and Brian Thompson as punks whom the Terminator confronts and kills; Marianne Muellerleile as one of the other women with the name "Sarah Connor" whom the Terminator shoots; Rick Aiello as a bouncer at Tech-Noir; and Bill Wisher as the police officer who reports a hit-and-run felony on Reese, only to be knocked unconscious and have his car stolen by the Terminator soon thereafter. Production Development In Rome, Italy, during the release of Piranha II: The Spawning (1982), director Cameron fell ill and had a dream about a metallic torso holding kitchen knives dragging itself from an explosion. Inspired by director John Carpenter, who had made the slasher film Halloween (1978) on a low budget, Cameron used the dream as a "launching pad" to write a slasher-style film. Cameron's agent disliked the early concept of the horror film and requested that he work on something else. After this, Cameron dismissed his agent. Cameron returned to Pomona, California, and stayed at the home of science fiction writer Randall Frakes, where he wrote the draft for The Terminator. Cameron's influences included 1950s science fiction films, the 1960s fantasy television series The Outer Limits,