| | | | Predator
(1987) |
ade at the height of Arnie's success, Predator is an excellent example of the sci-fi action genre that arguably was at its best in the 80's.
In this story, often dubbed "Aliens in the jungle", we see an elite military hostage rescue team, led by Arnie's characater of "Dutch Schaefer" become the hunted "sport" of an alien killer in the jungles of South America.
The movie was groundbreaking for a number of reasons and, like its 80's sibling "Aliens", is a benchmark against all "bug hunt" movies are measured.
The enjoyable portrayal of a tight and colorful bunch of special forces soldiers up against a virtually invisible and seemingly unstoppable enemy was mixed with unique and mold breaking special effects from the master of illusion, Stan Winston.
The interesting angle that is fully realised here is that to beat the Predator, after all of man's war technology has failed, Arnie has to go "back to nature" and use natural resources and primitive hunting methods. Only after he has made this transition does the balance of power start to swing back in his favor.
It is this unique flavor that lifts "Predator" high above other also-rans of this genre. At the peak of the conflict between Arnie and this high tech messenger of death, we see him using sticks, stones and mud to elude and injure the alien, until the technological odds between them are levelled and a straight "gutter fight" is all that's left.
Directed by John McTiernan, Predator was the first big budget assignment the bright young director landed after attracting a lot of attention with the low budget sci-fi movie "Nomads" in 1986. As an encore, he would follow up with the "Die Hard" series with Bruce willis.
 Don't forget that Predator is now available to order on Widescreen DVD using our special 80s Retro Assistant...
|
| | | | 
Some of the most powerful combat weapon sequences ever committed to film mixed with palpable tension and brilliant special effects, Predator is sci-fi action that must not be missed.
|
| | | |  | 
A few years after Predator came out, I met Arnold at the world premiere of "Eraser" and I asked him why he didn't do a sequel. He said that he didn't feel that there was a good script available and even though many of his fans say it is his best movie, he didn't want to do sequels at the time and he wanted to broaden his image. I'm sorry that he never followed up his role as Dutch Schaefer; I would have liked to see him do a movie that dealt with that "operation in Berlin" that Carl Weathers alludes to in the beginning of Predator.  -Thanks to Al Gonzales
| |
Sonny Landham had a brief part in the 70's cult-classic gang movie "The Warriors"; he was an NYPD uniform cop beating on one of the Warriors, after the gang member tried copping a feel of Mercedes Reul. -Thanks to Roger Awalt
Recently, it was proven on the discovery channel show "Myth Busters" that covering yourself entirely in mud doesn't, in fact, conceal your body heat, because after only a short time, the mud on your skin becomes warmer. -Thanks to 80sguy
Recognize the guy who jumps in the truck at the camp (the one Arnie lifted off the blocks) to try and stop it? He is one of the columbian gang bangers later seen in Predator 2. He was in the big shoot out with the police and retreated to the roof where Danny Glover shot him (and fell on the table over the side of the building).
Take a close look when the pred is mimicking the soldiers with his language bar on the left. It cycles through skull and crossbones several times...
Peter Cullen, the voice of the predator, has been the voice of many characters mainly from animated material like Transformers; however he is also recognizable as one of the "Theatrical Trailer Narrator" voices. -Thanks to Dustin McGinnis
The actor who ended up playing the Predator instead of Jean Claude Van Damme, was Kevin Peter Hall, the same tall guy who played Harry, in Harry and the Hendersons. -Thanks to Patrick Welch
Kevin Peter Hall had previously portrayed an alien on safari for human quarry, in the low-budgeted "Without Warning" (1980). -Thanks to Robert Baum
Kevin Peter Hall actually apears at the end of the movie, after the Predator blows up and the helicopter comes to view, Kevin is the black man who says "What the f..."
During the scenes, the Predator looks at some skulls from animals. One of them is of an "Alien" (From Ridley Scott's movie). -Thanks to Angelo Archie Amorus
Shane Black, the writer of the Joel Silver actioner "Lethal Weapon" portrays one of Schwarzenegger's commandos. -Thanks to Robert Baum
Bill Duke, previously portrayed one of Schwarzenegger's foes in another Silver actioner, "Commando".
Sonny Landham had a career in 'adult' movies in the 1970s, appearing in such classics as "Barbara Broadcast" and "The Private Afternoons of Pamela Mann". "Predator" was only his third mainstream film appearance. -Thanks to Patrick Fogerty
Sonny Landham played the escaped convict Billy Bear in the 1982 action-comedy 48 HOURS -Thanks to Fernando Vales, Bel And Shane
Stunt director Craig Baxley would make his debut as a fearure-film director with the Carl Weathers vehicle "Action Jackson," also produced by "Predator" producer Silver. Weathers' "Predator" co-stars Bill Duke and Sonny Landham also appeared in the film. -Thanks to Robert Baum
Jessie Ventura " Blaine ", also starred with Arnold in the 1987 film "The Running Man". -Thanks to WES
If Jesse Ventura appears to be a good actor as a special forces soldier it's because he's a former Navy Seal who served 2 tours of Duty In Vietnam! (when he was recently inducted in the WWE hall of fame they released this information) -Thanks to Ray Daley
I believe "Predator" is the only movie to star 2 state governors. -Thanks to Greg Pantzer
Arnold Schwarzenegger is the current governor of California, Jesse Ventura was the governor of Minnesota, and Sonny Landham ran for governor of Kentucky in 2002. -Thanks to Travis Kane
It is alleged that in the early 90's, the dept. of defense tested a form of camouflage that used millions of fiber-optic cables to "mirror" the opposite side of the object that is wanting to be hidden. They got the idea from the movie. The first time that people see the predator in his cloak, he is reaching for the foot of one of Arnold's guys that just got wasted. The idea behind the camouflage, was not to appear invisible but to replicate what is on the opposite side. In the DoD's test footage, when you look at the person wearing the camo (fiber-optic sheet) they simply appeared to look like a heat wave. Awesome. -Thanks to Jason
Jesse Ventura, the former professional wrestler and (nationally controversial!) governor of Minnesota, played 'Blain', who carries the minigun. His line "I Ain't Got Time to Bleed" was recently used as the title of a book he wrote about his trouble with the media as governor. While doing the political "meet-the-people" thing, he has been known to (tongue-in-cheek) tell people alternately that the reason that the directors had the alien kill him off was to make people realize that Arnold was in real danger, since the alien was tough enough to kill Ventura (who was tougher than Arnold) or that there was an alternate ending to the film where he kills the alien, but the movie was too short that way! -Thanks to Gabriel
Sonny Landham (Billy) is an accomplished knife maker and made the knife he uses in the movie. -Thanks to Roger Awalt
However, Bill wrote in to say: The knife that was used by the Indian member of the team, when confronting the alien on the log scene where he was killed off, was a KRONK, hand made very expensive and very rare fighting knife made by a man named kronk who only makes a few a year. I know a man that has one and have only seen one other, used, for sale at $4500. -Thanks to Bill
« Click
here to add some Predator trivia
Find much more great trivia in the filmmaker's commentary on the Predator DVD.
Rediscover your favorites! If you like
Predator or 80's Action classics, then be sure to
check out this list: ..... Angel ..... Raiders of the Lost Ark ..... Beverly Hills Cop ..... Die Hard ..... Terminator ..... Black Rain ..... 48 HRS ..... Untouchables ..... Lethal Weapon ..... Rocky IV ..... Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior ..... Top Gun ..... Highlander ..... Streets Of Fire ..... Commando .....[More]
| | | |
John McTiernan was keen to make the comrade banter between the soldiers as real as possible. To help this along, the cast trained together on location with weapons, fitness and a military training regime that started at 6am every morning and included the use of communication with the silent, military hand signals that we see so much in the movie. He stated that "even though many of the cast had military backgrounds" he "wanted them all to get a chance to know each other, develop as a group and endure something rough and conquer it together."
The gruelling shoot, undertaken in the tropical forests of Mexico near to Puerto Vallarta was interrupted by Arnie's marriage to Maria Schriver.
In 1987, Jean-Claude Van Damme landed the gig as the monster in Predator but it quickly went sour when he incurred the legendary wrath of 'Uberproducer' Joel Silver. By Van Damme's account, Silver fired him because he dared to speak out about a stunt that would have been unsafe in the cumbersome creature suit. True to Van Damme's screen form, he wraps up the episode of revenge-fantasy catharsis: another actor was brought in to do the stunt and busted his ankle, after which the costume was redesigned. ("That's obviously Jean-Claude making up stories," a spokesman for Silver Pictures said bemusedly, insisting there were no injuries, no safety lapses and only mininal "uncomfortableness" with the suit.)
The famous clicking/gurgling sound the Predator makes throughout the movie was thought up and performed by life long voice actor Peter Cullen who was the voice of Optimus Prime from the original 1980's version of The Transformers series and movie as well as the voice of K.I.T.T.'s evil twin, K.A.R.R. in the first episode that featured him from the Knight Rider T.V. series. After the producers approached him to give the Predator "a voice" he was taken back because he had no idea what something like that was suppose to sound like, not to mention that the producers were reluctant to show what the character was finally going to look like, they relented and Cullen who thought the Predator creature resembled a "horseshoe crab" remembered as a kid how if you turned one over they would "gurgle" and that became the Predator's "sound".
Upon hearing some joking comment that, since Sylvester Stallone had vanquished many an opponent in the ring, he was thinking about Rocky Balboa taking on a challenger from another world, brother Jim and John Thomas decided to pen the screenplay. -Thanks to Robert Baum
"Predator" was originally titled "Hunter" but the title was scrapped to avoid confusion with the Fred Dreyer cop series of the same name. -Thanks to Robert Baum
The original script treatment of "Predator" had the alien as a formless being who could control the thoughts and actions of other animals. However, due to technological restraints, the idea was scrapped - although it lives on in the film's novelization. I think we're all glad that it worked out the way that it did. -Thanks to Joshua Cutchin
The designer of the titular terror, Stan Winston, was one day talking with filmmaker and frequent co-worker James Cameron about his challenge of crafting the extraterrestrial. Cameron suggested that maybe Winston should consider devising the mouth in a different fashion. -Thanks to Robert Baum
Making the creature terrifying was one of the film's great challenges which threatened to halt production. However, cast and crew had to contend with the insects and other life which were native to the location. Ants were of a particular problem to actor Richard Chaves who was bitten by some of them. -Thanks to Robert Baum
Shane Black "Hawkins" originally wore a red berret to make his character easily identifyable. However, the actor felt this was a ridiculous thing to wear in the jungle and replaced it with his trademark 'dirty' jokes, though this was not a popular move with the script writers. Hawkins wears glasses for a similar reason (the actor had perfect vision). -Thanks to Nick Marshall
The cloaking effect that the predator alien uses was originally a happy mistake while testing various ideas. However, the result was liked, and it was kept, and even used in other movies. -Thanks to Philip Chan
The awesome minigun in the movie was a General Electric M-134. In reality it needs something like a car battery to run the firing mechanism, as the firing pin is electrically operated. -Thanks to Crassus And Friends
About that infamous minigun...The first time Jesse tried to fire the M-134 he was nearly hurt (severely) as the expended brass was ejected upward and hit him in the chest. Afterwards, he wore body armor and they rebuilt the "Furniture" (the grips used to hold the weapon) so that the weapon ejected downward. The weapon was also firing at such a rate, that even with blanks the recoil was so great that they needed to reduce the rate of fire even further than the usual half rate. The M-134 usually fires at a rate of 6000 Rounds Per Minute (yes, that is 100 rounds PER SECOND!) or a half rate of 3000 RPM and even that was too much. They eventually settled on a lower fire rate. Of course, the M-134, or any RBC (Rotary Barrel Cannon sometimes called "Mini guns") are not hand fired weapons and the recoil is nearly unimaginable. The weapon has such recoil that it would tip an ATV over and you can see light trucks move under the recoil (at full fire rate)... And yes, the barrels truly do "whistle when the weapon runs dry... -Thanks to Paul Graham
The awesome "cutlery" used by Dutch's bunch was not your average Special Forces apparel. They were designed especially for this movie by Jack Crain. -Thanks to Jarkko Makkonen
When Carl Weathers' character "Dillon" is killed off you can actually see his real arm underneath the fake "severed arm" if you look closely and maybe rewind if you don't see it the first time. -Thanks to Brandon C. Price
At the beginning of the thermalvision scene, when the predator picks up the dead scorpion you can see the date of filming (5/22/86, the hour -12:19 and something that looks like thermaltrics in the upper part of the screen. -Thanks to Jo Franco
When Carl Weather's character, Dillion, gets killed, you can clearly see a wooden see-saw device lifting him up as the predator stabs him through the chest with his claw. -Thanks to John Rowley
In the final battle scene (where the Predator and Arnold fight and he crawls into the ditch he made), if you look to the right above Arnold's feet you can see that the Predator is walking right behind him into the ditch but when the camera switches angles it shows that the Predator is barely reaching the ditch. -Thanks to Sergio P
When Billy stands on the log bridge & turns to confront the predator he throws his bag & gun off the bridge. Although you hear a splash (as if the bag has fallen in the river) you see the bag land in the bottom corner proving that the bridge isn't as high up as the director would have you believe. -Thanks to Lee Symonds
During the scene where Mack opens the poncho to say goodbye to Jesse Ventura's dead character, you can see Jesse's right eye twitch when it is opened (obviously impossible if he were dead!). -Thanks to Mike O.
In the scene where Mac and Dillon are planning to 'ambush' the Predator ("We can get this thing Mac!") you can clearly see a boom microphone in the leaves near their heads. Whoops! -Thanks to Phantom Planet
During various scenes involving Arnie (Dutch) and Billy walking through the jungle, the weapon they are often carrying (an AR15) has a cut down pump action 12 gauge mounted below the hand guard. Some scenes go from shot gun mounted one second, to shot gun missing the next.
In the scene in the jungle when "old painless" is brought out to do some logging, you can see the 28 vdc power cable from a power cart (used for ground support for helicopters) when all of the spec ops guys have their back to the camera going after the Predator.
During the scene in Predator when Mac removes a Scorpion from Dillon's back, Mac steps on the scorpion to kill it and when he removes his boot you can clearly see that the scorpion is suddenly facing the other way to which it was when he trod on it! -Thanks to CHRIS_REED
«
Click
here to add a new Behind-the-Scenes item for Predator
|  |  |  | | Predator
Locations |
|
| | |
Predator was filmed around Palenque and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. [Thanks to Sylwester]
The Predator set at Puerto Vallarta is now a tourist attraction. It's about a half hour drive from downtown Puerto Vallarta on Hwy 200 to the turn off at a place called El Eden which is just past Mismaloya Beach, then another 15 minute drive into the jungle. You can still see stuff from the movie including one of the helicopters that was blown up in the movie that they still have at the set. [Thanks to Scott Minifie]
the jungle scenes were filled in a remote location of Puerta Villarta, Mexico. You can actually visit the set, where a resteraunt now stands, and see one of the helicopters they left behind. I was there in 1990 when staying at a nearby hotel outside of the town. I wish I could remember the name of the hotel or the "jungle" area. They had a sign that pointed down the road and it was quite remote. I remember we started out in a rented car and ended up leaving it on the side of the road and walking the rest of the way. If it helps anyone figure this out, the hotel was also right near where Elizabeth Taylor filmed "The Night of the Iguana." In fact we took a boat out to that site as well and the hotel bar had weekly viewings of that movie. [Thanks to Mary Hunziker]
Yelapa, south of Mismaloya in Puerto Vallarta. Our tour guide took us to a waterfall about 15 minutes inland from the beach, and I recall him saying it was used to film the movie Predator. I'm close to positive that he told us it was the waterfall that Arnold Schwarzenegger jumped off of, however I am not sure. Can this location be confirmed?
The waterfall is in the second range of the Sierre Madres. I have been living here for 25 yrs and even worked a few days on the "Predator" set. After the filming I had a small ranch in mismaloya and took tourists to see waterfall. Never went to the base of the waterfall, would have had to spend the night. If I remember correctly Arnie and crew were flown in by helicopter just to make that great shoot! [Thanks to John McCrady]
Can you help? Do you know any of the Mexico (or any other) filming locations used for Predator? [Please send them in]
|  | | | | ![[16:9 -Widescreen Enhanced]](16_9.gif) | ![[5.1 CH SURROUND]](dd5.gif) | Trailer, Commentary, Featurette, OutTakes |
| Our
Comments: 2 disc Special Edition |
| | | | Trailer, Commentary, Featurette, OutTakes |
| Our
Comments: 2 disc Special Edition |
|
| | | |
Alan Silvestri's excellent militaristic score underpins and enhances the fantastic combat scenes and greatly enhances the tension whilst the group are stalked by the Predator. Despite emerging from the 80s as one of the biggest blockbusters of the decade, Predator never received a soundtrack release.
Sixteen years later, Varèse Sarabande’s release of Alan Silvestri’s score for Twentieth Century Fox’s Predator was a Limited Collector’s Edition of 3000 copies only. It's now sold out. [Thanks to Chris Shaneyfelt]
Track listing:
1. 20th Century Fox Fanfare
2. Main Title
3. Something Else
4. Cut ‘Em Down
5. Payback Time
6. The Truck
7. Jungle Trek
8. The Girl’s Escape
9. Blaine’s Death
10. He’s My Friend
11. We’re All Gonna Die
12. Building A Trap
13. The Waiting
14. The Hunt Is On
15. Dillon Is Disarmed
16. Billy Stands Alone
17. Battle Plans
18. Wounded Predator
19. Hand To Hand Combat
20. Predator’s Big Finish
21. The Rescue and End Credits
«
Click here to add new music trivia for Predator
Soundtrack Available:
Used On CD
| | | |
 NEW!
Use our radical Retro Assistant to show you the most accurate information for hard-to-find Predator products anywhere on the web...
At a glance, you can now see all the Movie
releases, Soundtracks
or Movie
Posters, Scripts and Books ever available with online price comparisons, even if they're
rare, out of print or only available in another country!
Over 3 years in development and covering more than 10,000 of the
best products hand picked by our editors, we think it's the most fun and retro way to celebrate the era --and find what you
want.
It covers Predator DVD,
VHS,
Blu-ray,
HD-DVD,
Downloads,
Soundtrack
CDs, Movie
Posters, Scripts, Books and more... Why not give
it a try...
The
80's Movies Rewind is proudly a spam-free
non-commercial site, written by movie fans... for movie fans.
If
you enjoy this site, please help to support us and keep us
POP UP & SPAM FREE by ordering your stuff through our services.
As you probably already know, we
are not a corporation, but just 80's fans like you...
| | |
 | | Recent
Additions |
March 3, 2008: Commando USA / UK Blu-ray Coming Soon.
February 28, 2008: Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Soundtrack Update.
Previous
additions
We're always updating and improving, so please and check back with us regularly...
|
| | |
