James Cameron's Best Special Effects

The Terminator, 1984
In the course of his celebrated career, director James Cameron has continuously pushed the limits of special-effects technology with a long succession of cutting-edge films. His directorial visions have often outpaced the technology readily available during the production of his movies, forcing him to either create the needed technology from scratch or wait until tech breakthroughs could catch up with his ideas. A low-budget film, produced for roughly $6.5 million, that went on to become both a box-office and critical hit, The Terminator was the film that kick-started Cameron's legacy.

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