Terminator 2 is now 30 years old. I'm still trying to process that detail, but the film is burned into our brains for various reasons, and its special effects are at the top of the list. The liquid properties of the T-1000 required extensive use of computer-generated effects, but there was also a lot of practical work, including the bullet impacts received by the T-1000, which opened like petals on Robert Patrick's chest...
1991. The Gulf War, the birth of the World Wide Web, the fall of the Soviet Union, and of course… Terminator 2. Cinematically, the entire year was interesting (Lionheart, Robin Hood, Point Break, The Addams Family, Star Trek VI), but all guns were pointed at Arnold's return as the relentless android who this time was not looking to kill, but to protect.
The bullet impact special effects in Terminator 2
The computer effects in Terminator 2 were handled by Industrial Light & Magic. Pacific Data Images developed the optical effects, and all practical effects were under the responsibility of Stan Winston, who had already collaborated with Cameron on the first film, and whom we also know for his work in Aliens, Jurassic Park, and the Predator saga. Winston passed away in 2008, and his family founded the Stan Winston School of Character Arts to continue his legacy. The school has an excellent Instagram profile full of clips, but one of the most attention-grabbing is that of the bullet impacts received by the T-1000.
The original post explains that to study the appearance of the impacts, Winston and his team spent entire weeks firing projectiles into mud, and duplicating the results in sculpted forms. A process of vacuum metallization on latex material backed with soft foam rubber allowed these forms to achieve the famous chrome look of the T-1000. The final artifacts were created with different patterns and sizes, using a mechanism inspired by flowers and petals. The entire system was mounted on a fiberglass plate that Robert Patrick wore on his chest during filming, and activated via radio control.
If you want to see more of these treats, don't hesitate to visit the Stan Winston School profile on Instagram. Link below!
Stan Winston School on Instagram: Click here
Source: Hackaday
