Shocking Dark
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Shocking Dark | |
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![]() Poster for Terminator 2 bears a similarity to the original Terminator poster. | |
Directed by | Bruno Mattei |
Written by | Claudio Fragasso |
Produced by | Franco Gaudenzi |
Starring | Christopher Ahrens Haven Tyler Geretta Geretta Fausto Lombardi |
Cinematography | Richard Grassetti |
Edited by | Bruno Mattei |
Music by | Carlo Maria Cordio |
Production company | Flora Film |
Distributed by | Severin Films |
Release date | May 1, 1989 | (Cannes Film Festival)
Running time | 90 minutes |
Country | Italy |
Language | Italian |
Shocking Dark (also known as Terminator II, Terminator 2, Aliens 2, Aliennators, and Contaminator) is a 1989 Italian science-fiction film written by Claudio Fragasso, produced by Franco Gaudenzi and directed by Bruno Mattei.
Although the film was promoted as a rip-off of James Cameron's The Terminator, it is primarily a rip-off of James Cameron's Aliens. It was released in some countries as Terminator II, as it had been made two years before Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
Background
Despite the film's original title and artwork presenting it as a sequel to 1984 film The Terminator, it is not officially associated with that film. The plot has more in common with the 1986 film Aliens.[1] Two years after Mattei's film came out, Terminator 2: Judgment Day (the official Terminator sequel) was released. Mattei's film was not released in the United States, especially under its original title due to licensing problems.
Cast
- Cristopher Ahrens as Samuel Fuller
- Haven Tyler as Sara
- Geretta Giancarlo Field as Koster
- Tony Lombardi as Lieutenant Franzini
- Mark Steinborn as Commander Dalton Bond
- Dominica Coulson as Samantha
- Mark Zielinski as Stephano
- Clive Ricke as Drake
- Paul Norman Allen as Kowalsky
- Cortland Reilly as Caine
- Richard Ross as Price
- Bruce McFarland as Parson
- Al McFarland as Raphelson
Release
Up until 2018, the film had never been released on video in the United States for legal reasons. It was released in countries such as Japan, Brazil, and the film's native country Italy.
Severin Films released the film (under its Shocking Dark title) on Blu-ray on May 29, 2018.[2]
References
- ^ "Terminator II: Shocking Dark". BrainEater.com. Archived from the original on 2007-05-03.
But what you might not expect is that the bulk of the movie has nothing to do with The Terminator. Instead, it's a rip-off of Cameron's other sci-fi blockbuster, Aliens.
- ^ Chris Coffe (May 28, 2018). "Severin Recreates 'Terminator 2' VHS Promo for 'Shocking Dark' Blu-ray Release". Archived from the original on 2018-05-28.