Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines was the hugely anticipated third instalment of the Terminator franchise. It was released in 2003 and followed the continued efforts of Skynet to wipe out John Connor and the human resistance. Schwarzenegger returned once more as the (almost) indestructible robot and American model Kristanna Loken became the TX or “Terminatrix”, the first female Terminator.

The TX is a shape shifting machine similar to the T-1000 of the second movie. As the location of John Connor is unknown to her, she systematically seeks out 21 targets including Connor’s mother and father and proceeds to eliminate them.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machine had a huge budget and much of that was spent creating the new lady Cyborg. The legendary Stan Winston Studios, a special effects company already responsible for classic cinema villains like the Original Terminator robot and the Alien Queen from Aliens. The original concepts had the TX being a more androgynous form, but that evolved into a female character, something the marketing people would have undoubtedly approved of.

The display presented here is a complete TX character. The shirt, jacket, trousers and boots were all worn by Loken in the first part of the film. The arm and the head were special effects creations of the Winston Studios which feature in the finale.

The Cyborg head is a simply amazing piece of technology. It is made from resin and fibreglass and finished to look like a strange black metal. The head lights up and moves. The entire mouth and jaw section have a series of intricate servos that allow the jaw to drop and raise and mandible like sections to move and rotate. Metal plates move to cover the bright blue LED eyes and a line of similar blue lights decorate the rest of the skull.

The TX’s arm, made from the same materials as the head has a circular metal blade which rotates. The edge has been dulled for safety but it does spin at high speed. This is one of a selection of weapons that were available to the robot during the movie.

The stunning red costume was featured in much of the movie’s promotion and is seen in numerous sequences. The jacket is made from a faux leather with a crocodile skin pattern. There is Velcro between each of the large wooden buttons. This was to help prevent the costume creasing and folding, adding to a more unnatural, solid look. The trousers are also fabricated from leatherette and have #2 marked inside them. (This is the costuming departments reference for the scenes this particular set was to be used in) Both are in excellent condition. Underneath the jacket is a grape coloured thin nylon mesh leotard. Long brown leather boots, with long silver heels, by ALDO of Italy, complete the beautiful ensemble.

All these amazing production used items have been professional brought together on a custom made display. The made to measure mannequin has a “liquid metal” neck from which the cyborg head is mounted and the arm is hinged in position. Both the head and arm come to life at the flick of a switch which simultaneously illuminated a logo to the base. A simply stunning display.