T2 3-D: Battle Across Time
Encyclopedia
T2 3-D: Battle Across Time is an attraction at various Universal Studios parks
around the world including those at Florida
, Hollywood
and Japan
. It is a mini-sequel
to Terminator 2: Judgment Day
and reunites director James Cameron
and the main cast from the movie, including Arnold Schwarzenegger
as The Terminator, Linda Hamilton
as Sarah Connor
, Edward Furlong
as John Connor
, and Robert Patrick
as the T-1000
. The show is presented in two parts; a pre-show where a Cyberdyne Systems company hostess shows guests a brief video presentation about the company's innovations, and the main show, where live performers interact with a 3-D film.
" and "Guitars, Cadillacs
", as well as a "live" video feed from Costa Rica
of a performance of the song La Bamba
. Mixed into the video cycle are live images of the waiting audience (in the manner of a closed-circuit
security system) and two brief comical sketches of "customers" running afoul of Cyberdyne security - either being electrocuted by a security device or being arrested by security staff. Just before entering the pre-show auditorium, guests pass an unmanned kiosk where they pick up a pair of "safety visors" (which are actually Polarized 3D glasses) for use during the main show.
. However, the video and computers of the auditorium are suddenly interrupted by a message from Sarah and John Connor (who have hacked the Cyberdyne system) who exposes Cyberdyne's sinister plans behind Skynet and advises everyone to evacuate the building before they blow it up. Following the video, Kimberly Duncan reassures guests that security has the situation under control and invites everyone into the next auditorium for the main presentation.
motorcycle to rescue John. He takes John back through the portal and into the future war between humans and machines. John and the Terminator make their way across the war ravaged landscape as they head towards Skynet. Along the way, they are chased by a Hunter-Killer (which was mentioned by Kyle Reese and seen in the first Terminator film), mini-hunters, and a terminator endoskeleton.
The trio successfully penetrate and descend with the audience into the Skynet core, where they battle the "T-1000000", a giant liquid metal spider that is similar to a very large T-1000. The Terminator finally sends John back to the present while he stays behind to blow up Skynet and the T-1000000. The show ends with the ground-shaking destruction of Skynet, leaving Sarah and John alone in the present time once again. Sarah finishes the show by saying that she feels that she owes her life to the Terminator for saving John's life. During this narration, a terminator endoskeleton's face fills the screen, which morphs into Schwarzenegger's face before the film fades to black, during which John and Sarah mysteriously disappear.
format used six solid-state Iwerks projectors
that were electronically interlocked to run 70mm film synchronously, at the high speed of 30 frames per second
. The image was projected onto a triptych
of adjoined silver screen
s. The effect of the six projectors running simultaneously results in what appears to be one, contiguous, 3-D image across the three screens, accomplishing a wrap-around effect reminiscent of Cinerama
.
The attraction opened in the Hollywood area of Universal Studios Florida in Spring 1996, with additional venues opening in the Upper Lot of Universal Studios Hollywood on May 6, 1999 and the New York section of Universal Studios Japan on March 31, 2001. The Hollywood venue replaced a parking structure complex that previously held Fievel's Playland and An American Tail Theatre.
seen in Terminator 2: Judgment Day
. It defends Skynet's CPU from attack. Like the T-1000, it is made of mimetic polyalloy, allowing it to form its legs into stabbing weapons. The only known T-1000000 was destroyed when Skynet's core was destroyed.
s on their arms. They are the earliest terminator models shown to have a humanoid
form with arms and legs.
In an interview for Starlog magazine
, one of the ride's producers stated that originally, the T-800 endoskeletons from the Terminator films were going to be the machines being demonstrated. However, James Cameron
pointed out to them that it was chronologically impossible for the T-800 Terminators to be present in a modern day because the T-800s were made by Skynet during the future war. As a result, the producers of the attraction agreed with Cameron and allowed him to design an early model Terminator for the attraction.
event. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
: A Tribute was shown in 2009 at the Beetlejuice stage.
Universal Parks & Resorts
Universal Parks and Resorts is the theme park division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group and General Electric. The division is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the various Universal Studios resort properties around the world...
around the world including those at Florida
Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Florida is an American theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Opened on June 7, 1990, the park's theme is the entertainment industry, in particular movies and television. Universal Studios Florida inspires its guests to "ride the movies," and it features numerous attractions and...
, Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood is a movie studio and theme park in the unincorporated Universal City community of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is one of the oldest and most famous Hollywood movie studios still in use...
and Japan
Universal Studios Japan
, located in Osaka, is one of four Universal Studios theme parks, owned and operated by USJ Co., Ltd. . The park is similar to Universal Orlando Resort, since it contains many of the same rides. Most visitors are Japanese tourists or tourists from other Asian countries such as Taiwan, Hong Kong,...
. It is a mini-sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr.. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, and Edward Furlong...
and reunites director James Cameron
James Cameron
James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
and the main cast from the movie, including Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
as The Terminator, Linda Hamilton
Linda Hamilton
Linda Carroll Hamilton is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Sarah Connor in The Terminator and its sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Catherine Chandler in the television series Beauty and the Beast, for which she was nominated for two Golden Globes and an Emmy...
as Sarah Connor
Sarah Connor (fictional character)
Sarah Jeanette Connor is a fictional character from the Terminator films and the television series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. She was played by American actress Linda Hamilton in the films and by English actress Lena Headey in the TV series...
, Edward Furlong
Edward Furlong
Edward Walter Furlong is an American actor whose best known film roles are John Connor in Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Daniel Vinyard in American History X. He is a two-time Saturn Award nominee, winning the 1992 Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor for his performance in...
as John Connor
John Connor
John Connor is a character appearing in the American science fiction Terminator franchise and he serves as the series main protagonist. Created by writer and director James Cameron, the character is first referred to in the 1984 film The Terminator and first appears portrayed by teenage actor...
, and Robert Patrick
Robert Patrick
Robert Hammond Patrick, Jr. is an American actor, known for his leading and supporting roles in a number of films and television shows....
as the T-1000
T-1000
The T-1000 is a fictional nanomorph mimetic poly-alloy assassin and the main antagonist in Terminator 2: Judgment Day controlled by the series main antagonist Skynet. The T-1000 is portrayed primarily by Robert Patrick; however, being a shape-shifter, the T-1000 is played by other actors in some...
. The show is presented in two parts; a pre-show where a Cyberdyne Systems company hostess shows guests a brief video presentation about the company's innovations, and the main show, where live performers interact with a 3-D film.
Queue
The queue features dozens of television monitors that show a series of video segments (which are being presented on the "Cyberdyne Information Network," or C.I.N.) about the latest innovations and products of Cyberdyne Systems. The video also includes several special musical segments, including two songs from the film; "Bad to the BoneBad to the Bone
"Bad to the Bone" is a song by George Thorogood and the Destroyers released in 1982 on the album of the same name. While it was not a major hit on initial release, its video made recurrent appearances on the nascent MTV, which was created a year before...
" and "Guitars, Cadillacs
Guitars, Cadillacs
"Guitars, Cadillacs" is the title of a song written and recorded by country music artist Dwight Yoakam. It was released in June 1986 as the second single and partial title track released from his 1986 debut album Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc....
", as well as a "live" video feed from Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
of a performance of the song La Bamba
La Bamba (song)
"La Bamba" is a Mexican folk song, originally from the state of Veracruz, best known from a 1958 adaptation by Ritchie Valens, a top 40 hit in the U.S. charts and one of early rock and roll's best-known songs...
. Mixed into the video cycle are live images of the waiting audience (in the manner of a closed-circuit
Closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors....
security system) and two brief comical sketches of "customers" running afoul of Cyberdyne security - either being electrocuted by a security device or being arrested by security staff. Just before entering the pre-show auditorium, guests pass an unmanned kiosk where they pick up a pair of "safety visors" (which are actually Polarized 3D glasses) for use during the main show.
Pre-show
The pre-show is hosted in the "Miles Bennett Dyson Memorial Auditorium" by Kimberley Duncan and other Cyberdyne Systems Directors of Community Relations and Media Control. Here, the audience stands and views a promotional video about Cyberdyne's numerous technological innovations, which includes several references to the Terminator universe and a cameo by Shaquille O'NealShaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
. However, the video and computers of the auditorium are suddenly interrupted by a message from Sarah and John Connor (who have hacked the Cyberdyne system) who exposes Cyberdyne's sinister plans behind Skynet and advises everyone to evacuate the building before they blow it up. Following the video, Kimberly Duncan reassures guests that security has the situation under control and invites everyone into the next auditorium for the main presentation.
Main show
Guests are ushered from the pre-show auditorium into a large theater where they are to see a demonstration of Cyberdyne's newest creation, robotic soldiers called T-70 Terminators. Once guests are seated, they put on their "safety visors" to watch a demonstration of the Terminators in action. However, John and Sarah arrive and disrupt the proceedings, followed by a T-1000 Terminator from the future, with whom they engage with automatic-weapons. Kimberly Duncan tries to stop the T-1000 but the attempt fails as she is strangled to death by the T-1000. A second Terminator, portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger, bursts through the movie screen "time portal" on his signature Harley-DavidsonHarley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson , often abbreviated H-D or Harley, is an American motorcycle manufacturer. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the first decade of the 20th century, it was one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression...
motorcycle to rescue John. He takes John back through the portal and into the future war between humans and machines. John and the Terminator make their way across the war ravaged landscape as they head towards Skynet. Along the way, they are chased by a Hunter-Killer (which was mentioned by Kyle Reese and seen in the first Terminator film), mini-hunters, and a terminator endoskeleton.
The trio successfully penetrate and descend with the audience into the Skynet core, where they battle the "T-1000000", a giant liquid metal spider that is similar to a very large T-1000. The Terminator finally sends John back to the present while he stays behind to blow up Skynet and the T-1000000. The show ends with the ground-shaking destruction of Skynet, leaving Sarah and John alone in the present time once again. Sarah finishes the show by saying that she feels that she owes her life to the Terminator for saving John's life. During this narration, a terminator endoskeleton's face fills the screen, which morphs into Schwarzenegger's face before the film fades to black, during which John and Sarah mysteriously disappear.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011.... |
The Terminator |
| Linda Hamilton Linda Hamilton Linda Carroll Hamilton is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Sarah Connor in The Terminator and its sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Catherine Chandler in the television series Beauty and the Beast, for which she was nominated for two Golden Globes and an Emmy... |
Sarah Connor |
| Robert Patrick Robert Patrick Robert Hammond Patrick, Jr. is an American actor, known for his leading and supporting roles in a number of films and television shows.... |
T-1000 T-1000 The T-1000 is a fictional nanomorph mimetic poly-alloy assassin and the main antagonist in Terminator 2: Judgment Day controlled by the series main antagonist Skynet. The T-1000 is portrayed primarily by Robert Patrick; however, being a shape-shifter, the T-1000 is played by other actors in some... |
| Edward Furlong Edward Furlong Edward Walter Furlong is an American actor whose best known film roles are John Connor in Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Daniel Vinyard in American History X. He is a two-time Saturn Award nominee, winning the 1992 Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor for his performance in... |
John Connor John Connor John Connor is a character appearing in the American science fiction Terminator franchise and he serves as the series main protagonist. Created by writer and director James Cameron, the character is first referred to in the 1984 film The Terminator and first appears portrayed by teenage actor... |
| Female Universal Team Member | Kimberly Duncan |
| Mark Kriski Mark Kriski Mark Kriski is a Canadian born in Nova Scotia of Polish descent. He served as a DJ on Victoria, British Columbia's Q-100 FM, and Montreal's 980 AM, known as CKGM, then later as weatherman on Canada's The Weather Network in the late 1980s. Kriski now works at KTLA in Los Angeles.Mark Kriski has... |
Cyberdyne Queue Video Host (uncredited) |
| Jim Cummings Jim Cummings James Jonah "Jim" Cummings is an American voice actor who has appeared in almost 100 roles. He has appeared in classic animated movies such as Aladdin and The Lion King, as well as taking on roles in more current films, such as Bee Movie, Princess and the Frog, and Winnie the Pooh.-Personal... |
Cyberdyne Queue & Pre-show Video Narrator (uncredited) |
| Earl Boen Earl Boen Earl Boen is an American actor and voice actor. He is perhaps best known as criminal psychologist Dr. Peter Silberman in the Terminator series... |
Dr. Silberman (uncredited, queue video only) |
Production
The show was developed for the then-named MCA Recreation Services reflecting the studio's ownership of that time. A full scale mock-up duplicating the dimensions of the planned Florida venue was created in an airplane hangar at the Van Nuys Airport in the San Fernando Valley. The unique 3-D film3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
format used six solid-state Iwerks projectors
Movie projector
A movie projector is an opto-mechanical device for displaying moving pictures by projecting them on a projection screen. Most of the optical and mechanical elements, except for the illumination and sound devices, are present in movie cameras.-Physiology:...
that were electronically interlocked to run 70mm film synchronously, at the high speed of 30 frames per second
Frame rate
Frame rate is the frequency at which an imaging device produces unique consecutive images called frames. The term applies equally well to computer graphics, video cameras, film cameras, and motion capture systems...
. The image was projected onto a triptych
Triptych
A triptych , from tri-= "three" + ptysso= "to fold") is a work of art which is divided into three sections, or three carved panels which are hinged together and can be folded shut or displayed open. It is therefore a type of polyptych, the term for all multi-panel works...
of adjoined silver screen
Silver screen
A silver screen, also known as a silver lenticular screen, is a type of projection screen that was popular in the early years of the motion picture industry and passed into popular usage as a metonym for the cinema industry...
s. The effect of the six projectors running simultaneously results in what appears to be one, contiguous, 3-D image across the three screens, accomplishing a wrap-around effect reminiscent of Cinerama
Cinerama
Cinerama is the trademarked name for a widescreen process which works by simultaneously projecting images from three synchronized 35 mm projectors onto a huge, deeply-curved screen, subtending 146° of arc. It is also the trademarked name for the corporation which was formed to market it...
.
The attraction opened in the Hollywood area of Universal Studios Florida in Spring 1996, with additional venues opening in the Upper Lot of Universal Studios Hollywood on May 6, 1999 and the New York section of Universal Studios Japan on March 31, 2001. The Hollywood venue replaced a parking structure complex that previously held Fievel's Playland and An American Tail Theatre.
Terminator characters
T-1000000
The film features the T-1000000 (or T-Meg.), a gigantic spider-like version of the T-1000T-1000
The T-1000 is a fictional nanomorph mimetic poly-alloy assassin and the main antagonist in Terminator 2: Judgment Day controlled by the series main antagonist Skynet. The T-1000 is portrayed primarily by Robert Patrick; however, being a shape-shifter, the T-1000 is played by other actors in some...
seen in Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr.. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, and Edward Furlong...
. It defends Skynet's CPU from attack. Like the T-1000, it is made of mimetic polyalloy, allowing it to form its legs into stabbing weapons. The only known T-1000000 was destroyed when Skynet's core was destroyed.
T-70
The demonstration featured as the premise for the film involves several large practical effects robots called T-70s, designed as mechanical soldiers, with large minigunMinigun
The Minigun is a 7.62 mm, multi-barrel heavy machine gun with a high rate of fire , employing Gatling-style rotating barrels with an external power source...
s on their arms. They are the earliest terminator models shown to have a humanoid
Humanoid
A humanoid is something that has an appearance resembling a human being. The term first appeared in 1912 to refer to fossils which were morphologically similar to, but not identical with, those of the human skeleton. Although this usage was common in the sciences for much of the 20th century, it...
form with arms and legs.
In an interview for Starlog magazine
Starlog
Starlog was a monthly science-fiction film magazine published by Starlog Group Inc. The magazine was created by publishers Kerry O'Quinn and Norman Jacobs. O'Quinn was the magazine's editor while Jacobs ran the business side of things, dealing with typesetters, engravers and printers. They got...
, one of the ride's producers stated that originally, the T-800 endoskeletons from the Terminator films were going to be the machines being demonstrated. However, James Cameron
James Cameron
James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
pointed out to them that it was chronologically impossible for the T-800 Terminators to be present in a modern day because the T-800s were made by Skynet during the future war. As a result, the producers of the attraction agreed with Cameron and allowed him to design an early model Terminator for the attraction.
Halloween Horror Nights
At Universal Studios Hollywood, the Terminator Stage has been used for the annual Halloween Horror NightsHalloween Horror Nights
Halloween Horror Nights is an annual Halloween event that occurs at Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Singapore. Universal Studios remains operational during the day and transitions to Halloween Horror Nights at night...
event. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is the 1975 film adaptation of the British rock musical stageplay, The Rocky Horror Show, written by Richard O'Brien. The film is a parody of B-movie, science fiction and horror films of the late 1940s through early 1970s. Director Jim Sharman collaborated on the...
: A Tribute was shown in 2009 at the Beetlejuice stage.
See also
- Universal Studios FloridaUniversal Studios FloridaUniversal Studios Florida is an American theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Opened on June 7, 1990, the park's theme is the entertainment industry, in particular movies and television. Universal Studios Florida inspires its guests to "ride the movies," and it features numerous attractions and...
- Universal Studios HollywoodUniversal Studios HollywoodUniversal Studios Hollywood is a movie studio and theme park in the unincorporated Universal City community of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is one of the oldest and most famous Hollywood movie studios still in use...
- Universal Studios JapanUniversal Studios Japan, located in Osaka, is one of four Universal Studios theme parks, owned and operated by USJ Co., Ltd. . The park is similar to Universal Orlando Resort, since it contains many of the same rides. Most visitors are Japanese tourists or tourists from other Asian countries such as Taiwan, Hong Kong,...
- List of amusement rides based on film franchises