Arnold Schwarzenegger recalled how his first big box office flop with Last Action Hero absolutely crushed him. The Austrian actor first made a name for himself as a bodybuilder, winning Mr. Olympia title six times before making the transition to Hollywood. Although Schwarzenegger struggled to gain major roles in the 1970s, a starring role in the 1982 epic fantasy-adventure Conan the Barbarian led to him becoming the industry's biggest action star of the decade.
Speaking in Netflix's new documentary Arnold (via The Terminator director James Cameron recalling a phone call to console the action star. Read what Schwarzenegger and Cameron said below:
Schwarzenegger: "I cannot tell you how upset that I was. It hurts you. It hurts your feelings. It's embarrassing."
Cameron: "He sounded like he was in bed crying. He took it as a deep blow to his brand. I think it really shook him. I said, 'What are you gonna do?' He said, 'I'm just gonna hang out by myself.' That's the only time I've ever heard him down."
Schwarzenegger: "I didn't want to see anyone for a week. But you keep plodding along. And my mother-in-law also said this all the time: 'Let's just move forward.' It's a great message."
How The Last Action Hero Became a Cult Classic
Schwarzenegger stars as Jack Slater, the archetypal 80s action hero and title character of a series of fictional films set within the world of Last Action Hero. With the help of a magic ticket, 10-year-old Danny Madigan (Austin O'Brien) is sucked into the movie Jack Slater IV and becomes intertwined in the movie's over-the-top action. In a film loaded with bombastic set pieces, corny one-liners, and fourth-wall-breaking humor, Danny manages to become Slater's partner while attempting to convince his broad-shouldered idol that his existence was conjured up by Hollywood.
Although Last Action Hero's mixed critical reception surely did not help, its release a week after Jurassic Park -- a film that became the highest-grossing movie ever at the time - doomed the project before its premiere. However, home release and repeated television showings gave the film new life, resulting in Last Action Hero becoming a cult classic. Its high-concept meta premise filled with self-deprecating humor, targeting not only Schwarzenegger but also Hollywood, gave audiences an action film like never seen before.
Despite its failure, Schwarzenegger still looks back at the film with pride. In 2019, the actor expressed interest in a Last Action Hero legacy sequel, saying it was up to the viewers to decide. He also recently itted that the film "wasn't fantastic" but called it "underrated." As newer generations discover Schwarzenegger's filmography, Last Action Hero is surely not one to miss.
Source: Arnold (via EW)
