Arnold Schwarzenegger is primarily known for his appearances in front of the camera. But twice he took a seat in the director’s chair himself. The result was not successful.
Arnold Schwarzenegger undoubtedly ranks among the greatest action stars of cinema. Alongside colleagues like Sylvester Stallone, he has shaped the genre. Films like Terminator, Conan, or Total Recall are now cult classics and have also made a significant amount of money.
In the early 1990s, however, Schwarzenegger wanted to try his hand in a different area of filmmaking. Instead of providing wild stunts and cool one-liners in front of the camera, he stepped behind it and practiced directing.
On MeinMMO, we have collected seven facts about Arnold Schwarzenegger for you.
A cult series and a terrible remake
Where did Schwarzenegger direct? In his long career, there are only two entries as a director. The first is from 1990 and concerns an episode of the horror series Tales from the Crypt, known in German as Geschichten aus der Gruft.
There are a total of 93 episodes in seven seasons, which ran from 1989 to 1996. The series is based on the eponymous comic series and tells self-contained short stories. Schwarzenegger directed the second episode of the second season.
It features an aging millionaire who exchanges his own body parts for those of a younger man to ultimately marry his beloved. Typical of the series, this ends badly.
This first attempt at directing was not received so poorly. Fans of the series remember the episode. In contrast, the second directorial work of Schwarzenegger had a different outcome.
What else did the action star direct? Two years later, in 1992, Arni wanted to give it another shot. He took the helm for the film Jingle All the Way, which is a remake of an older film that had already been released in 1945 under the name Christmas in Connecticut.
The original is considered a classic of American cinema and is still shown on television during the Christmas season. Schwarzenegger’s remake, however, was panned by critics. Reviews on Rotten Tomatoes even describe his work as “an unqualified failure.” The film would soon be forgotten.
The critics were not wrong. After all, hardly anyone thinks of Schwarzenegger’s attempts at directing when they hear his name. Much rather, his appearances in front of the camera are remembered. Once, Schwarzenegger did not get a coveted role – you can read about it on MeinMMO.
