Predator (1987) (Exclusive Series) (Hulu)

Initial release date: June 12, 1987

Studios: 20th Century Fox/Silver Pictures/Lawrence Gordon Productions/Davis Entertainment

Tagline: If it bleeds, we can kill it ...

Nothing like it has ever been on earth before

Plot: Dutch, a soldier of fortune, is hired by the US government to secretly rescue a group of politicians trapped in Guatemala. But when Dutch and his team, which includes weapons expert Blain and CIA agent George, land in Central America, something is gravely wrong. After finding a string of dead bodies, the crew discovers they are being hunted by a brutal creature with superhuman strength and the ability to disappear into its surroundings.

Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger - Dutch

Carl Weathers - Dillon

Elpidia Carrillo - Anna

Bill Duke - Mac

Jesse Ventura - Blain

Sonny Landham - Billy

Richard Chaves - Poncho

R.G. Armstrong - General Phillips

Shane Black - Hawkins

Kevin Peter Hall - The Predator

Writer(s): Jim and John Thomas (Mission to Mars; Wild Wild West)

Director: John McTiernan (Basic; The 13th Warrior; Rollerball; Die Hard)

Rated R (107 min)

The 'Predator' series is one of the most popular sci-fi franchises out there. The series consists of three sequels, one prequel and two cross-over movies with 'Alien.' I initially planned to check out the series when I checked out the Hulu release of 'Prey.' So, now I'm taking a look at the series, NOT including the 2018 sequel.

The 1987 classic 'Predator' is a timeless movie that delivers a lot of great action. it was very entertaining seeing a group of soldiers of fortune battling an unknown creature.

The effects in this timeless classic are still really awesome and the entire movie still holds up today. There are quite a few thrilling moments scattered throughout and can get really intense. Honestly, I think this could be the best of the series and Hulu's 'Prey might come at a close second.

When I finish up the series, I will also rank them!

'Predator' is available on the Hulu streaming platform and can also be rented online via YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV, Vudu and Amazon Prime.

Here are some interesting tidbits for 1987s 'Predator':

• Dutch's line 'Get to the chopper!' is Schwarzenegger's personal favorite catchphrase of all of his films that he appears in.

• The Predator's blood - a goopy substance with the color of Mountain Dew - was made on-set using a mixture of the liquid form from inside glow sticks and KY jelly.

• The Predator costume weighed over 200 pounds, and even though 7 foot 2 Kevin Peter Hall was a large and powerful man, he had to be connected to a "bungie" rig, to enable him to move more believably.

• Real venomous snakes and scorpions invaded the set during filming.

• The original concept for this film originated as a joke. Someone said that the only person Rocky Balboa had yet to fight was E.T.

• The original plot had Dutch pitted against the Predator alone. Schwarzenegger thought this was a bad idea. The script was re-written to include a team of crack commandos.

• The Predator has 8 minutes of screen time total.

• This film had the second biggest opening weekend of 1987, 'Beverly Hills Cop !!' had the first.

• According to McTiernan's DVD commentary, some minor cuts were done for an R-rating. 'Predator 2,' on the other hand, had to be cut twenty times for an R rating.

• The black helicopter pilot seen at the end of the movie is Kevin peter Hall, the actor who plays the Predator. McTiernan gave him the brief on-screen role, because his "work as Predator was so exhausting."

• Released on June 12, 1987, 'Predator' was No. 1 at the US box office in its opening weekend with a $12 million gross. The film grossed $98 million, of which $59 million was from the US and Canada. $38 million was made in other countries.

• 'Predator' has appeared on a number of "Best Of" lists. Entertainment Weekly named it the 22nd greatest action movie of all time in 2007, and the 14th among 'The Best Rock'-em, Sock-'em Movies of the Past 25 Years" in 2009.

• The success of 'Predator' led 20th Century Fox to finance three direct sequels over the next 35 years, each by different directors, starting with 'Predator 2' released in 1990. The movie's success resulted in numerous novels, comic books, video games, toys and other media and merchandise.

• A spin-off series 'Alien vs. Predator' released two movies in 2004 and 2007. The third direct sequel, 'Predators,' was released in 2010, with 'The Predator' released in 2018. A prequel to the franchise, 'Prey,' was released on August 5, 2022 on Hulu and is a must watch!