PRESS RELEASE
Hear My Eyes, Australia’s trailblazing live cinema collective, returns in 2026 with an epic reimagining of James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Celebrating the film’s 35th anniversary, T2 will receive the live score treatment for the first time, transforming the landmark sci-fi classic into a fully immersive experience where film, sound and light collide.
Re-scored by acclaimed Belgian electronic artist Peter Van Hoesen and performed live in collaboration with the Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio (MESS), this bold re- envisioning will be made truly multidimensional through an electrifying display by internationally renowned audio-visual artist Robin Fox. Presented at Melbourne’s Hamer Hall and Sydney’s City Recital Hall, the event will blur the boundaries between human and machine with a cinematic symphony of atmospheric sound and laser light.
Released in 1991, Terminator 2: Judgment Day remains one of the most celebrated and influential films of all time – a cultural milestone that redefined the boundaries of science fiction, visual effects and blockbuster storytelling. James Cameron’s meditation on man, machine and destiny continues to resonate deeply in an era defined by artificial intelligence and technological transformation making it ripe for re-staging by the Hear My Eyes team.
“Terminator 2 excites everyone: cinephiles, film buffs, mainstream audiences and young viewers discovering it for the first time,” says Haydn Green, Artistic Director of Hear My Eyes. “It’s both accessible and cerebral with a perfect blend of emotion, intellect and spectacle. Next year’s T2 premiere also marks our 52nd HME screening since our inception in 2015, and it feels like a defining moment for us. Our goal has always been to reimagine cinema as a living, sensory experience and with Terminator 2 we’re primed to take the Hear My Eyes concept to new heights.”
On soundtrack duties for this special season is Belgian techno architect Peter Van Hoesen, whose immersive, hardware-driven performances blur the line between human intuition and machine precision – perfectly echoing Terminator 2’s central themes. Known for his abstract yet visceral sound, Van Hoesen has long been regarded as one of Europe’s most forward-thinking electronic musicians. His career spans two decades of groundbreaking work across techno, experimental composition, and sound design with Van Hoesen serving as a fixture of the international avant-garde.
“What excites me most about the Hear My Eyes concept is the performative aspect – it’s one thing to compose a score, but another entirely to bring it to life in front of an audience,” says Peter Van Hoesen. “T2 had a huge impact on me when it was released and it remains a timeless film. My approach to this project is to create something completely electronic that amplifies the emotion and intensity already present on screen. I want audiences to feel fully immersed in that futuristic energy, to experience an intense sonic journey that matches the film’s power."
For this reimagining, Van Hoesen collaborates with the Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio (MESS) Synthesiser Ensemble, transforming his typically solo live set into a sprawling ensemble of rare vintage synthesizers and modular systems. Joining them, Melbourne polymath Robin Fox adds his signature laser artistry, weaving light and sound into a breathtaking visual symphony that amplifies the film’s futuristic pulse. Having previously worked with Hear My Eyes on Hellraiser, Fox’s signature visual language transforms the cinematic environment into an illuminated concert.
In preparing his visual accompaniment, Robin Fox shared a sneak peek of his plans for the HME event: “My vision for Terminator 2 is to weave the lasers into the cinematic experience rather than overwhelm it – to make precise, deliberate choices that heighten key moments. We’ve been exploring the motif of ‘eyes’ throughout the film, finding ways to echo that visually, and there’ll be a few immersive moments where the audience really feels pulled into the action.”
General public tickets to Hear My Eyes: Terminator 2 in both Melbourne and Sydney are on sale from 11.00am AEDT today (Tuesday 14 October) via the Arts Centre Melbourne and City Recital Hall websites.
Credits
- Lead composer and performer: Peter Van Hoesen
- MESS Synthesiser Ensemble
- Laser art by Robin Fox
- All Hear My Eyes productions are curated and directed by Haydn Green, Hear My Eyes Artistic Director
Melbourne
26-28 February 2026
Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne
Sydney
7 March 2026
City Recital Hall