Total Recall (1990)

[Dave]

Total Recall (1990) 113 minutes.

Director: Paul Verhoeven.

Based upon a short story by Philip K Dick ‘We can remember it for you Wholesale’
Written by: Gary Goldman, Dan O’Bannon, Jon Povill and Ronald Shusett.
Original music by: Jerry Goldsmith.
Produced by: Carolco pictures, Tristar pictures.

Starring:
Arnold Schwarzenegger as Douglas Quaid
Ronny Cox as Vilos Cohaagen
Michael Ironside as Richter
Rachel Ticotin as Melina
Marshall Bell as George/ Kuato
Mel Jr. Johnson as Benny
Sharon Stone as Lori Quaid
Also Robert Picardo as the voice of Johnny cab.

Douglas Quaid is a construction worker who has a recurring dream about Mars. He and a brunette are walking out on the surface of Mars, he loses his footing, falls and damages his helmet, and begins to die from decompression. He wakes up in bed with his wife Lori who seems upset that he has had another dream about Mars and this other woman. At breakfast, Doug watches the news about the conflicts occurring on Mars. He seems obsessed with Mars, even asking his wife if they can move there. After seeing an advertisement for Rekall Inc. where they sell implanted memories, he thinks about buying a virtual vacation to Mars. They can implant the memories for less than the real thing costs, and you don’t lose any time. At work he asks his friend Harry about it, but Harry warns him against going. Doug goes anyway. He decides to have the whole works, including a theme with secret agents, and a brunette spy. However, something goes terribly wrong and another, previously blocked, personality surfaces. Now he remembers actually being a secret agent, fighting against the evil Mars administrator Cohaagen. His wife is really a plant to keep watch on him, while his job is false. Now his friends, his wife and several strangers want to kill him. He discovers a recording of his old self who tells him to actually go to Mars for real, and to join the underground movement, where he finally meets the brunette.
OR DOES HE? Isn’t this exactly the imaginary holiday that he asked for? The reality of the situation is constantly in question? Which personality is the real Quaid? Who is he? Who was he? Why was his memory blocked? What is the secret hidden on Mars? Who is Kuato? This film keeps you guessing all the way.

http://uk.imdb.com/Title?0100802

 

[Manco]

Although it was strange, I liked this film.
Bye

 

[markpud]

this is a good film, and another Arnie classic But the whole alien atmosphere generator thing is a little far fetched, as is Arnie surviving for as long as he did in the virtual vaccum of the martian "outdoors".

But then again, who watches this film for the details, its an enjoyable film without being taken too serously..

 

[Dave]

When I first watched the film I thought that as well. I also didn't understand the beginning until I had watched it a few times, it's very complicated. But, as you say, it's such a Rollercoaster ride that who cares, just sit back and enjoy it!

 

[peachy]

big arnie fan

i love most of arnie's films, and this was no exception, i liked this film, hated the bit where he had to get the thingy out of his head, via his nose, yuck...peachy

 

[markpud]

yeah that was a bit...yuck wasn't it

Some of the mutants were a bit freaky as well...

 

[Manco]

Originally posted by markpud
yeah that was a bit...yuck wasn't it

Some of the mutants were a bit freaky as well...

Definetely
Bye

 

[Annette]

Guess what? I've got this film on video and think its brill, brill, brill. Have seen it loads and loads of times. Everytime I watch it it is still as good as the first time I watched it. Saw it at the cinema, which obviously with the sound effects and fighting and stuff sounds exceptional.

Annette.:freak4: :flash: :coolyello

 

[Dave]

I've got this on video too, and have watched it loads and loads of times. I just watched it again, and do you realise that even at the end, the whole story could still just be a memory implant.

 

[summershake]

Got it on tape, too and I think I watched it 20 times...
Haven't seen it in ages though!
I loved it, it was great!
Can you remember the scenes in which he removes the bug from his head...ewww!!!
It looks like his nose would explode!

 

[Dave]

Still one of my all-time favourite films.

Originally posted by markpud
a little far fetched, as is Arnie surviving for as long as he did in the virtual vaccum of the martian "outdoors".

Mars does have a slight atmosphere, ground pressure 7 millibars (Earth average is about 1000 millibars). I don't know if you would get the effect shown, but he certainly wouldn't immediately explode, balloon-like, the way one would in space.

The eye-popping, and bug-up-the-nose effects are horrific but well done.

There was talk of a 'Total Recall II' directed by Jonathan Frakes, starring Arnie again, but it seems to have fallen by the wayside.


It is based on a Philip K Dick short story "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" as is 'BladeRunner' which came from "Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep". I like PKD's books. A little old-fashioned, but still have some great ideas about Androids and Simulacrums. "Ubik" and "The Man In The High Castle" are also good novels.

 

[Annette]

I love Total Recall. Will watch it again and again. It seems to be a favourite on the sci-fi channel because they seem to show it quite a few times.


annette

 

[nicscifi]

Arnie

Anyone luv this film?

 

[stripe]

yep

I really enjoyed this film ....loved the twists and turns

 

[nicscifi]

oh, ok. thats good! Im into any of Arnie's films. *drewl*:rolly2: Luv the action.

P.S. How did you get to post a whole picture on like that? didn't know you cold do it.

 

[Chilly]

lol

it made me alugh at the end
i mean i kniow thats wat wud happen (exposed to space) but arnies face was soo funny

 

[Annette]

It also seemed to take forever and a day for the air system to start working, by rights they should have 'blown up'. Thats films for you tho.


annette

 

[Dave]

Would you like to see Antartica, but you're snowed under with work? Do you dream of a vacation at the bottom of the ocean, but you can't float the bill? Have you always wanted to climb the mountains of Mars, but now you're over the hill? Then come to REKALL INC. where you can buy the memory of your ideal vacation cheaper, safer, and better than the real thing. So don't let life pass you by...

REKALL

For the memory of a lifetime

 

[rde]

I hate to be a pedantic *******, but...

Okay, I enjoy being pedantic. But people don't explode in space. Their blood would boil, and there'd certainly be a little, er, swelling, but they wouldn't explode. And their eyes wouldn't pop out, Arnie-like.

I'm a fan of Total Recall. I really am. But it's impossible to pretend that the science in that movie even approaches accurate. It's terrible on many, many levels.

 

[Annette]

Oooooooooooooooooooook.


annette