Total Recall (1990)

Director:

Paul Verhoeven

Writers (WGA):

Philip K. Dick (short story "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale") (inspiration)
Ronald Shusett (screen story) ...

Release Date:

1 June 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

They stole his mind, now he wants it back.

Plot:

When a man goes for virtual vacation memories of the planet Mars, an unexpected and harrowing series of events forces him to go to the planet for real, or does he?

Plot Keywords:

Mars | Memory | Dream | Construction Worker | False Memory

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	Douglas Quaid / Hauser
Rachel Ticotin	...	Melina
Sharon Stone	...	Lori
Ronny Cox	...	Vilos Cohaagen
Michael Ironside	...	Richter
Marshall Bell	...	George / Kuato
Mel Johnson Jr.	...	Benny
Michael Champion	...	Helm
Roy Brocksmith	...	Dr. Edgemar
Ray Baker	...	Bob McClane
Rosemary Dunsmore	...	Dr. Lull
David Knell	...	Ernie
Alexia Robinson	...	Tiffany
Dean Norris	...	Tony
Mark Carlton	...	Bartender

Also Known As:

El vengador del futuro (USA: Spanish title)

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Portugal:M/16 | Australia:M (cut) | Australia:MA (re-rating) (2005) | Australia:R (original rating) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1991) | USA:R (certificate #30288) | New Zealand:M | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (2001) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1990) | Germany:16 (cut version) | Iceland:16 | USA:X (original rating) | Philippines:R-18 | Brazil:16 | India:A | South Korea:15 (cable rating) | Argentina:18 | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Chile:18 | France:-12 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | West Germany:18 | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Estudios Churubusco Azteca, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico

Company:

Carolco International N.V.

Trivia:

As it is often done in futuristic movies, this one also uses contemporary design objects to depict future settings - among other things, the small cups with the black plastic ring, used by Quaid while preparing his breakfast smoothie, are Bodum Bistro coffee mugs from Denmark, and a desk lamp at Rekall is the Tolomeo from Italian manufacturer Artemide.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: While Doug writes Melina's name on a piece of paper, the sound of the writing isn't in sync with the hand movement

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Doug awakens from a nightmare]
Lori: Doug? Honey, are you all right?
[nods]
Lori: You were dreaming. Doug? Was it about Mars?
[nods]
Lori: [kisses him] Is that better?
Douglas Quaid: Hmm.
Lori: My poor baby. This is getting to be an obsession.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "South Park: Asspen (#6.2)" (2002)

Soundtrack:

Mutant Dancing

A superior Arnie adventure that still kicks ass today

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

Douglas Quaid (Arnie) is a humble construction worker who is having recurring dreams/nightmares about a visit to Mars with a mystery brunette. He learns of a place called Recall, which offers a 'mind trip' to other planets as an alternative to a conventional holiday and all the attendant problems. The mind tricks they use have the person taking the trip believe they are on their chosen planet for a reason. Doug arrives there a special agent who is being chased by goons for some unknown reason. When even his wife Lori (Sharon Stone) tries to kill him, he knows there are problems. His search for the reason behind it all leads him into a final showdown with Cohagen (Ronny Cox) the corrupt ruler of Mars who's controlling it all who, along with Melinda (Rachel Ticotin) who is a dead ringer for the woman in his dreams, he must try and bring down...

By the time the 90s came round, Arnold Schwarzenegger had achieved things most people could only dream of doing. Aside from being a champion body-builder at least once, he was an Austrian with an incomprehensible name who had made it big in Hollywood and became surely the biggest and most memorable action star of the 80s. However, his films had tended to follow a pattern, that of hot, exciting action punctuated with snappy one liners. Simple action films, really. 'No brainers', as they came to be known. Total Recall changed this completely. Adapted from a Phillip K Dick story (the man behind Blade Runner, no less, and later Minority Report) for the most part this followed Arnie's standard formula for action films but also managed to be an intelligent and complex sci-fi thriller with all sorts of wild, far out ideas from a futuristic taxi with a robotic driver called a Johnny Cab, to an inter-planetary strip club on Mars, featuring alien strippers with three boobs!

Hot on the heels of directing the ultra violent (and ultra brilliant) Robocop (well, three years actually but who's counting?) everyone's favourite dutch fantasy director Paul Verhoeven is back at the helm here and has his unmistakable style stamped all over it. Graphic ultra violence, graphic sex and strong language, but with an intelligence and substance to it that sets it apart from any old rubbish. RC villain Cox is also back here in a similar role and he has undeniable presence as a bad guy, here the main one.

An unusual blending of talents, then, but a bang on one that's still great over fifteen years on. ****