Total Recall 1990

B.A._Baracus · 17-02-2020 10:08am #1

What a movie. Was on ITV4 again on Saturday night. Must have seen it a dozen times (even more) over the years.
Has to be Arnold Schwarzenegger's best movie. A tall feat considering movies like Predator and Terminator.
Everything about it... from the story. To Mars. The score. The cast. I could go on

It's also the type of movie where watching it again you pick up on new details.
I personally watch the movie as the story is being told. Like that what you see is what is meant to be happening. But there is enough stuff thrown in there to cast doubt any of it is real.

Like when Quaid first goes to recall and freaks out screaming "you blew my cover!" - That's Houser back in control or, as said moments later, he is acting out his secret agent ego trip.

Moments before the "implant" happens you can see the mars reactor on the tv set as artwork. One of the tech guys even says "oh blue sky on mars thats a new one" - and the movie ends with a blue sky.. on mars!

Anyone share to love for this movie?

Andrew76 · 17-02-2020 10:18am

It's a great film alright but of his earlier films I'd pick Predator over it, it hasn't aged as bad and is a more enjoyable film to watch imo. As for his best film, hard to chose but Maggie would be up there for me. I thought he was very good in it.

Keyzer · 17-02-2020 10:22am

Two weeks

Theboinkmaster · 17-02-2020 11:02am

Terminator 2 and True Lies would be better films IMO.

It's still a great film though.

B.A._Baracus · 17-02-2020 11:05am

I remember liking the Commadore 64 game as well:

Sugarlumps · 17-02-2020 11:53am

Sharon Stone looks incredible in it.

Dades · 17-02-2020 1:48pm

I caught a bit of it over the weekend. Great fun.

My missis had never seen the triple breasted lady, so that was a eye opener for her.

I'm sure Luc Besson borrowed from it when making The Fifth Element.

Sugarlumps wrote: »

Sharon Stone looks incredible in it.

She absolutely does!

mikhail · 17-02-2020 1:49pm

I've never quite understood the love for Total Recall. I don't rate it as either Schwarzenegger's nor Verhoeven's best film. Obviously, others disagree.

Schwarzenegger movies I like better include: Predator, Conan the Barbarian, Terminator 2, True Lies, The Terminator, and Red Heat.

Verhoeven movies I prefer: Robocop, Starship Troopers, Flesh + Blood.

griffin100 · 17-02-2020 1:53pm

Went to see it the day after my leaving cert results came out so it’ll always remind me of that. Always remember one of the lads had trouble getting in as he looked about 12 but was 17.

I rate Predator more highly as an Arnie flick, but Starship Troopers beats fhen all.

Riesen_Meal · 17-02-2020 1:58pm

Dades wrote: »

My missis had never seen the triple breasted lady, so that was a eye opener for her.

We watched it in primary school, our teacher scrambling across the room to fast forward that scene as he was oblivious to it and had never seen it before someone brought it in to watch...

Hilarious to think we could watch this, Gremlins, and even Nightmare On Elm Street in primary school...

Contrast to my friends child, one of their teachers brought in a Nightmare before Christmas and there was letters home and teachers getting reprimanded for it...

We lived in simpler time's!

world class wreckin’ cru · 17-02-2020 2:07pm

I remember the buzz when it came out. Remember renting it an watching the video. I love it! Philip K. Dick has some great stories.

Arnie's best? Not in my opinion. I think Terminator 2, Predator and True Lies are all round better films. I think it somewhat suffers from being an ambitious execution of a sci-fi story set on Mars given some limitations at the time.

w/s/p/c/ · 17-02-2020 2:10pm

Class film, must give it a re-watch soon!

The updated version starring Colin Farrell (forgettable film, I know) is seemingly closer to the book its based on. But you will never beat the Arnie version. I'm off to get my a$$ to Mars!!

tedpan · 17-02-2020 2:24pm

B.A._Baracus wrote:

Anyone share to love for this movie?

Yes, have a day off today, watching it now!

17-02-2020 2:41pm

Fieldog wrote: »

We watched it in primary school, our teacher scrambling across the room to fast forward that scene as he was oblivious to it and had never seen it before someone brought it in to watch...

Hilarious to think we could watch this, Gremlins, and even Nightmare On Elm Street in primary school...

Contrast to my friends child, one of their teachers brought in a Nightmare before Christmas and there was letters home and teachers getting reprimanded for it...

We lived in simpler time's!

My primary school teacher brought in Life of Brian in the early 90s. He also had us learning LOGO programming on the school's Commodore 64s

Great lad he was.

Skerries · 17-02-2020 5:40pm

I'd actually rate The Running Man higher than Total Recall but it is one of his better films and the hype at the time was massive

pixelburp · 17-02-2020 6:52pm

To use a phrase I'd read before, this was a perfect case of the Clever Dumb Movie, and that's meant 100% as a compliment. Obviously the gore, action and one-liners are top drawer for the genre of "dumb action", but I'd argue what tipped the film into full blown "classic" status was the intelligent structure and mystery added to to the story. Very much in keeping with the often mind-bending work of Phillip K. Dick, who wrote the story this was (loosely) based on.

Not sure if Mr. Verhoeven ever came down one side or another, but the fact the movie can be interpreted either as reality, or a manifestation of Quad's spiralling "Recall" fantasy, was a stroke of genius. The viewer was left to decide for themselves. The dramatic set-piece with the Recall executive worked not just as a tense scene in its own right, but the confirmation that you genuinely could see how the whole thing was a dream.

Slydice · 17-02-2020 9:40pm

It's a really good film.

It is not his best film.

Homelander · 17-02-2020 10:12pm

Might not be his best film but it's definitely my favourite. Such a masterful blend of high grade endearing cheesy schlock, violence and sci-fi spectacle that is more intelligent than it lets on.

As far as Verhoven goes, it's a close tie between this, Robocop and SST, but I think troopers edges it for me.

17-02-2020 10:44pm

has aged pretty badly as a movie I would say.

Jimbob1977 · 17-02-2020 10:46pm

Johnny Cab must have inspired Elon Musk and Google.

tricky D · 17-02-2020 10:52pm

Caught this too over the weekend. Made or an easy decision to stay in instead of braving the elements. Very enjoyable despite familiarity and age.

pixelburp wrote: »

Not sure if Mr. Verhoeven ever came down one side or another, but the fact the movie can be interpreted either as reality, or a manifestation of Quad's spiralling "Recall" fantasy, was a stroke of genius. The viewer was left to decide for themselves. The dramatic set-piece with the Recall executive worked not just as a tense scene in its own right, but the confirmation that you genuinely could see how the whole thing was a dream.

Verhoeven just stayed faithful to Philip K Dick's regular ambiguity thing.

slipperyox · 17-02-2020 10:53pm

What have you been feeding this thing?

Tony EH · 17-02-2020 10:54pm

'Conan the Barbarian' smashes it to pieces.

'Total recall' is kinda stupid really.

Conall Cernach · 17-02-2020 11:42pm

Tony EH wrote: »

'Conan the Barbarian' smashes it to pieces.

'Total recall' is kinda stupid really.

I would say that Conan is fantastic whereas Total Recall is still pretty good.

Tony EH · 17-02-2020 11:53pm

Conall Cernach wrote: »

I would say that Conan is fantastic whereas Total Recall is still pretty good.

I watched it on video when I was younger, but was never that big a fan and it kind of looks dopey as well. All that bug eyed nonsense on Mars was ridiculous.

It also looks cheap too (I thought so at the time), for a film that was considered the most expensive ever made up til then.

It's more of an interesting curio these days to me.

The Royal Scam · 18-02-2020 12:02am

The officer who caught the head in the airport that exploded was an Irish stuntman from the curragh who was also a stuntman on Father Ted aswell called Bronco McLaughlin

https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2019/0326/1038757-irish-stuntman-anthony-bronco-mcloughlin-has-died/

w/s/p/c/ · 18-02-2020 12:05pm

slipperyox wrote: »

What have you been feeding this thing?

Blondes!! :pac:

pixelburp · 18-02-2020 1:08pm

tricky D wrote: »

Caught this too over the weekend. Made or an easy decision to stay in instead of braving the elements. Very enjoyable despite familiarity and age.

Verhoeven just stayed faithful to Philip K Dick's regular ambiguity thing.

Verhoeven still deserves praise for maintaining the depth of the original story's roots; IIRC the Colin Farrell remake kept much closer to Dick's "We Can Remember it For You, Wholesale", yet did nothing with the potential to play with the viewer's sense of reality. So while Verhoeven shot the viewer off to Mars instead, he still maintained the important tonal elements that really made it shine.

batman_oh · 18-02-2020 1:10pm

Great film but for me Commando is the ultimate Arnie film. Cheese ball 80s greatness, ridiculous to the point that they must have been taking the p*ss and riddled with one liner goodness

the purple tin · 18-02-2020 4:28pm

It's an enjoyable film, but you really have to go some to beat Predator.

Andrew33 · 18-02-2020 4:34pm

Nervous Laugh wrote: »

I remember the buzz when it came out. Remember renting it an watching the video. I love it! Philip K. Dick has some great stories

Do Androids Dream of electric sheep
Which was made into one of my favourite films of all time.

Slydice · 18-02-2020 8:57pm

FYP*

the purple tin wrote: »

It's an enjoyable film, but you really have to GET TO THE CHOPPA!!!! to beat Predator.

*not saying Predator is his best.. though it's definitely up there.

Gamb!t · 18-02-2020 9:07pm

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

What a movie. Was on ITV4 again on Saturday night. Must have seen it a dozen times (even more) over the years.
Has to be Arnold Schwarzenegger's best movie. A tall feat considering movies like Predator and Terminator.
Everything about it... from the story. To Mars. The score. The cast. I could go on

It's also the type of movie where watching it again you pick up on new details.
I personally watch the movie as the story is being told. Like that what you see is what is meant to be happening. But there is enough stuff thrown in there to cast doubt any of it is real.

Like when Quaid first goes to recall and freaks out screaming "you blew my cover!" - That's Houser back in control or, as said moments later, he is acting out his secret agent ego trip.

Moments before the "implant" happens you can see the mars reactor on the tv set as artwork. One of the tech guys even says "oh blue sky on mars thats a new one" - and the movie ends with a blue sky.. on mars!

Anyone share to love for this movie?

Yeah its a great movie.
I was on an Arnie binge there over christmas and watched this along with Predator,Running Man,Red Heat,True lies and T2.
Arnie is a great man for the lines.

fryup · 19-02-2020 6:51pm

sharon stone in her prime...whats not to like

the purple tin · 19-02-2020 6:54pm

fryup wrote: »

sharon stone in her prime...whats not to like

If she's good enough for Fr. Jack...;)

Greyfox · 20-02-2020 7:47pm

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

Has to be Arnold Schwarzenegger's best movie. A tall feat considering movies like Predator and Terminator.

It's a great film but not in the same league as Term 1&2, true lies and Pretator

TinCool · 21-02-2020 12:56pm

Classic Arnie, definitely in his top 5 for sure, but no way is it better than Predator, True Lies or the mighty T2, which in my opinion is his best movie.

Corvo · 21-02-2020 3:01pm

batman_oh wrote: »

Great film but for me Commando is the ultimate Arnie film. Cheese ball 80s greatness, ridiculous to the point that they must have been taking the p*ss and riddled with one liner goodness

God I loved Commando. I used to watch it every Saturday morning while my parents were in bed. I must have seen it a couple of hundred times

I don't think Total Recall is his best movie. I'd argue that Predator would have been a pretty good movie even without Arnie, he just happened to top it all off and tip it into greatness.

The Terminator role was made for him due to his presence alone, but hardly a stretch of his acting ability.

I'd push towards True Lies, which was a surprising show of his comedic talent and timing. And it was just...fun.

Terminator 2 also has claims, especially as the Terminator "learns" more about human emotion.

the purple tin · 21-02-2020 3:40pm

Corvo wrote: »

God I loved Commando. I used to watch it every Saturday morning while my parents were in bed. I must have seen it a couple of hundred times

I don't think Total Recall is his best movie. I'd argue that Predator would have been a pretty good movie even without Arnie, he just happened to top it all off and tip it into greatness.

The Terminator role was made for him due to his presence alone, but hardly a stretch of his acting ability.

I'd push towards True Lies, which was a surprising show of his comedic talent and timing. And it was just...fun.

Terminator 2 also has claims, especially as the Terminator "learns" more about human emotion.

McTiernan did a great job directing it, even before the Predator showed up it was an excellent action film. Now compare it with that last piece of dogsh*t by Shane Black.

Mike Guide 69 · 21-02-2020 7:24pm

“......if I’m not me,then who the hell am I ?”. Ah classic Arnie line, delivered in great gusto!!!!

Titclamp · 21-02-2020 7:26pm

Loved it as a kid. As there's nothing else to compared it to as a kid. Now its tacky

Philip k dick probably hated it.

DellyBelly · 21-02-2020 7:28pm

Very good movie.. The remake was also a classic

pixelburp · 21-02-2020 8:04pm

DellyBelly wrote: »

Very good movie.. The remake was also a classic

Wait. What? The 2012 Colin Farrell remake a "classic"? Underappreciated at a pinch, but what makes it a classic?

B.A._Baracus · 22-02-2020 7:48pm

Commando is on Film 4 at 9pm.

B.A._Baracus · 23-02-2020 2:18am

Found out something interesting about Total Recall. Accordingly (online source) it first premiered on ITV in 1993. Which would have been when my dad taped it.

It is said to be shown "uncut" - and having watched that tape many, many times when I was younger its true to a degree.

Like when ITV showed Lethal Weapon 3 (assume in 1996) they cut it to bits. All swears were redubbed. ITV did show total recall relatively uncensored however I do remember that they cut the death shot of the scientist where Quaid breaks out of the recall machine near the end of movie.
He stabs him in the face and on ITV version it didn't show the scientist falling to the ground dying with the metal rod through him.

So, I assume they must have cut something else.

Tony EH · 23-02-2020 1:14pm

^
Bunch a melonfarmers.

pixelburp · 23-02-2020 1:52pm

Do stations still censor? I don't have a TV connection anymore, and last time I recall (see what I did there?) it was Sky sniping racier jokes from Simpsons episodes - or the occasional swear (such as the U2 episodes use of "w&nker"). Airline flights are the one situation you still get lame censoring on films for sure. Still as clunky and arbitrary as you can imagine, especially with cussin' . It's one reason why I tend not to bother watching anything on longer flights.

the purple tin · 23-02-2020 1:59pm

pixelburp wrote: »

Do stations still censor? I don't have a TV connection anymore, and last time I recall (see what I did there?) it was Sky sniping racier jokes from Simpsons episodes - or the occasional swear (such as the U2 episodes use of "w&nker"). Airline flights are the one situation you still get lame censoring on films for sure. Still as clunky and arbitrary as you can imagine, especially with cussin' . It's one reason why I tend not to bother watching anything on longer flights.

Channel 4 have been censoring Simpsons episodes for years now. They hack so much out that the jokes make no sense at all anymore. They would be pre-watershed not sure if they censor things after 9pm.

You were always better off watching films on RTE back in the old day, they never censored anything (I heard that they wouldn't pay for the machinery to edit films) and as far as I know they still don't- I've heard a few 'sh*ts' and even some 'motherf*ckers' slip through in afternoon films on RTE.

1o059k7ewrqj3n · 23-02-2020 6:55pm

Definitely one of Verhoeven's best.

23-02-2020 11:32pm

Recall Goodfella's being censored back in the day on ITV "Now go home and get your "funny" shine box"

Tony EH · 24-02-2020 7:36am

pixelburp wrote: »

Do stations still censor? I don't have a TV connection anymore, and last time I recall (see what I did there?) it was Sky sniping racier jokes from Simpsons episodes - or the occasional swear (such as the U2 episodes use of "w&nker"). Airline flights are the one situation you still get lame censoring on films for sure. Still as clunky and arbitrary as you can imagine, especially with cussin' . It's one reason why I tend not to bother watching anything on longer flights.

Some do. 'South Park' regularly gets bleeped.

I don't think, these days, that stations go as far as, say, the likes of BBC and ITV did back in the late 80's, early 90's. I'm old enough to remember the legendary censored cuts of 'Aliens', 'Repo Man', 'Robo Cop' and a whole host of other movies, hence my "melonfarmers" post above. (for those who don't know, BBC2 asked Alex Cox to overdub "motherfucker" with "melonfarmer" when it was broadcast in early 90's to make his movie more "acceptable").

As far as flights are concerned, I was very surprised to watch a complete and uncut Godfather trilogy on a trip to the States a couple of years ago. Maybe Aer Lingus don't censor everything?

Total Recall 1990

Is Total Recall Arnold Schwarzenegger's best movie? 94 votes

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