In Total Recall, the initial setup is a really cool way to have the audience guessing what is really happening. The idea that from the MOMENT Quaid sits in the chair, everything plays out exactly like the secret agent memory he paid for. The plotline is a signature of the author Philip k. Dick. He enjoys posing the questions "what is real, what only exists in my mind, and how important is the difference, really?"
Even the composer, Jerry Goldsmith, pointed this out. He said (unfolrtunately, I don't recall where - yes, lame pun intended) that at the final fade to white, his "dream" theme can be heard.
You even get the following events told a second time: In the hotel, where the other Rekall guy (I think it's the same from the advert) tries to convince him to take the pill - everything from walls breaking down to his enemies becoming friends happens like he was told. Also, in the first lab they showed Quaid the concept art for the reactor in the later scenes, and of course Melina's face. I also liked that the movie uses elements from multiple works of PKD. The main idea about selling memory implants is of course from the very short story "We Can rRemember it for You Wholesale", but that featured neither Mars nor Mutants. Those can be found in his other works. As a big PKD fan I went to the conema for this film, and because it represented the low athmosphere corretcly, even made it a major plot point
He had his own moments of questioning what is real ... questioning his own nature and if he actually was a machine, memories of past lives, visions of different dimensions superimposed over ours ... PKD would be interesting to talk to.
The short story by Philip K. Dick was "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale" written in 1966. The writers of the film kept the original premise but then basically wrote the rest of it themselves, although they did manage to keep the "what is real and what is not?" aspect quite well.
Running Man with Jessie Ventura, Richard Dawson, and Mick Fleetwood, good flick. Eraser is another good one along with End of Days, True Lies, and Kindergarten Cop. Love the Conan movies as well. As for serious drama with no action or comedy... I don't think that exists.
@@tajwalikhan9995 there are actually some people who say they like the remake better. no idea how anyone could possibly think that, i've watched the original dozens of times and never get tired of it and i couldn't even make it through the remake once in one sitting. the original is probably tied with the matrix as the best sci-fi movie i've ever seen, and the remake tied with jupiter ascending as the worst.
Welcome to the world of Dutch director Paul Verhoeven. If you thought this movie was bonkers, you must also watch the other two parts of his unofficial sci-fi trilogy: Robocop and Starship Troopers.
Don't want to give spoilers, but it's best to understand that one of the primary aspects of much of Verhoeven's work is a tremendous distaste for American culture, which he sees (correctly) as full of glorified violence and commodified sex, and an almost gleeful savagery in satirizing same.
Important to note as you two flip out over how nuts this movie is: this was a huge summer release in 1990. It made TONS of money, too. The good old days.
I especially loved the bit where they laughed at the Johnny Cab going ape shit and trying to kill Arnie. That part always cracked me up as a kid for the exact reason they're laughing at it 30 years later: because it genuinely seems like _someone programmed_ JC to freak out and attempt to kill any passengers when they sass-talk him.
The part where the woman about to steal the case and she yells "F**k you, you assh*le!" Is a throwback to Arnold's response to the hotel manager coming to his door in Terminator and his response is "F**k you, asshole." Hilarious moment. Lol
Last Action Hero is a great movie that never stood a chance. Meta Action wasn't a thing until The Expendables YEARS later and it was released right around the same time as Jurassic Park. At least it gets the recognition it deserves these days.
The "see you at the party Richter!" line was a callback to Richter saying "see you at the party" when they left the room to have Hauser brought back to Arnolds memory and therefore effectively Quaid dying. So he just said the same line Richter said to him when he was supposed to die.
Phillip Dick is probably a writer with most books turned into movies by Hollywood. This movie is based on his story "We can remember it for you wholesale" I recomend that you read it.
@@essexginge9167 I should have said SF writer, I suppose. Anyway, if you count not the number of books but percentage of written books I think Dick is still in the lead.
23:08 Most people think that the "Red Pill" started with it's use in the Matrix. Turns out Total Recall used the Red Pill as a metaphor for returning to the real world in 1990!
Yeah, I like the “Red Pill” scene in this movie, but The Matrix red pill scene definitely became iconic in pop culture given how philosophical the film was on dream vs reality and the illusion of choice and destiny.
To be fair, the guy he used as a shield was already dead from multiple shots. But yeah, that was actually intended to be satirical by the director. Also, notice that everything that the doctor said would happen if Quaid shoots him actually did happen. Leaving it ambiguous as to whether it's a dream or not. Definitely follow this up w/ True Lies, RoboCop (original), & Starship Troopers.
well, since the memory program had already shown Melina and the alien artifact and as in fact called "blue sky on Mars" there isn't much chance it wasn't anything but a delusion
@@IAmHumongous Melina was also shown at the very beginning of the film, and the program image of her was seen from Quaid's POV. Plus, there are many scenes that don't involve his presence. Hence, everyone has their own interpretation.
@@IAmHumongous There are other points in favor of reality, but my personal favorite is 'this fantasy would be SO STUPID to sell because it sows paranoia about your own business'
Today we admire the great practical effects in it, but when this movie came out it was the spiffy CGI skeletons in the security check that got all the attention. The scene where Arnold jumps through the screen and goes from skeleton to real Quaid was the marketing clip that sold half of the movie tickets.
Practical effects look so much cooler IMHO than crappy CGI . CGI look so fake , practical effects look more realistic , are harder to master ,but when done properly , are way more memorable !
Total Recall is one of those movies that if I ever come accross it while channel-surfing I always watch it to the end. Also Arnold's little bow to the 'fuck you!' lady is my favourite moment in the whole thing.
Thanks for letting me experience this gem again! You should definitely put RoboCop and Starship Troopers on your list, all these Verhoeven films share a common theme of being highly entertaining, hyper-violent schlockfests with some interesting psychological and philosophical underpinnings.
One of the staff at Rekall at the beginning when being given the memory to implant says "that's a new one- blue skies on Mars" suggesting that it really all was a dream... fitting for a Philip K Dick adaptation
They don't do that anymore? So if small pox were to come back, us old folks would be the only survivors? That's terrible! Hmm... On the upside, manual transmissions would come back.
This film was completely an Arnold film. Arnold picked out the script, knew the executive producer to get the funding and buy the rights to the script, picked out Verhoeven as the director, demanded the high budget and a higher marketing budget for peak audience awareness, and it's because of the success of Total Recall that Arnold was able to get Mario Kassar to buy the rights to Terminator to get Terminator 2 in the works. People will rag on Arnold for his acting, but no one gave him the proper credit to making some of the most ambitious works come to life behind the scenes. This is why the Rock will never be in the same league as Arnold, despite giving better performances on-screen.
One of the smartest things Arnold ever did. He followed the project and waited patiently for years until the opportunity dropped into his lap. It’s a shame that he and Verhoeven never got to make Crusade a few years later.
In 1990 this movie blew our minds! Still impressive today. The director did the movie in a way where either scenario is technically possible: either it really happened or it was all an implanted memory. But I tend to lean towards implanted memory.
@@koalabrownie Agreed. When we see things happening outside of the main character's experience it lends to the idea that it really happened (like the conversations that happened at Rekall after Quaid was knocked out or just about any of the interactions of Cohagen and his henchmen etc). Paul Verhoven the director said in the behind the scenes that they didn't really have a definitive perspective in mind when filming it so that either perspective could equally be true, but I'm not so sure.
@@southlondon86 But if that was part of the implanted memory then who knows? For me though, the fact that everything he asked for in the Rekall implant came true, including being the secret agent, getting the girl (THAT girl specifically) and saving the planet, makes me think it was implanted. But, that being said, Paul Verhoeven the director said that they wrote the movie so that there isn't one particular way it can be interpreted. It could go either way.
@@JustWasted3HoursHere True. But sorry I didn’t understand the first part of your reply. You say the dream right at the start of the film, before he went to Rekall was an implanted memory? So in your opinion the entire film was an implanted memory from beginning to end?
I would strongly recommend "Commando". It's a properly serious, dramatic treatment in which Arnie plays a single father going through the various tribulations of having his teenaged daughter growing up*. I believe it was also the cinematic debut of Alyssa Milano. * I might be lying just a tiny bit.** ** Or maybe quite a lot.
The author of this story (We Can Remember it for You Wholesale), Philip K Dick, also wrote the storys Blade Runner and Minority Report we're based on, as well as a bunch of other movies and TV shows. Majorly changed, but crazy awesome ideas. ... another crazy Arnold film (crazy good to the kid I was) is Conan the Barbarian ....
I am firmly in the camp that says everything is Quaid's fantasy after the thing goes on his head in the chair at Rekall. Everything including the exact picture of the woman he hooks up with were detailed in the set up.
this film will go down in history with two things: first, that it has resumed making quality fiction, which died out after the Return of the Jedi, and second, that there is no other film in which Arnold has been kicked so many times in the balls.
"True Lies" has been mentioned a few times and would be really good witha pint. Also "End of Days" is a somewhat serious film that would also go great with a pint. From a fellow Canadian, thank you for the entertainment and keep up the great work! 😃
I love how much of sense of humor Simone haves. You get all the sweet moments but also knows how to enjoy a cheese funny movie too. The two of you looks like tons of fun to have in a friends meeting. =]
Arnold was so friggin huge in the 80s that just putting his face on a poster would guarantee millions in sales. Now that's star power! I'm not sure if this is an action movie with a lot of comedy, or a comedy with a lot of action. The actor playing Richter is Michael Ironside, a Canadian actor.
I saw this in the cinema on its release. The elevator bullet shield body had me crying with laughter at how kinetic and OTT it was. An incredible cinematic experience. When he finally executed Sharon Stone the whole cinema Stood up, Roared with approval and applauded. Sweet times.
Commando barely edges out this movie as the most cheesy Arnold flick imo. It's absolute 80's action gold with some of the best one-liners ever. Should be next on your watchlist.
Total Recall is the greatest bonkers Sci-fi Action film ever made. It's 2022, and no movie has topped it. The only other film that kinda comes close to Total Recall is Starship Trooper (1997). And surprise, it was made by the same director. Great reaction by the both of you.👍 And no, Hollywood doesn't make films like this anymore.
As a kid I found the last 15 minutes of this movie on a VHS my Dad had partly recorded over. I was drawn in because I knew Arnie and then was absolutely terrified when they all get sucked outside and their eyes bulge out of their heads. Just imagine watching that shit as a 7 year old, late at night, with no context. It was like a fever dream. In hindsight it made me really drawn to this movie as I grew up though.
There was a movie called "The Sixth Day" that came out ten years after this one that's kind of a spiritual step-child. Same producer, same star, different writers and director but there's a definite flavor of bonkersness that ties it to "Total Recall." Worth a look if you have a drink or two in you. 😁
This movie is from a short story called "We Can Remember it for You Wholesale" by Phillip K. Dick, who wrote a few other stories that were turned into movies - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? - Blade Runner And some other stories were made into movies that kept the original story's names - Minority Report with Tom Cruise A Scanner Darkly with Keanu Reeves Paycheck with Ben Affleck The Adjustment Bureau with Matt Damon Next with Nicholas Cage The Man in the High Castle ... well, you get the idea.
Years ago I was hanging out with Bobby Miranda who was in Eraser with Arnold and we ran into Robert Costanzo who played Harry in this. We went to a few clubs in Nashville TN and I got to hear some great stories from both of them. Later that night Robert went to get his car and when he drove by he rolled down the window and did lines from a movie where he did a drive by. Of course Bobby knew the movie and was shouting lines back to him right in front of a restaurant with people standing around lol.
Arnie was in a serious film called Maggie,his acting in that was brilliant ,such s different film for him to be in. You guys have to see it,think you’ll be pleasantly surprised 🙂
Exposure to vacuum is less damaging than you might think. They did it to dogs in the 1950s at the start of the space program. They went through about 10-12 seconds of extreme panic and convulsions before losing consciousness. They survived at a really high rate at all the way up to 90 seconds of exposure, but when they increased the test to 120 seconds they all died. Of the ones that survived, they all suffered temporary blindness and deafness, as well as a temporary fluid in the lungs. They recovered really quickly and completely from that within about 24 hours, except one dog that had permanent neurological problems. Oh, and one person got exposed too in those experiments, by accident, but they quickly repressurized and he was fine.
Fun fact: The metro shown in this movie is not a set, it is the Mexico City Metro Line 9, the big shootout happens in Chabacano Station, I used those very same escalators for 7 years of high school and college, and yes, they're as long as they seem, triple the lenght of usual escalators.
There are two more Philip K. Dick stories set to film you must do after this one. "Blade Runner" (1982) stars Harrison Ford, and "Minority Report" (2002) an awesome scifi predicting 2054 directed by Spielberg. The names of Dick's three stories here are quite different than the movie titles so look them up as they will interest you. @ 13:26 A lot of us think that is a little tribute to a very memorable line in The Terminator.😁 The two movies I suggest here are quite different than Total Recall made by different people, both excellent and very worth doing. 🖖😎
Whenever a "normal" human face looks weird it is a prosthetic head. The nose picking scene and the Quatl scene used life casts of the actors heads to make the prop heads, this is why the Quatl scene had a dead looking head on the man, the whole person was a puppet so the face didn't look great.
The Original Total Recall was filmed in 1987 starring Patrick Swayze. Arnold Swarchenegger wanted to be in that movie but the director thought Arnold was a terrible actor but that movie production went bankrupt. Arnold bought the movie and starred in the movie he bought.
Such a fun and out there movie! :) You will never forget certain scenes >< Kinda wish you'd given simone googly eyes for the thumbnail :P Last action hero is a MUST for arnie films, one of my absolute favourites from childhood
That X-ray security scanner was a *huge* visual effects flex for 1990. I believe it was one of the earliest examples of CGI (not the first, by far, but a significant one) and it took an extreme amount of effort and money to make those skeletons move like that at a time when motion capture didn't really exist, they had to invent it all in-house.
I saw this at the theater and it was awesome. This is part of Paul Verhoven’s “trilogy” which includes “Starship Troopers” and “Robo Cop”. The movies are all unrelated but all similar in their sociopolitical outlook. I remember all the critics bitching about the violence in this movie. Imo, “Starship Troopers” is the goriest movie I’ve ever seen. All three are genius. Richter is named after the writer of “Buckaroo Banzai” and a co-writer to “Big Trouble In Little China.”There was some beef that I can’t remember now.
We have one instance well recorded of a human in vacuum when his suit failed while testing the suit in a vacuum chamber. He lived and reports passing out immediately when the pressure dropped. He was bright red for a few hours until that shifted to a total body bruise. No eyes popping out of his head.
The movie with 33,33% more joy! And the movie has a 7.5 rating on imdb compared to 6.2 rating of the remake. So even if it was scientifically not accurate, I would still would love to watch the Arnie version 10 times before I watch the new one once.
The skeleton persecution part and the towel persecution part was film in Mexicos City subway. In specific I think it was in the Chabacano station. They also filmed in the Glorieta de los Insurgentes here in Mexico City. Anyway grettings from Mexico.
Best reaction ever but if you thought this was crazy you should see the Running man with Arnold Schwarzenegger, holy crap I've just got it Neo took a red pill to wake him up from the simulation and they offer Arnie's character a red pill to also wake up I always wondered where they got that idea.
the special effects in this movie are much more realistic looking than many modern movies. every time i watch it, it amazes me that a movie this old can look so realistic.
I am so sad, that Simone got too confused by this movie. Let us agree that no matter how smart You are, there are some movies which just do require a second time watching (e.g. The Matrix). While Eraser and True Lies might be somewhat complicated, I believe both should be an easy apple for S&G 😊
Fun Fact about Arnold. When he came to America before he was famous, he was doing the Body Building Circuit, Working out 2x a day, Working Construction and going to College all at the same time. So yeah he was a hard worker but he probably knows how to operate a jackhammer.
It's insane, but in a good way. It's based on part of a series of short stories - and they are hard scifi, though this isn't, it's more scifi-action - written by the great scifi writer Philip K. Dick. There's definitely strong content under there, although it is a little silly like many scifi movies of its day. It's been remade more seriously recently, but I prefer this. Also closely related is Minority Report starring Tom Cruise which is somewhere in the middle and totally a classic - not aged so well, weirdly, but the hard scifi elements come out more. This is a Paul Verhoeven movie - there's a trilogy of great Paul Verhoeven classic and cult classic scifi movies with this, Robocop and Starship Troopers. I went all Mandela Effect and thought you'd done Robocop but apparently not...... Hint. I do like how Total Recall is ambiguous all the way to the end about if it is actually real or not.
“Consider this a divorce!”. I would certainly say so, especially when you're a sleeper assisin and you tried to kill me twice tihis morning. Girl, I think you gotta go. Bye Felicia.
The best part about George's comment about Arnold being dressed blue collar but still not looking like he belongs to a blue collar world, is that is exactly right for the character... Mars has air. Sure the pressure at ground level is 1/100th of Earth, and the O2 percentage of that very thin atmosphere is less than 2% but its not a vacuum!
A slight shame you didn't include my fav part of the movie when the turncoat dude forgets how many kids to feed he's supposed to have after repeating it ad nauseum for like half a movie and gets called out for it
This is my favorite Schwarzenegger movie! Yes, I love this even more than The Terminator and T2. Also love this as part of director Paul Verhoeven's subverted sci-fi movie trilogy. Total Recall, along with Robocop and Starship Troopers are 3 great and absolutely insane movies! This is for Simone... The voice of the Johnny Cab driver was provided by Robert Picardo (The Doctor from Star Trek: Voyager) Cohaagen was played by Ronny Cox who also played Captain Jellico on Star Trek: TNG Dr. Edgemar (sweaty guy from Recall) was played by Roy Brockton who also played the Zakdorn military strategist Kolrami in an episode of Star Trek: TNG (Riker and Data played him in Strategema). Mary (triplely endowed female) was played by Lycia Neff who also played Ensign Sonya Gomez in a couple of episodes of Star Trek: TNG. Everett, (the soldier who told Richter they couldn't open the doors again after Quaid escaped with the help of the exploding head) was played by Marc Alaimo, Gul Dukat from Star Trek: DS9. Best Regards!
Ah yes a ripping yarn of excellence, and who can tell what's real or simulation or fake memory in the end? Does it matter? Great script and realisation. Love this movie.
You guys laughed a lot throughout this. But you missed the *"SCREW YOOOOOUUUU!!"* part right before Arnie literally drives a big drill in to Benny. That was another laugh out loud moment, at least for me.. Lol
By the way, the guy at 17:51 with the beret on is Marc Alaimo, the actor who plays Gul Dukat on Star Trek Deep Space Nine. Just thought I'd throw that in there. Also, this movie is quite different from the original story ("We Can Remember It For You Wholesale").
Arnold was just a force. So much charisma and screen presence. He worked with top director's like Paul Verhoeven. I'm hoping Robocop makes a comeback on the Pateron poll.
Re the discussion around 5:07 - a movie is an implanted memory. The protagonist isn't you, but you experience their adventures through the story. Rekall's memory implants aren't much different. But the put you in the protagonist's place and tailor the story to your preferences. So it's basically like a custom movie.
This movie is based on a story by Phillip K Dick, called "We Can Remember it For You, Wholesale". That's the same author who gave us "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", which became the movie "Blade Runner".
Its a Paul Verhoeven 80's Scyfy movie The key ingriedients are: -Satirical Commentary/Criticsism about the American/Capitalist Society -Violence and Gore -Corny one liners -Awesome action
The real question people should be asking is: If my imaginary wife was Sharon Stone, would I want to know the truth?
If she’s using you to cuckold Michael Ironsides, you may want a running start.
hahh yess SHE still is one gorgeous glady at 63 i think. That Basic instinct film wth Michael DOUGLAS was sheer sex and a wild plot.
Most certainly.
"Why didn't I take the blue pill?"
of course not with sharon i stay with her
In Total Recall, the initial setup is a really cool way to have the audience guessing what is really happening.
The idea that from the MOMENT Quaid sits in the chair, everything plays out exactly like the secret agent memory he paid for. The plotline is a signature of the author Philip k. Dick. He enjoys posing the questions "what is real, what only exists in my mind, and how important is the difference, really?"
Even the composer, Jerry Goldsmith, pointed this out. He said (unfolrtunately, I don't recall where - yes, lame pun intended) that at the final fade to white, his "dream" theme can be heard.
You even get the following events told a second time: In the hotel, where the other Rekall guy (I think it's the same from the advert) tries to convince him to take the pill - everything from walls breaking down to his enemies becoming friends happens like he was told.
Also, in the first lab they showed Quaid the concept art for the reactor in the later scenes, and of course Melina's face.
I also liked that the movie uses elements from multiple works of PKD.
The main idea about selling memory implants is of course from the very short story "We Can rRemember it for You Wholesale", but that featured neither Mars nor Mutants. Those can be found in his other works.
As a big PKD fan I went to the conema for this film, and because it represented the low athmosphere corretcly, even made it a major plot point
He had his own moments of questioning what is real ... questioning his own nature and if he actually was a machine, memories of past lives, visions of different dimensions superimposed over ours ... PKD would be interesting to talk to.
Philip K Dick also wrote “Do androids dream of electric sheep?” Which became Bladerunner.
The short story by Philip K. Dick was "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale" written in 1966. The writers of the film kept the original premise but then basically wrote the rest of it themselves, although they did manage to keep the "what is real and what is not?" aspect quite well.
Another great dystopian future Arnold Schwarzenegger did was The Running Man in the 80’s. It is so much fun.
which was based on a Stephen King story and was vastly different to the finished movie
The 6th Day is another decent scifi with Arnie
Too bad it had to go against Predator
A fun movie with one of the oiliest villains of all time.
Running Man with Jessie Ventura, Richard Dawson, and Mick Fleetwood, good flick. Eraser is another good one along with End of Days, True Lies, and Kindergarten Cop. Love the Conan movies as well. As for serious drama with no action or comedy... I don't think that exists.
"This movie is bonkers" - And that was before they saw Kuato and the girl with triplets ! Great movie, definitely still holds up.
The main thing to remember about this movie is there is a girl with three boobs.
One of Arnie's best movies! Over the top action, great special effects, a mind bending plot and Sharon Stone looking incredible
Trust and the remake was garbage
@@tajwalikhan9995 there are actually some people who say they like the remake better. no idea how anyone could possibly think that, i've watched the original dozens of times and never get tired of it and i couldn't even make it through the remake once in one sitting. the original is probably tied with the matrix as the best sci-fi movie i've ever seen, and the remake tied with jupiter ascending as the worst.
@@Jack_80 I'd never say the remake was better but it wasn't half bad. I expected it to be really bad but it was alright.
Rachael Ticotin looking great as well.
@@Jack_80 Jupiter Descending.
Welcome to the world of Dutch director Paul Verhoeven. If you thought this movie was bonkers, you must also watch the other two parts of his unofficial sci-fi trilogy: Robocop and Starship Troopers.
Yea both of these.
Don't want to give spoilers, but it's best to understand that one of the primary aspects of much of Verhoeven's work is a tremendous distaste for American culture, which he sees (correctly) as full of glorified violence and commodified sex, and an almost gleeful savagery in satirizing same.
@@michaelccozens It's primal savagery. That = world wide $.
Paul Verhoeven AND Philip K. Dick.
“Everyone was already looking at him weird in the morning before he even had the idea of going there”
Yeah. He’s a GIANT Austrian.
Not that big. Claims to be 6'2'' and possibly is shorter than that.
@@AnonEyeMouse you see Arnold Schwarzenegger sized guys everyday?
@@AnonEyeMouse Bullcrap. I’m 6 ft 1 and saw him at the T3 premiere in 2003, he is definitely around 5 foot 10.
Can we all just appreciate how badass of a villain Michael Ironside is in this movie?
its more badass that he actually survived thyroid and prostate cancer
He's always a badass villain
will always see him as Sam Fisher
@@maexpert11He made me enjoy Highlander II
@@adamskeans2515 the cast made that movie watchable as bad as it was and I'm a big time Highlander fan, but yeah absolutely he was great in it
4:24 "By the time the trip is over you get the girl, kill the bad guys and save the entire planet". Exactly as it went down.
Its really spelled out in the first act.
"I know writers who use subtext and they're all cowards" - Garth Merenghi
and that is why I am 99% sure this film was all a dream
@@DrSuntry that’s a great quote.
Also, blue skies on Mars, thats a new one
@@Isaacisaperson4677 I'm sure it was a dream. No, it was real. No, it was a dream. No...
"True Lies" is another good 90s Schwarzeneggar film, with Jamie Lee Curtis too :D
Yeah. It is probably the only must-see Arnold movie except for Terminator.
And Rosannes husband
Yes. True Lies and T2 are my fav Schwarzenegger movies.
Have a beer and watch True Lies, you'll love it. No lie.
I think True Lies is his best movie.
Important to note as you two flip out over how nuts this movie is: this was a huge summer release in 1990. It made TONS of money, too. The good old days.
It was like the most expensive film made at the time I think, beating Rambo III (1988).
Also, if it was released in 1990, it was filmed during the 80's. Can only imagine how much cocaine was involved.
Right? Original ideas!!
I especially loved the bit where they laughed at the Johnny Cab going ape shit and trying to kill Arnie. That part always cracked me up as a kid for the exact reason they're laughing at it 30 years later: because it genuinely seems like _someone programmed_ JC to freak out and attempt to kill any passengers when they sass-talk him.
Then a year later T2 was released and was a gigantic hit as well.
You should include Robocop and Starship Troopers (both by the same director) in your schedule.
Definately!
Yup. Both stone-cold classics.
And Showgirls lol!
and Gattaca
@@technopirate304 Verhoeven Universe....that is bad ass AF.
The part where the woman about to steal the case and she yells "F**k you, you assh*le!" Is a throwback to Arnold's response to the hotel manager coming to his door in Terminator and his response is "F**k you, asshole." Hilarious moment. Lol
Isn't it also a Karen cameo moment?
I believe Arnold repeats the line again in Commando (1985) lol
or its just a common insult lol
Has Arnold ever done serious drama???
In 'Last Action Hero' he gives us probably the finest portrayal of Hamlet ever committed to celluloid!
True Lies has him doing comedy, action and drama. He's surprisingly good.
Last Action Hero is a great movie that never stood a chance. Meta Action wasn't a thing until The Expendables YEARS later and it was released right around the same time as Jurassic Park. At least it gets the recognition it deserves these days.
"To be, or not to be?"
*sets off explosion*
"...not to be!"
umm did you forget the Terminator movies and True lies?
"Maggie" was a really good movie were he plays a father of a young girl dying.
The "see you at the party Richter!" line was a callback to Richter saying "see you at the party" when they left the room to have Hauser brought back to Arnolds memory and therefore effectively Quaid dying. So he just said the same line Richter said to him when he was supposed to die.
I loved that quote , made me laugh my head off listening to it .
@@gregorygant4242 I lost it so bad when he said that back to Richter
Great line, these 2 just missed the meaning of that line which is funny cause Richter said it not to long before this
Didn't think that was too hard to miss
Phillip Dick is probably a writer with most books turned into movies by Hollywood. This movie is based on his story "We can remember it for you wholesale" I recomend that you read it.
@@essexginge9167 I should have said SF writer, I suppose. Anyway, if you count not the number of books but percentage of written books I think Dick is still in the lead.
Like Blade Runner is from is book "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?"
@@zoranocokoljic8927 Michael Crichton would be up near the top, time to do some research.
Yeah. Quite a few of my favorites are based on Dick's stories.
"Screamers" is "Second Variation". Or "Second Variety." I rememory bad sometimes.
23:08 Most people think that the "Red Pill" started with it's use in the Matrix. Turns out Total Recall used the Red Pill as a metaphor for returning to the real world in 1990!
Wackowski siblings seem like a people who would love movie and story like Total Recall. So maybe this is where they got the idea...
Yeah, I like the “Red Pill” scene in this movie, but The Matrix red pill scene definitely became iconic in pop culture given how philosophical the film was on dream vs reality and the illusion of choice and destiny.
To be fair, the guy he used as a shield was already dead from multiple shots. But yeah, that was actually intended to be satirical by the director. Also, notice that everything that the doctor said would happen if Quaid shoots him actually did happen. Leaving it ambiguous as to whether it's a dream or not. Definitely follow this up w/ True Lies, RoboCop (original), & Starship Troopers.
Right. To quote Yzma, "he's not gettin' any deader!"
well, since the memory program had already shown Melina and the alien artifact and as in fact called "blue sky on Mars" there isn't much chance it wasn't anything but a delusion
@@IAmHumongous Melina was also shown at the very beginning of the film, and the program image of her was seen from Quaid's POV. Plus, there are many scenes that don't involve his presence. Hence, everyone has their own interpretation.
@@IAmHumongous There are other points in favor of reality, but my personal favorite is 'this fantasy would be SO STUPID to sell because it sows paranoia about your own business'
@@ianburns1167 How would anyone know it ever happened? Recall could just cover it up
Today we admire the great practical effects in it, but when this movie came out it was the spiffy CGI skeletons in the security check that got all the attention. The scene where Arnold jumps through the screen and goes from skeleton to real Quaid was the marketing clip that sold half of the movie tickets.
Practical effects look so much cooler IMHO than crappy CGI .
CGI look so fake , practical effects look more realistic , are harder to master ,but when done properly , are way
more memorable !
Ironic that we remember the practicals more than the cgi.
Total Recall is one of those movies that if I ever come accross it while channel-surfing I always watch it to the end. Also Arnold's little bow to the 'fuck you!' lady is my favourite moment in the whole thing.
Thanks for letting me experience this gem again! You should definitely put RoboCop and Starship Troopers on your list, all these Verhoeven films share a common theme of being highly entertaining, hyper-violent schlockfests with some interesting psychological and philosophical underpinnings.
verhoeven at his finest.
Don't forget Hollow Man
"You think this is the real Quaid? IT IS!"
Best line.
On the theme of secret assassin's with amnesia "The long kiss goodnight" is a good 90ies action film
One of the staff at Rekall at the beginning when being given the memory to implant says "that's a new one- blue skies on Mars" suggesting that it really all was a dream... fitting for a Philip K Dick adaptation
The circular scar you were asking about was from small pox vaccination. A lot of baby boomers, like me, have them.
Randal is correct.
They don't do that anymore? So if small pox were to come back, us old folks would be the only survivors? That's terrible!
Hmm... On the upside, manual transmissions would come back.
@@maingun07 That would devastate the car theft industry. Just think of the impact on big city economies.
Not just boomers have them. I was born in the 70s and I have it too. :)
@@Ender7j yep, us gen Xers got em too.
This film was completely an Arnold film. Arnold picked out the script, knew the executive producer to get the funding and buy the rights to the script, picked out Verhoeven as the director, demanded the high budget and a higher marketing budget for peak audience awareness, and it's because of the success of Total Recall that Arnold was able to get Mario Kassar to buy the rights to Terminator to get Terminator 2 in the works.
People will rag on Arnold for his acting, but no one gave him the proper credit to making some of the most ambitious works come to life behind the scenes. This is why the Rock will never be in the same league as Arnold, despite giving better performances on-screen.
One of the smartest things Arnold ever did. He followed the project and waited patiently for years until the opportunity dropped into his lap. It’s a shame that he and Verhoeven never got to make Crusade a few years later.
In 1990 this movie blew our minds! Still impressive today. The director did the movie in a way where either scenario is technically possible: either it really happened or it was all an implanted memory. But I tend to lean towards implanted memory.
The implanted memory idea would be stronger if the movie didn't show other perspectives. Same with the remake from a decade or so back.
@@koalabrownie Agreed. When we see things happening outside of the main character's experience it lends to the idea that it really happened (like the conversations that happened at Rekall after Quaid was knocked out or just about any of the interactions of Cohagen and his henchmen etc). Paul Verhoven the director said in the behind the scenes that they didn't really have a definitive perspective in mind when filming it so that either perspective could equally be true, but I'm not so sure.
@@JustWasted3HoursHere He was dreaming of Melina even before he went to Rekall. It couldn’t have been an implanted memory.
@@southlondon86 But if that was part of the implanted memory then who knows? For me though, the fact that everything he asked for in the Rekall implant came true, including being the secret agent, getting the girl (THAT girl specifically) and saving the planet, makes me think it was implanted. But, that being said, Paul Verhoeven the director said that they wrote the movie so that there isn't one particular way it can be interpreted. It could go either way.
@@JustWasted3HoursHere True. But sorry I didn’t understand the first part of your reply. You say the dream right at the start of the film, before he went to Rekall was an implanted memory? So in your opinion the entire film was an implanted memory from beginning to end?
I went to the theater multiple times to watch this movie. It was meant to be a fun rollercoaster ride and it totally was :)
This is one of my favorite Arnold movies ever, Paul Verhoven made 3 incredible sci fi classics with this, Robocop and Starship Troopers.
Also Basic Instinct is great
I would strongly recommend "Commando". It's a properly serious, dramatic treatment in which Arnie plays a single father going through the various tribulations of having his teenaged daughter growing up*.
I believe it was also the cinematic debut of Alyssa Milano.
* I might be lying just a tiny bit.**
** Or maybe quite a lot.
You folks should check out “Demolition Man” with Stallone and Bullock.
Indeed
Definitely. Such good criticism of today...
The puns were so great!! The writer knew how to come up with the ideas that match Arnold's personality!!😆
The author of this story (We Can Remember it for You Wholesale), Philip K Dick, also wrote the storys Blade Runner and Minority Report we're based on, as well as a bunch of other movies and TV shows. Majorly changed, but crazy awesome ideas.
... another crazy Arnold film (crazy good to the kid I was) is Conan the Barbarian ....
A Scanner Darkly too! Super trippy.
"HahahaHahahaHahaha! You think this is the real Quaid? It is!" Best line in the film.
I am firmly in the camp that says everything is Quaid's fantasy after the thing goes on his head in the chair at Rekall.
Everything including the exact picture of the woman he hooks up with were detailed in the set up.
So basically you agree with the director of the movie.
this film will go down in history with two things: first, that it has resumed making quality fiction, which died out after the Return of the Jedi, and second, that there is no other film in which Arnold has been kicked so many times in the balls.
"True Lies" has been mentioned a few times and would be really good witha pint. Also "End of Days" is a somewhat serious film that would also go great with a pint.
From a fellow Canadian, thank you for the entertainment and keep up the great work! 😃
I love when SImone giggles like a lil girl at the biceps lol (immediately starts working out :D ) great reaction guys.
I love how much of sense of humor Simone haves. You get all the sweet moments but also knows how to enjoy a cheese funny movie too. The two of you looks like tons of fun to have in a friends meeting. =]
Arnold was so friggin huge in the 80s that just putting his face on a poster would guarantee millions in sales. Now that's star power! I'm not sure if this is an action movie with a lot of comedy, or a comedy with a lot of action. The actor playing Richter is Michael Ironside, a Canadian actor.
I saw this in the cinema on its release. The elevator bullet shield body had me crying with laughter at how kinetic and OTT it was. An incredible cinematic experience. When he finally executed Sharon Stone the whole cinema Stood up, Roared with approval and applauded. Sweet times.
Commando barely edges out this movie as the most cheesy Arnold flick imo. It's absolute 80's action gold with some of the best one-liners ever. Should be next on your watchlist.
"Let off some steam Bennett"
I'd come up with a witty response, but I'm dead tired.
I let him go.
... Please don't disturb my friend.. He's dead tired..
I swear that Commando has Arnold's lines
Right? Wrong!
Simone: "Casts Mirror Image."
Ok, officially my favorite reactor on TH-cam.
Total Recall is the greatest bonkers Sci-fi Action film ever made. It's 2022, and no movie has topped it. The only other film that kinda comes close to Total Recall is Starship Trooper (1997). And surprise, it was made by the same director. Great reaction by the both of you.👍 And no, Hollywood doesn't make films like this anymore.
As a kid I found the last 15 minutes of this movie on a VHS my Dad had partly recorded over. I was drawn in because I knew Arnie and then was absolutely terrified when they all get sucked outside and their eyes bulge out of their heads. Just imagine watching that shit as a 7 year old, late at night, with no context. It was like a fever dream.
In hindsight it made me really drawn to this movie as I grew up though.
There was a movie called "The Sixth Day" that came out ten years after this one that's kind of a spiritual step-child. Same producer, same star, different writers and director but there's a definite flavor of bonkersness that ties it to "Total Recall." Worth a look if you have a drink or two in you. 😁
Great reactions to a great movie...Why we can't get movies like this anymore is beyond me.
Among the craziest Arnie films is called "The Running Man". Get your beer ready, and whatever health measures required for 'one-liner overdose.'
This movie is from a short story called "We Can Remember it for You Wholesale" by Phillip K. Dick, who wrote a few other stories that were turned into movies -
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? - Blade Runner
And some other stories were made into movies that kept the original story's names -
Minority Report with Tom Cruise
A Scanner Darkly with Keanu Reeves
Paycheck with Ben Affleck
The Adjustment Bureau with Matt Damon
Next with Nicholas Cage
The Man in the High Castle ... well, you get the idea.
“Arghhhghghghrhgh” . No one in the history of cinema could have delivered that line like Arnie does in this movie.
I still don't understand how so many of you haven't seen these movies already. Were you just raised without TVs?
Years ago I was hanging out with Bobby Miranda who was in Eraser with Arnold and we ran into Robert Costanzo who played Harry in this. We went to a few clubs in Nashville TN and I got to hear some great stories from both of them. Later that night Robert went to get his car and when he drove by he rolled down the window and did lines from a movie where he did a drive by. Of course Bobby knew the movie and was shouting lines back to him right in front of a restaurant with people standing around lol.
Arnie was in a serious film called Maggie,his acting in that was brilliant ,such s different film for him to be in. You guys have to see it,think you’ll be pleasantly surprised 🙂
Exposure to vacuum is less damaging than you might think. They did it to dogs in the 1950s at the start of the space program. They went through about 10-12 seconds of extreme panic and convulsions before losing consciousness. They survived at a really high rate at all the way up to 90 seconds of exposure, but when they increased the test to 120 seconds they all died. Of the ones that survived, they all suffered temporary blindness and deafness, as well as a temporary fluid in the lungs. They recovered really quickly and completely from that within about 24 hours, except one dog that had permanent neurological problems. Oh, and one person got exposed too in those experiments, by accident, but they quickly repressurized and he was fine.
Interesting, thanks.
Paul Verhoeven was on such a roll around this time
Lol those smiles and laughter changed real quick during the opening.
I have watched this movie dozens of time and I still like how they leave it up in the air whether or not its all a dream.
Fun fact: The metro shown in this movie is not a set, it is the Mexico City Metro Line 9, the big shootout happens in Chabacano Station, I used those very same escalators for 7 years of high school and college, and yes, they're as long as they seem, triple the lenght of usual escalators.
There are two more Philip K. Dick stories set to film you must do after this one. "Blade Runner" (1982) stars Harrison Ford, and "Minority Report" (2002) an awesome scifi predicting 2054 directed by Spielberg. The names of Dick's three stories here are quite different than the movie titles so look them up as they will interest you. @ 13:26 A lot of us think that is a little tribute to a very memorable line in The Terminator.😁 The two movies I suggest here are quite different than Total Recall made by different people, both excellent and very worth doing. 🖖😎
Whenever a "normal" human face looks weird it is a prosthetic head. The nose picking scene and the Quatl scene used life casts of the actors heads to make the prop heads, this is why the Quatl scene had a dead looking head on the man, the whole person was a puppet so the face didn't look great.
It's a shame Paul Verhoeven didn't make more of these awesome sci-fi action movies, he was one of the very best at it.
Mostly*
The Original Total Recall was filmed in 1987 starring Patrick Swayze. Arnold Swarchenegger wanted to be in that movie but the director thought Arnold was a terrible actor but that movie production went bankrupt. Arnold bought the movie and starred in the movie he bought.
Such a fun and out there movie! :) You will never forget certain scenes ><
Kinda wish you'd given simone googly eyes for the thumbnail :P
Last action hero is a MUST for arnie films, one of my absolute favourites from childhood
That X-ray security scanner was a *huge* visual effects flex for 1990. I believe it was one of the earliest examples of CGI (not the first, by far, but a significant one) and it took an extreme amount of effort and money to make those skeletons move like that at a time when motion capture didn't really exist, they had to invent it all in-house.
I saw this at the theater and it was awesome. This is part of Paul Verhoven’s “trilogy” which includes “Starship Troopers” and “Robo Cop”. The movies are all unrelated but all similar in their sociopolitical outlook. I remember all the critics bitching about the violence in this movie. Imo, “Starship Troopers” is the goriest movie I’ve ever seen. All three are genius. Richter is named after the writer of “Buckaroo Banzai” and a co-writer to “Big Trouble In Little China.”There was some beef that I can’t remember now.
We have one instance well recorded of a human in vacuum when his suit failed while testing the suit in a vacuum chamber. He lived and reports passing out immediately when the pressure dropped. He was bright red for a few hours until that shifted to a total body bruise. No eyes popping out of his head.
The movie with 33,33% more joy! And the movie has a 7.5 rating on imdb compared to 6.2 rating of the remake. So even if it was scientifically not accurate, I would still would love to watch the Arnie version 10 times before I watch the new one once.
The skeleton persecution part and the towel persecution part was film in Mexicos City subway. In specific I think it was in the Chabacano station. They also filmed in the Glorieta de los Insurgentes here in Mexico City.
Anyway grettings from Mexico.
Best reaction ever but if you thought this was crazy you should see the Running man with Arnold Schwarzenegger, holy crap I've just got it Neo took a red pill to wake him up from the simulation and they offer Arnie's character a red pill to also wake up I always wondered where they got that idea.
such a good movie I also suggested it.
the special effects in this movie are much more realistic looking than many modern movies. every time i watch it, it amazes me that a movie this old can look so realistic.
You must now complete the Paul Verhoeven sci-fi trilogy: Total Recall, Robocop and Starship Troopers
The part where Arnold cracks his visor and his eyes start coming out of their sockets absolutely HAUNTED me as a kid. Haha great movie.
Arnold did Kindergarten cop ,tTwins with Danny Devito, a silly comedy. He did a relatively good job as Conan the Barbarian.
Every time you roll the credits in the middle of the reaction, it makes me laugh. I never get tired of that. :)
Wow, you folks pump these videos out with consistency. Good job!
Kindergarten Cop is drama, comedy, and a bit of action. Another great Schwarzenegger film.
I am so sad, that Simone got too confused by this movie. Let us agree that no matter how smart You are, there are some movies which just do require a second time watching (e.g. The Matrix). While Eraser and True Lies might be somewhat complicated, I believe both should be an easy apple for S&G 😊
don't worry my confusing didn't hinder my love for the chaos that was this film! ^-^
Fun Fact about Arnold. When he came to America before he was famous, he was doing the Body Building Circuit, Working out 2x a day, Working Construction and going to College all at the same time. So yeah he was a hard worker but he probably knows how to operate a jackhammer.
It's insane, but in a good way. It's based on part of a series of short stories - and they are hard scifi, though this isn't, it's more scifi-action - written by the great scifi writer Philip K. Dick. There's definitely strong content under there, although it is a little silly like many scifi movies of its day. It's been remade more seriously recently, but I prefer this. Also closely related is Minority Report starring Tom Cruise which is somewhere in the middle and totally a classic - not aged so well, weirdly, but the hard scifi elements come out more. This is a Paul Verhoeven movie - there's a trilogy of great Paul Verhoeven classic and cult classic scifi movies with this, Robocop and Starship Troopers. I went all Mandela Effect and thought you'd done Robocop but apparently not...... Hint. I do like how Total Recall is ambiguous all the way to the end about if it is actually real or not.
Much better than “12 Monkeys,” which had similar themes, but which I detested for doing so. Loved this movie, though.
@@ThreadBomb I think you misunderstood what I said, I understand that Minority Report isn't hard scifi. That wasn't what I was saying.
The concept behind this movie is so simple and the execution is entirely self-aware to not take itself too seriously. It is a delight.
“Consider this a divorce!”. I would certainly say so, especially when you're a sleeper assisin and you tried to kill me twice tihis morning. Girl, I think you gotta go. Bye Felicia.
The best part about George's comment about Arnold being dressed blue collar but still not looking like he belongs to a blue collar world, is that is exactly right for the character...
Mars has air. Sure the pressure at ground level is 1/100th of Earth, and the O2 percentage of that very thin atmosphere is less than 2% but its not a vacuum!
Please watch "True Lies"!
With The Quato / George character, only one mind can be in control at any one time. So when George is awake, quato is dormant and then vice versa.
A slight shame you didn't include my fav part of the movie when the turncoat dude forgets how many kids to feed he's supposed to have after repeating it ad nauseum for like half a movie and gets called out for it
This is my favorite Schwarzenegger movie! Yes, I love this even more than The Terminator and T2.
Also love this as part of director Paul Verhoeven's subverted sci-fi movie trilogy. Total Recall, along with Robocop and Starship Troopers are 3 great and absolutely insane movies!
This is for Simone...
The voice of the Johnny Cab driver was provided by Robert Picardo (The Doctor from Star Trek: Voyager)
Cohaagen was played by Ronny Cox who also played Captain Jellico on Star Trek: TNG
Dr. Edgemar (sweaty guy from Recall) was played by Roy Brockton who also played the Zakdorn military strategist Kolrami in an episode of Star Trek: TNG (Riker and Data played him in Strategema).
Mary (triplely endowed female) was played by Lycia Neff who also played Ensign Sonya Gomez in a couple of episodes of Star Trek: TNG.
Everett, (the soldier who told Richter they couldn't open the doors again after Quaid escaped with the help of the exploding head) was played by Marc Alaimo, Gul Dukat from Star Trek: DS9.
Best Regards!
Ah yes a ripping yarn of excellence, and who can tell what's real or simulation or fake memory in the end? Does it matter? Great script and realisation. Love this movie.
You guys laughed a lot throughout this. But you missed the *"SCREW YOOOOOUUUU!!"* part right before Arnie literally drives a big drill in to Benny. That was another laugh out loud moment, at least for me.. Lol
"Total Recall: The Musical" exists.
Oh shit. I just realized that "Total Recall" introduced the concept of Red Pill (desire to return to reality) waaaay before the Matrix.
Don't over think it, just go with the flow
By the way, the guy at 17:51 with the beret on is Marc Alaimo, the actor who plays Gul Dukat on Star Trek Deep Space Nine. Just thought I'd throw that in there. Also, this movie is quite different from the original story ("We Can Remember It For You Wholesale").
So… was it real or an implanted memory?
There are whole thesis written on that question
Great reaction as always!
Arnold was just a force. So much charisma and screen presence. He worked with top director's like Paul Verhoeven. I'm hoping Robocop makes a comeback on the Pateron poll.
Great reaction guys Total recall is one of my favorite Arnold movies, so good.
Re the discussion around 5:07 - a movie is an implanted memory. The protagonist isn't you, but you experience their adventures through the story. Rekall's memory implants aren't much different. But the put you in the protagonist's place and tailor the story to your preferences. So it's basically like a custom movie.
I love it when Simone goes all *Thirst Mode™ activated.* If you want to see a younger even more ripped Arnold, try Conan the Barbarian.
This movie is based on a story by Phillip K Dick, called "We Can Remember it For You, Wholesale". That's the same author who gave us "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", which became the movie "Blade Runner".
12:20 George has got it! The word "ritzy" does, in fact, derive from the Ritz hotels.
Its a Paul Verhoeven 80's Scyfy movie
The key ingriedients are:
-Satirical Commentary/Criticsism about the American/Capitalist Society
-Violence and Gore
-Corny one liners
-Awesome action