David Cronenberg reflects on his early development work on what would eventually become Paul Verhoeven's 1990 sci-fi classic Total Recall. Source: Kombini
Don’t underestimate Cronenberg…he’s an incredible director with many tricks up his sleeve, not to mention a lot of connections with talented people in the late 80s when Total Recall was filmed. He would have handled the movie just fine.
I met Cronenberg back in the 80's and he said he was offered "Star Trek 2," "Witness," "Beverly Hills Cop" and "Return Of The Jedi." He said he had no regrets turning them down either because "those weren't me," and added "if you're going to invest years of your life into something, you better love it, or it's going to show."
In this case, we were lucky to get Verhoeven to make Total Recall the second film of his unofficial legendary sci-fi trilogy between RoboCop and Starship Troopers. I like Cronenberg a lot, but I doubt we would've gotten a better film.
They eventually went with Bruce Beresford to direct and were going to shoot in Australia. But then the 1987 stockmarket crash happened and Dino and his investors were wiped out, they had to hault production just 2 weeks before filming began, sets were already being built and miniature effects beginning to be made. Arnold had been interested in it and got Carolco to pick up the rights and immediately began working on developing it.
Paul Verhoeven directed Total Recall because Arnold hired him. Arnold had seen Robocop and told Verhoeven we have to work together, so when Arnold got Carolco to buy the Recall rights he took it to Verhoeven and history was made.
As a 90's mainstream action movie kid, I'm glad it didn't work out. I did not have access to anything Cronenberg did til like 2003, yet I could sneak in a Verhoeven film whenever I wanted.
Indiana Jones on Mars. So they really do shorthand pitches in Hollywood, like in The Player. The Graduate meets Bullitt! Love Story meets TX Chainsaw Massacre! Being There meets Porky's! Gonna be a can't miss classic!
Funny thing is, "Total Recall" probably is the most Dickian of all the Philip K Dick movie adaptations. With the possible exception of "A Scanner Darkly".
I like Verhoeven's Total Recall, but seeing Cronenberg's version would be really cool. There's a lot of crossover with Cronenberg-ian body horror themes.
@@blacksheddie1972 We do know. The whole thing with the mutants and the three breasted woman came from Cronenberg drafts of the script. It's hilarious to say, "Thank God we got Verhoeven, because the Cronenberg version would be twisted," if you've seen any Verhoeven films.
@@PrincipiaDeCinema If the film was in Cronenberg style, those body horror moments might actually seem appropriate and fitting, instead of bizarre. A shame we never got to see it. I love Verhoeven but I think a Cronenberg version would have been more brilliant in every way.
Why didn't Shusett and Cronenberg get all of this straightened out BEFORE he wrote twelve drafts?! You'd think at some point before then they'd realize they aren't on the same page and part ways or at least work something out. I guess not.
I understand why Cronenberg didn't want to do something that didn't feel right, but if Verhoeven said after Spetters, Soldier of Orange or The Fourth Man "nah, I won't do Robocop, it's isn't me, I can do better than this script" we would've lost some of the best movies in Hollywood history. If you're a superior artist, you'll want to challenge yourself and slowly go out of your comfort zone.
Hmm, based off what I remembered. Verhoeven threw away Robocop script after light reading, thinking it's trash. However, it was his wife pull it out of trash and realized the potential that was overlooked. Made Verhoeven realized he should direct it. He definitely thought was bad at first, until realized he misunderstood it.
@@antiquityvarmintwesleyhoag2909 Yes, that's a well-known anecdote, but Verhoeven was put off right away by the title (so he barely read the whole thing); and to his credit, after his wife asked him to have another look, he had the balls to say yes to a special effects-heavy production, something completely new for him.
Thanks for explaining it more, that does makes sense. Very interesting to hear it was his first special effects heavy production. I'm glad he did the Robocop, that's one of the best all time movies. Would be insanely difficult to make a better remake. @@catoblepag
@@antiquityvarmintwesleyhoag2909 I agree, one of the best movies of all time, regardless of the genre. ;) He did Flesh + Blood for Orion before Robocop, and that's where he met Basil Poledouris, so he had already one foot in Hollywood (but it was an USA/Europe coproduction, if I remember well). I recommend seeing that one if you haven't yet, there's a scene that's like the medieval version of Murphy's torture-crucifixion and it's quite a coincidence, considering Flash + Blood wasn't written by Ed Neumeier!
Total Recall is one of my favourite guilty pleasures. If i see it when im changing channels, i guarantee that i'll stop and watch 30 minutes of the movie again without fail
Such a juxtaposition regarding Total Recall. This FELT like a Cronenberg movie even though it WASN'T. Since the success of The Fly (1986) and many of his filmography being very well written in story structure, Hollywood would have imagined Cronenberg in being involved in just about anything from his showcase of his intelligent scripts. I think I felt even with David Lynch in the 80s, they were trying to expand their credibility into something casual and relative that met consumer standards at the time like Terminator or lets say like Ghostbusters; edible for the movie experience. Hollywood realized that such directors like Lynch and Cronenberg (who are now film legends) were misunderstood in the first place. This is what stands them out as film directors; they are responsible for their own narratives. But an Indiana Jones version of Total Recall with a Cronenberg would've been interesting to see. 🤷♂😁
I'm surprised he didnt try a few raiders type scripts after doing 12 previous ones, just to try it out. "So you want nazis up there on mars?" "No, no Nazis... Or maybe just a few... Authoritarians." "Martian Nazis... And the treasure hunt aspects? Old martian relics?" "Yes thats right, something like that! Can you mix it in, David?"
Wow what a shame. As a PKD fanatic I loved the first 40 mins of T Recall when it came out but thought the rest was an insult.Cronenburg's pretty inconsistent for me but no doubt he would have taken a more cerebral approach as the original story demands.
Yes, sorry, I honestly was a total PKD freak from the age of 13(1977) and "We Can Remember it For You Wholesale" was one of my favourite stories. That's my personal take , I undertand that millions enjoyed it of course@@kazman_6899
Thank God that Verhoveven did it because if Cronenberg had done it we would not have this great score by Jerry Goldsmith. Besides Of The Dead Zone Cronenberg had always hired Howard Shore to score his movies and Shore scoring Total Recall does not seem to be a good idea in comparison what we actually got in.
Some of Cronenburg's scenes/ vision clearly made it into the final cut
I immediately thought of the alien hooker with 3 tiddays.
Those execs don't know how lucky they were that Verhoeven took the job. Imagine their "Raiders on mars" version in the hands of anybody else.
There's no need to imagine, the film is right there and it's very entertaining. Cronenberg's version would have been great too I'm sure.
Don’t underestimate Cronenberg…he’s an incredible director with many tricks up his sleeve, not to mention a lot of connections with talented people in the late 80s when Total Recall was filmed. He would have handled the movie just fine.
I met Cronenberg back in the 80's and he said he was offered "Star Trek 2," "Witness," "Beverly Hills Cop" and "Return Of The Jedi." He said he had no regrets turning them down either because "those weren't me," and added "if you're going to invest years of your life into something, you better love it, or it's going to show."
David Lynch was offered Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. The 80s was a weird time.
Jesus Christ a Cronenberg Beverly Hills Cop? I don’t even know how to imagine that 😅
@@funguy8801Imagine Star Wars made by Lynch.
"Luke...I'm actually not your father...or am I ?" *proceed to show off some dance moves*
@@Steak818 Luke Skywalker: "Force Walk With Me!" [cue: terrifyingly eerie Angelo Badalamenti film score]
he was offered Return of the Jedi, not Empire@@funguy8801
In this case, we were lucky to get Verhoeven to make Total Recall the second film of his unofficial legendary sci-fi trilogy between RoboCop and Starship Troopers. I like Cronenberg a lot, but I doubt we would've gotten a better film.
They eventually went with Bruce Beresford to direct and were going to shoot in Australia. But then the 1987 stockmarket crash happened and Dino and his investors were wiped out, they had to hault production just 2 weeks before filming began, sets were already being built and miniature effects beginning to be made. Arnold had been interested in it and got Carolco to pick up the rights and immediately began working on developing it.
I did not know that. Thanks. He's right about Toni Colette, though.
Still a great Verhoeven movie!
You'd think they would have done a Cronenberg reboot instead of the recent one.
I love the film we got, but I would also loved to of seen Cronenberg's version.
Paul Verhoeven directed Total Recall because Arnold hired him. Arnold had seen Robocop and told Verhoeven we have to work together, so when Arnold got Carolco to buy the Recall rights he took it to Verhoeven and history was made.
See you at the party Riktor !!!!!!!
Richter, more likely
I read somewhere he said he spent an entire year of his life working on this movie. A whole goddamn year.
He said a year, but it was just an implant
Some say he never did it. Or did he?
@@Uhhmelmuhay it was said by cron in an interview
As a 90's mainstream action movie kid, I'm glad it didn't work out. I did not have access to anything Cronenberg did til like 2003, yet I could sneak in a Verhoeven film whenever I wanted.
It worked out for the best. We got 2 classic sci-fi movies. The Fly and Paul Verhoeven's Total Recall.
This was after "The Fly". Verhoeven did a great "Total Recall", and Cronenberg went and did a great "Naked Lunch".
@@dkelly26666I know. 1990.
Never would've gotten film's seminal action score if Cronenberg directs
good point
Well, the remake was closer to Dick but nobody remembers it now!
Indiana Jones on Mars. So they really do shorthand pitches in Hollywood, like in The Player. The Graduate meets Bullitt! Love Story meets TX Chainsaw Massacre! Being There meets Porky's! Gonna be a can't miss classic!
Perfect Cheeseball Hollywood Exec line “ we want this movie to be raiders of the lost ark on mars”
"..........Two weeks."
Funny thing is, "Total Recall" probably is the most Dickian of all the Philip K Dick movie adaptations. With the possible exception of "A Scanner Darkly".
Cronenberg's own "Existenz" was pretty Dickian, mind you.
I like Verhoeven's Total Recall, but seeing Cronenberg's version would be really cool. There's a lot of crossover with Cronenberg-ian body horror themes.
Cronneberg is fucked in the heid. I’m glad we got verhoven. Fuck knows what kind of twisted shit cromnenberg would’ve put in the film
@@blacksheddie1972 We do know. The whole thing with the mutants and the three breasted woman came from Cronenberg drafts of the script. It's hilarious to say, "Thank God we got Verhoeven, because the Cronenberg version would be twisted," if you've seen any Verhoeven films.
@@PrincipiaDeCinema If the film was in Cronenberg style, those body horror moments might actually seem appropriate and fitting, instead of bizarre. A shame we never got to see it. I love Verhoeven but I think a Cronenberg version would have been more brilliant in every way.
@@zxbc1 It's actually kind of amazing he never did a Philip K. Dick adaptation to be honest. eXistenZ is almost an homage to PKD.
Dude looks just like Ted Danson!
Or Samuel Beckett, if you like literature. But even if you don't.
I'm glad it happened the way it did.
I feel like just enough Cronenberg body horror made
It into the Verhoeven film to add some really creepy elements, but who knows.
Why didn't Shusett and Cronenberg get all of this straightened out BEFORE he wrote twelve drafts?! You'd think at some point before then they'd realize they aren't on the same page and part ways or at least work something out.
I guess not.
He should have known it was going to be Arnold movie. Arnold bought the rights.
I understand why Cronenberg didn't want to do something that didn't feel right, but if Verhoeven said after Spetters, Soldier of Orange or The Fourth Man "nah, I won't do Robocop, it's isn't me, I can do better than this script" we would've lost some of the best movies in Hollywood history. If you're a superior artist, you'll want to challenge yourself and slowly go out of your comfort zone.
Hmm, based off what I remembered. Verhoeven threw away Robocop script after light reading, thinking it's trash. However, it was his wife pull it out of trash and realized the potential that was overlooked. Made Verhoeven realized he should direct it. He definitely thought was bad at first, until realized he misunderstood it.
@@antiquityvarmintwesleyhoag2909 Yes, that's a well-known anecdote, but Verhoeven was put off right away by the title (so he barely read the whole thing); and to his credit, after his wife asked him to have another look, he had the balls to say yes to a special effects-heavy production, something completely new for him.
Thanks for explaining it more, that does makes sense. Very interesting to hear it was his first special effects heavy production. I'm glad he did the Robocop, that's one of the best all time movies. Would be insanely difficult to make a better remake. @@catoblepag
@@antiquityvarmintwesleyhoag2909 I agree, one of the best movies of all time, regardless of the genre. ;) He did Flesh + Blood for Orion before Robocop, and that's where he met Basil Poledouris, so he had already one foot in Hollywood (but it was an USA/Europe coproduction, if I remember well). I recommend seeing that one if you haven't yet, there's a scene that's like the medieval version of Murphy's torture-crucifixion and it's quite a coincidence, considering Flash + Blood wasn't written by Ed Neumeier!
Ah, I could check it out someday. Thanks for recommendation@@catoblepag
Raiders of the lost ark goes to mars!😂
At least a controversial director were replaced with a controversial director.
Total Recall is one of my favourite guilty pleasures. If i see it when im changing channels, i guarantee that i'll stop and watch 30 minutes of the movie again without fail
Love this show so much ❤
Has Cronenberg's script ever been published?
I'd be shocked if it had. But you can find some of these things on the internet sometimes.
Something tells me the Three-Breasted Woman could be one of his ideas.
Dino DeLaurentis is becoming my favorite movie producer !
He’s a bright young upstart. Definitely a talent to keep an eye on. Here’s to hoping his career goes well.
Such a juxtaposition regarding Total Recall. This FELT like a Cronenberg movie even though it WASN'T.
Since the success of The Fly (1986) and many of his filmography being very well written in story structure, Hollywood would have imagined Cronenberg in being involved in just about anything from his showcase of his intelligent scripts.
I think I felt even with David Lynch in the 80s, they were trying to expand their credibility into something casual and relative that met consumer standards at the time like Terminator or lets say like Ghostbusters; edible for the movie experience.
Hollywood realized that such directors like Lynch and Cronenberg (who are now film legends) were misunderstood in the first place. This is what stands them out as film directors; they are responsible for their own narratives.
But an Indiana Jones version of Total Recall with a Cronenberg would've been interesting to see. 🤷♂😁
Now I need a Cronenberg directed Dick story.
Fuck it, make a 3rd one!
I'm surprised he didnt try a few raiders type scripts after doing 12 previous ones, just to try it out. "So you want nazis up there on mars?" "No, no Nazis... Or maybe just a few... Authoritarians." "Martian Nazis... And the treasure hunt aspects? Old martian relics?" "Yes thats right, something like that! Can you mix it in, David?"
for my money Verhoeven is the better director by quite a bit.
Wow what a shame. As a PKD fanatic I loved the first 40 mins of T Recall when it came out but thought the rest was an insult.Cronenburg's pretty inconsistent for me but no doubt he would have taken a more cerebral approach as the original story demands.
You thought it was an insult? What? The? Tuck?
Yes, sorry, I honestly was a total PKD freak from the age of 13(1977) and "We Can Remember it For You Wholesale" was one of my favourite stories. That's my personal take , I undertand that millions enjoyed it of course@@kazman_6899
He just called Spielberg a hack.
Spielberg admits Indiana Jones is a pulpy movie, Cronenberg wan†ed to make a serious sci-fi film.
Bad call, David, real bad call
Thank God that Verhoveven did it because if Cronenberg had done it we would not have this great score by Jerry Goldsmith. Besides Of The Dead Zone Cronenberg had always hired Howard Shore to score his movies and Shore scoring Total Recall does not seem to be a good idea in comparison what we actually got in.
The 2012 remake was horrible
seriously, executives are the most stupid people in existence. No vision whatsoever.
unlike Paul Verhoeven.