More about this DVD  •  DVD Info  •  Movie Main Page  •  Message Board

The plot is based on the short story "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale"by pulp science fiction writer Phillip K. Dick (he was also responsible for the premise of Bladerunner). He asks another question about the nature of reality. Since we're a product of our experiences and sensory inputs, what if our memories could be replaced, our brains reprogrammed by a machine? Would our resulting identities be any less real? And how could one differentiate a historically real past from one that was implanted? This is the central ambiguity of Total Recall.

Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) lives a comfortable life in the not too distant future. He shares an apartment with a lovely and loving wife, Lori (Sharon Stone), and has a low- stress construction job operating a jackhammer. But he's troubled nightly by vivid dreams about Mars, dreams that eventually provoke him - against his wife's and coworker's advice - to seek an Earthbound memory implanted vacation to the red planet at a company called Rekall. The company specializes in artificially creating memories of a purchased experience; these memories are so compete, so compelling, that the client cannot tell that they are artificial. In fact, the technology is so sophisticated, that Rekall can offer a change in identity to enhance the experience. Quaid allows himself to be sold the secret agent option, one that will win the girl, destroy the villain, and save the planet.

Quaid is placed on one of Rekall's machines, given a slow-acting anesthetic, and quizzed concerning his preferences (he orders the brunette of his Mars dreams: athletic, sleazy, and demure). As the memory implant begins, Quaid's adventure begins, in more ways than one, for it's at this point that the film splits into two distinct paths, depending on your point of view. Do we accept his overt experiences as reality or do we assume that we're sharing artificial experiences as Rekall manipulates his brain with its hardware?

After seeming to awake on the machine's coach as someone else, Quaid is furious that the people at Rekall have blown his cover. As he lashes out, he must be sedated. The operators realize that they had triggered a recall of a machine- suppressed memory; they erase his sales file, refund his money, and throw the unconscious Quaid into a cab. When Quaid comes to, he's thrust into a nonstop chase, constantly pursued by Richter (Michael Ironside) and his thugs. The only way Quaid can save himself is to learn why his life is suddenly threatened. Richter works for the sociopath Chief Administrator of Mars, Vilos Cohaagen (Ronny Cox in his RoboCop, amoral-executive mode). Richter wants Quaid dead - it seems that Lori is working for Richter and their relationship extends beyond the professional. Cohaagen wants Quaid kept alive for reasons he keeps to himself.

Quaid will soon learn that he may be a former Cohaagen agent named Houser, and that the answers he seeks can only be found on Mars. Fortunately, Houser left behind just the tools Quaid needs to travel to Mars and make contact with an underground movement that opposes Cohaagen's tyranny. On Mars, Quaid finds the brunette he ordered; she's named Melina (Rachel Ticotin), and she's connected to the rebels. One action piece follows another, the body count rising dramatically. As Quaid becomes more deeply involved, the writers and director play with his mind as well as the viewers'. Dr. Edgemar (Roy Brocksmith) from Rekall stops by Quaid's hotel room for a visit. He explains that Quaid has suffered a schizoid embolism while being implanted with this experience and must immediately come down; he risks permanent brain damage if he does not. He even brings along the loving Lori to help persuade Quaid. Of course, Edgemar explains, neither of them is there; they're merely electronic constructs bouncing around Quaid's synapses. Truth or dare? Will Quaid save Mars? Or is this all a dream?

The film takes great artistic license with science. Arthur C. Clarke had to respond to doubters questioning Dave Bowman's helmet-less space walk in 2001 by explaining that man can indeed exist in a vacuum for a limited time; Verhoeven's bulging eyes and ballooning bodies simply do not occur. Weapons that fire bullets capable of puncturing a Mars atmospheric dome would most likely have been replaced with energy weapons or banned; an accidental discharge would simply be too catastrophic to risk. Without a dominance of nitrogen in the new Martian atmosphere, the oxygen/hydrogen mixture would be very unstable and dangerous. But such criticism is hardly relevant; Total Recall is pure action wrapped around an intriguing concept.

Video: How Does The Disc Look?

The film's theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 is presented in anamorphic video and the transfer is excellent. Ritek Digital Studios is apparently responsible and they deserve kudos. The images are nicely detailed but almost completely devoid of edge artifacts in the form of halos, creating a very film-like appearance. Colors are great, richly painted to the screen and noise free. Brightness and contrast track very well. Subtle detail in dark scenes remains. I did not see any compression artifacts. If I had to voice any complaint, it would be that for one or two of the exterior Mars scenes, the red was a bit too dominant; but, I suspect that this might be traced back to the film elements.

Audio: How Does the Disc Sound?

A new Dolby Digital 5.1 track was prepared for this release and, it too, is excellent. The surround effects are very aggressive, immersing us in the action. Deep bass, extending well into the lowest octave, can only be reproduced with a fine subwoofer. My pants legs were moving during some of the explosions. Jerry Goldsmith's driving orchestral score mixed with some synthesizer effects is presented across a wide sound stage and with a convincing fidelity. Despite all the sonic fireworks, the sound effects and score never overwhelm the dialog. Very well done.

A second English audio mix is available in Dolby 2.0 surround. The audio tracks are supported by subtitles in English, French, and Spanish. Oddly, on the Setup Menu where these choices may be made, you'll also find the choice to play a brief JVC commercial - the first commercial other than previews and studio promos that I've seen on DVD.

Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

This Special Limited Edition DVD comes in a rather unique package. Remove the clear plastic wrapper and you'll find a five-inch diameter can nestled in a cardboard holder. It's red, pockmarked with craters, and resembles a little can of valentine chocolates. Within, Artisan has placed a round insert booklet and round pamphlet of coupons and offers, including one for a free copy of The Blair Witch Project with an additional purchase. The DVD sits on a red disc of foam, data side down. My experience is that over the course of several years, such foam may begin to break down and adhere to the DVD. I put the insert under the DVD when I returned it to the package.

I had high hopes for the feature-length, scene-specific commentary by Arnold Schwarzenegger and director Paul Verhoeven. Alas, I learned why a Schwarzenegger commentary is such a rare thing. He essentially narrates what he's seeing onscreen without adding much to our understanding of the experience of making the film. I think I was able to count the number of his illuminating anecdotes on the fingers of one hand. Mr. Verhoeven was not much better, but at least he did interrupt his interpretation of the action from time to time to offer a story or two about the shoot. I'm afraid I found this commentary a bit of a disappointment.

Artisan has included a generous array of supplements; except as noted, all supplements are presented in non- anamorphic video. First is Imagining Total Recall, a new thirty-minute featurette. We hear from Schwarzenegger, Verhoeven, Shusett, Goldsmith, Ticotin, and others in newly filmed interviews. Several additional participants appear in sequences that were filmed behind the scenes during the original shoot. This feature is interesting, informative, and revealing. Visions of Mars is a second featurette; it's shorter, only running about five minutes. Dan McCleese, Chief Scientist, Mars Program, at the Jet Propulsion Laboratories gives us a tour of Mars science and the future of Mars exploration. A pleasant complement to the feature film. Rekall Virtual Vacations is a collection of three thirty-second long scenes with effective Dolby Digital 5.1 audio tracks that loop until you press the Menu button on your remote control. You have the choice of Dunes of Mars, Mountain Expedition on Planet Lumina 3, and Earth Beach. Clever.

There are three Storyboard Comparisons in which you can simultaneously watch the artists' concepts while the finished sequence runs in the lower right hand corner of the screen. Conceptual Art Gallery, shown in anamorphic video, features ten full color renditions of various aspects of the film. The Photo Gallery is a small collection of six candid pictures from the shoot; they are presented in anamorphic video. The Theatrical Trailer and three Television Spots are presented sequentially within one title as four chapters.

Text-based supplements include eleven pages of Production Notes that are more informative than the nearly two hours of commentary by Arnold Schwarzenegger and director Paul Verhoeven. Cast and Crew provides brief biographies and filmographies for five of the actors and nine of the behind the scenes principals. There are twenty- seven chapter stops.

Parting Thoughts