Total Recall (1990)

Total Recall (30th Anniversary) in 4K UHD is a true gem for any fan of sci-fi action films. Here's why I highly recommend this edition: Visual Spectacle: The 4K remastering of Total Recall elevates the viewing experience to a whole new level. The stunning clarity and vibrant colors bring out every detail of the intricate sets and special effects, making every scene visually captivating. Enhanced Audio: The immersive audio quality further enhances the viewing experience, with crisp sound effects and dynamic surround sound that truly draws you into the action-packed world of the film. Iconic Performances: Arnold Schwarzenegger delivers one of his most memorable performances as Douglas Quaid, while the supporting cast, including Sharon Stone and Michael Ironside, excel in their roles, bringing depth and authenticity to the characters. Bonus Features: This edition comes loaded with bonus features, including behind-the-scenes documentaries, interviews with the cast and crew, and commentary tracks, providing fascinating insights into the making of the film. Overall, Total Recall (30th Anniversary) in 4K UHD is a must-have for fans of the genre. Whether you're revisiting this classic or experiencing it for the first time, the stunning visuals, immersive audio, and bonus features make it a worthy addition to any movie collection.

We originally had this movie on VHS, and I had to break down and buy a replacement DVD. This is a favorite movie in our house. The only thing that might have kept it from being 5 stars is the scene near the end where Quaid and Malina are blown outside while the alien machine starts working. Their eyes bug out, their heads swell up, veins pop. And then when the oxygen is made, they both go back to normal with no damage. Even young kids know it's silly. However, I so like the movie, the theme of fighting against a despotic overlord, the theme of just what is reality, and the just general action-packed story, that I can overlook that doofus ending. And I wasn't bothered by any special effects either, I thought most of them were really top-notch. Heck, I'm a fan of Classic Doctor Who and if you want to see cheesy special effects you need go no further than that. Some of the "Total Recall" special effects are fabulous and the Mars-scape, all modeling, is supurb. The taxi "driver" might not have turned out the way they wanted it to, but I think it's hilarious. Here's the extras on this DVD: 1. "Imagining Total Recall". A great documentary with interview clips of Ron Shusett (co-screenwriter), Paul Verhueven (director), Arnold Schwarzenegger (played Quaid), William Sandell (production design), Frank Urioste (editor), Eric Brevig (visual effects supervisor), Rachel Ticotin (played Melina, interview from 1989), Sharon Stone (played Lori, interview from 1989), Tim McGovern (special visual effects), Rob Bottin (special make-up & effects, interview from 1989), Jerry Goldsmith (composer) and Gary Goldman (co-screenwriter). 2. Rekall Virtual Vacations. This is just three stills with moving clouds, etc., of three different scenes. 3. "Visions of Mars" Interview with Dan McCleese, Chief Scientist, Mars Program, Jet Propulsion Laboratories. 4. Storyboarding Comparisons 5. Conceptual Art Gallery 6. Theatrical Trailer & TV Spots 7. Photo Gallery 8. Production Notes 9. Cast & Crew Information I much enjoyed "Imaging Total Recall". Ron Shusett explains how he optioned the story in 1974, long before Philip K. Dick was well-known. The 1st line of the story is: "He awoke - and wanted Mars." Just how the movie starts! The writers did an excellent job of expanding that 23-page story into a full-length movie. In the original story, Quaid was a Dagwood Bumstead timid accountant type, but Arnold Schwarzenegger really wanted to play in the movie. When you add Verhueven, known for more violent action films, Arnold makes a lot more sense. The movie's outside scenes were filmed in Mexico City, Mexico, and the smog was so bad that they actually had to play scenes keeping it in mind. You just couldn't run very far in the foul air. "Total Recall" won a "Special Achievement Academy Award" for it's visual effects, so this movie was at the forefront of what could be done in 2000-2001. Happy Reader

This is the original and probably the better of the 2 movies with this title. The 2nd movie is a good watch Colin Farrell and Kate Beckinsale. But the first with Arnold and Sharon Stone is my favorite. It is a great sci fi flick. Arnold is hypnotized.to believe that he is a day laborer. He goes to a company that can insert a vacation memory into your brain, but before they can do this he freaks out and discovers that his current life is fake. He has to fight his way to Mars and there he has his hands full fighting the opposition.

The movie itself is great so this review is on the 4k transfer. I have the Blu-Ray probably the original one and it contained lots of grain and fuzziness. This 4k took some playing around with to get it looking good to my eyes. I have a Samsung OLED and needed to watch it on "Dynamic" picture setting with the color turned down. This best minimized the grain I could still see and took the red out of their faces. Watching on Dolby Vision or default HDR appeared similar. Good purchase but did require some tweaking to make it look good. Not a tack sharp transfer in my opinion.

The video quality of the transfer is great! It was my first time watching the movie and a few decades for mother. We both enjoyed the story and Arnold was great in it. I recommend this movie to anyone who likes action movies and dystopian movies.

Watched it works great

Classic sci-fi movie with intense action at every turn.

"Total Recall," (1990), a sci-fi action thriller set sometime in the future, stars Arnold Schwarzenegger. It's based on "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale," a short story by the noted sci fi author Philip K. Dick, was penned for the screen by Ronald Shusett, and was directed by Paul Verhoeven. It boasts a high-quality score by Jerry Goldsmith. And it's as easy to like as its affable, hugely muscular star, who, we know, has gone far in real life, too. The film's set in Mexico City future, and on the famously red planet, Mars, where they've found something worth mining, leading to its colonization from Earth. Unfortunately, however, the planet has no atmosphere, thus no oxygen: all settlers and tourists must stay within an immense dome, and pay the local administration for air. Schwarzenegger plays Douglas Quaid, supposedly an ordinary earthly construction worker, though married to the beauteous young Lori (Sharon Stone). But Quaid is actually a recently brainwashed incarnation of Hauser, who was a big man on Mars as an administration spy. Quaid dreams of the red planet, and is so strongly drawn back there that he goes to a firm called Rekall, that implants pleasant memories, of whatever virtual vacation a client might select, in the subject's brain. But Quaid pays extra to virtually vacation as a spy, in cahoots with Melina, the sleazy-demure girl(Rachel Ticotin) he's chosen from the book. Problems arise, and Quaid must beat it back to Mars. Verhoeven is a good action director -- he also gave us "Robocop--" and he's got a down and dirty Dutch touch. Sets are good: neither Mars, nor the city of the future, has too much of a cardboard look. And, in fact, just when things look most spacey, we're wittily, abruptly brought down to earth by something that still looks a lot like present-day Mexico City, to those who know it, or a can of Pepsi, a neon "lite" beer sign, or a sidewalk newspaper vending machine selling "Mars Today," in the familiar red logo of "USA Today." The citizens of Mars' Venusville, and its physical appearance, are spicy hot hot hot. The dialogue is witty -- Schwarzenegger gets off a couple of his famous one-liners, including "Consider this a divorce." The plot's good, and quick, satisfyingly complex, and has quite a few witty moments, too. Schwarzenegger receives strong backing from an athletic young Stone as his wife,and Latina Ticotin as the sleazy-demure other woman: they're quite likely the best parts either woman ever had. The supporting players are solid. That European hand of director Verhoeven is frequently evident. There's a lot more blood, sweat, and spit than we're used to seeing in movies, and a closer look is taken, for example, at some dying goldfish, than we're accustomed to. (Quite possibly, closer than we would prefer.) Verhoeven, unhappily, lets his special effects get the best of him in the film's last few minutes: they have a "Grand Guignol" quality not to everyone's taste. But it's an entertaining, interesting movie up until then.