Total Recall

To mark the 30th Anniversary of this Sci-fi classic, Studiocanal releases TOTAL RECALL in a brand-new 4K restoration. Yep, Arnie takes on a corrupt rebellion fighter and his henchmen – not to mention his wife (who turns out not to be his wife) and hey, let’s not forget all the excitement comes courtesy of his new identity as a secret agent on Mars. Or is it in fact his old identity?

The year is 2084 and construction worker Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) seems to have it all: a loving wife, Lori (Sharon Stone), a secure job and a nice home. Yet, he has strange dreams about spending time on the red planet (Mars, that is) together with a mystery woman. His suggestion to move to Mars (already colonized) falls on deaf ears, with Lori replying that they have everything they need on earth. Besides, Mars is a dangerous place thanks to an on-going violent rebellion which governor Vilos Cohaagen (Ronny Cox) endeavours to quench by any means necessary. On the subway to work, Quaid happens to watch one of the many video advertisements installed in each carriage, this particular one is for an organisation called ‘Rekall’ which is a company that specialises in implanting false memories of ‘exotic’ holidays. When Quaid mentions the ad to one of his colleagues he warns him to stay clear of Recall as “they mess with your head”. Nonetheless Quaid’s curiosity gets the better of him and he pays Recall a visit after having made an impromptu appointment. Smooth operator Dr. Edgemar (Roy Brocksmith) talks Quaid through the procedure and manages to erase the last bit of doubt in his mind. Strapped in a state-of-the-art chair Quaid is given the implant injection after having chosen his new identity: a secret agent on a mission to Mars! He even gets to choose the woman of his dreams. Unfortunately, within minutes the entire procedure goes pear-shaped because Quaid has not cleared his head of suppressed memories, in this case the memory of actually being a secret agent.

The Recall staff attempt frantically to erase Quaid’s memories of his visit to the company and he’s send home when he is suddenly attacked by some of his colleagues. Having just about managed to fight them off worse lies in store because back home his wife Lori turns out to be yet another wannabe assassin who reveals that their marriage has been nothing else but a fake memory implant and that she is in fact working for Coohagen’s ‘agency’… who have sent her to keep an eye on hubby. In fact, Coohagen’s main henchman Richter (Michael Ironside) is Lori’s real husband! Having once again managed to rid himself of more attackers Quaid is given money, high-tech gadgets, a suitcase and a fake identity in the shape of a video recording that identifies him as ‘Hauser’ – and ex-employee of Coohagen who’s now switched sides. Confused? Buckle up, for it get’s a darn side more confusing when ‘Hauser’ instructs Quaid to remove the tracking device embedded inside his skull… and off he is on his trip to Mars. At the hotel Quaid retrieves a note from ‘Hauser’ with directions for a place called Venusville – a red light district inhabited by people who have been mutated as a result of poor radiation shielding. In one of the bars he also meets Melina (Rachel Ticotin), the woman of his dreams though thankfully she’s no mutant. Trouble seems to follow Quaid wherever he goes for within minutes of his arrival Richter and his gang alos arrive, opening fire at everyone. A cabbie named Benny (Mel Johnson Jr.) ushers Quaid and Melina to a secret tunnel, with an incensed Coohagen ordering to shut down the ventilation for the entire area, meaning everyone will slowly suffocate. Meanwhile Quaid, Melina and Benny are taken to a rebel base where they encounter Kuato (Marshall Bell), a mutant leader who is conjoined to his brother George (a mutant growing out of Kuato’s belly). Now the fun really kicks in because not only is there a constant shift between the Quaid / Hauser personas but just like Coohagen we too are left guessing who is who, who is friend and who is foe, what’s their agenda and most importantly: will Quaid and Melina outwit Coohagen, Richter and Lori (yes, she too is back!) so the alien reactor can be activated and lives saved?

This is terrific fun and deserves to be watched on a big TV-screen but if you don’t have one, don’t despair: thanks to the film’s glorious 4K restoration everything looks super impressive even on a small screen, with Arnie in his usual top form and special effects to match. From three-breasted strippers to more freakish looking mutants, the film cannot be accused of lacking visual imagination! What else can you expect from a film based on a short story by Philip K. Dick? Both Sharon Stone and Michael Ironside are perfect as the bad-ass couple trying to eliminate Quaid. Or is it Hauser?
Of course, this is not just a highly enjoyable Sci-fi extravaganza but lays the basis for deeper topics such as reality vs. alternate realities. The film was made in 1990 – since then we’ve already conquered the possibilities of computer-generated, virtual reality simulation. Who knows, perhaps it’s just a question of time before we too can pay for implants that take us to galaxies far away (in our collective minds anyway). Imagine a distant place entirely Corona-free… now wouldn’t that be something?

TOTAL RECALL is available on Blu-ray, DVD, Steelbook and ultra-HD Collector’s Edition with generous Bonus Material including various featurettes, Making of… docu, trailer, plus audio commentary by Verhoeven and Schwarzenegger. Furthermore, the Collector’s Edition comes with 2-CD soundtrack, double-sided poster, six art cards plus 48-page booklet.