Get your ass to Mars.

Narcis Prince

So my brother and I watched this great movie last night. Probably one of (if not the) best Arnold movies. I haven't seen it in such a long time that I had forgotten just how great it is. The action, one-liners, effects(for the time) are all top notch. Best of all though, is the story. Not just a good story for an action movie. We ended up having a heated discussion about whether it's all a dream planted by Recall or it is reality.

Personally I am of the opinion that it's a dream. My brother wasn't sure, but ended up agreeing with me. What I want to hear is the opposite side. I can see some of the evidence that it is reality, but would like to hear some elaboration on the topic.

So, let's hear it! Tell me what your thoughts on this movie are. Hopefully we can get a decent discussion going on this, and maybe inspire some people to re-watch it or see it for the first time.

P.S. I know I could have just looked this up on wiki an gotten an answer, but I want to hear from you guys as I have come to respect/trust the collective knowledge of this forum.

P.P.S. First real post. Hope this is in the right place. If it isn't, I apologize.

darthmix

The "is it all a dream" question is one the movie will intentionally frustrate your attempts to answer. My feeling is that Verhoeven had no interest in answering it. You're intended to engage the film as a cheesy action-adventure, which is what it fundamentally is; the ambiguity is something you can think about if you want but it's not essential to the experience and it doesn't really lead anywhere.

This, Robocop, and Starship Troopers comprise Verhoeven's great trilogy of gleefully campy, cheerfully violent sci-fi epics. They manage to simultaneously exemplify and parody the genre to which they belong. I love them.

Aroused Bull

Damn. I was hoping this was about astronomy.

darthmix

At first I thought it was a split of the NASA discussion from the primaries thread.

Azio

Total Recall is definitely the best Schwarzenegger movie of all time. Terminator 2 has nothing on this.

Kupi

Some of the people in my dorm were watching this for the first time a couple years back (myself included), and at a low point one of the guys said "Man, if this were a dungeon crawl, it'd be just about time for a boss battle." Then:

The taxi driver busts out of the wall in the drill-machine.

Suffice to say, we all cracked up.

Hachface

You had me at the three-breasted Martian woman.

Narcis Prince

At first I thought it was a split of the NASA discussion from the primaries thread.

I just looked at that thread and saw "Getting to Mars would be great for America". Didn't mean to confuse anyone.

The "is it all a dream" question is one the movie will intentionally frustrate your attempts to answer.

I can see both sides of the arguement, but I think the evidence towards it being a dream is much stronger. I'm just curious as to what other people think on the topic.

djklay

darthmix wrote: »

At first I thought it was a split of the NASA discussion from the primaries thread.

Am I the only one who had Total Recall pop into their head when they read that? In my defense I seem to have a lot of movie/tv quotes stuck up there that seem to be easier to remember than studying ever was.

For the movie being a dream, I'm not sure we were supposed to really care. Of course the movie picks out every single one of the dream implant points but I can't see where there is a definitive answer either way. Then you have to ask yourself, why am I looking for anything deeper in an Arnie movie? It's just not what it's for.

Narcis Prince

Well, the last scene asks the question and I think is supposed keep the question fresh in their minds. Paraphrased:

"Wait, I just had a thought that this could all be a dream."

"Then you better kiss me before you wake up."

Then the sun shines through the clouds in the now blue sky and right into the camera to end it. I don't know, it just left an impression on me that I wanted to know if it was all a dream.

That's definitely another thing I like about this movie. It works as both a cheesy popcorn action flick, and if you're so inclined, it makes you think. Plus, as mentioned earlier, the chick with the three knockers and the midget hooker with a machine gun wrap up the package quite nicely.

Azio

djklay wrote: »

darthmix wrote: »

At first I thought it was a split of the NASA discussion from the primaries thread.

Am I the only one who had Total Recall pop into their head when they read that?

I got the reference right away. My friends and I always say "get your ass to Mars" or "get my ass to Mars" if it means we have to drive somewhere far away, like Maple Ridge. Fuck Maple Ridge.

Drez

Total Recall is an allegory for the AIDS epidemic.

Not really.

an_alt

My take on Total Recall was that everything Arnold was promissed about recall happened and that the movie ended just before he woke up.

Man, I love that movie.

Also, "Damn, baby. You make me wish I had three hands."

AbsoluteZero

an_alt wrote: »

"Damn, baby. You make me wish I had three hands."

That is my favorite quote. Probably ever.

DHS Odium

Has anyone else read the book?

It's pretty awesome, you find out the exact purpose of the device that gave the planet air (wasn't the only thing it did), and the race of aliens that built it.

It also has an ending that's similar but I think gives more weight to the idea that it's not a dream. I haven't read it in awhile so I could be wrong and it might go the other way.

Medopine

Watch this with the comments from Arnold on, if that option's on your DVD. Skip to the part with the three breasted woman. His comments are sooooo funny during that part.

Glal

DHS Odium wrote: »

Has anyone else read the book?

It's pretty awesome, you find out the exact purpose of the device that gave the planet air (wasn't the only thing it did), and the race of aliens that built it.

So there's a book based on a movie based on a short story.

The mind boggles.

Food

One of my favorite movies of all time.

"GIVE THIS PEOPLE AIR!"

edit:

Algertman

The entire movie is a dream.

Drez

an_alt wrote: »

My take on Total Recall was that everything Arnold was promissed about recall happened and that the movie ended just before he woke up.

Man, I love that movie.

Also, "Damn, baby. You make me wish I had three hands."

The only problem I have with this interpretation is the scene in which he starts going crazy in the chair at Total Recall which ends with the lady saying "because we haven't implanted it yet." I mean, one could argue that that was part of his fantasy, but I find that it doesn't exactly fit because he's not awake during this scene. It's a scene meant for the audience only. It's not through his perspective. This is the scene BEFORE his eyes pop open and he starts attacking the people in the Total Recall office.*

I think the film is brilliant, because everything he goes through, before AND during, lends credibility to either interpretation as well as a healthy layer of mystery. How do we really know he didn't know the girl and there wasn't some kind of subconscious itch in his brain that was pawing to get out, and that it recognized Total Recall as one way? But it could just have easily been a fantasy.

*All this is from like 7-year-old memory, but I'm pretty sure I have the events correct.

Algertman

Medopine wrote: »

Watch this with the comments from Arnold on, if that option's on your DVD. Skip to the part with the three breasted woman. His comments are sooooo funny during that part.

his commentary on the first Conan movie had me laughing as well

Narian

I love Arnold, and I loved Total Recall.

I think I'll go watch this. :^:

Just Like That

This movie is bad ass.

I might have to watch it again because of this thread.

an_alt

Drez wrote: »

The only problem I have with this interpretation is the scene in which he starts going crazy in the chair at Total Recall which ends with the lady saying "because we haven't implanted it yet." I mean, one could argue that that was part of his fantasy, but I find that it doesn't exactly fit because he's not awake during this scene. It's a scene meant for the audience only. It's not through his perspective. This is the scene BEFORE his eyes pop open and he starts attacking the people in the Total Recall office.*

I think the film is brilliant, because everything he goes through, before AND during, lends credibility to either interpretation as well as a healthy layer of mystery. How do we really know he didn't know the girl and there wasn't some kind of subconscious itch in his brain that was pawing to get out, and that it recognized Total Recall as one way? But it could just have easily been a fantasy.

*All this is from like 7-year-old memory, but I'm pretty sure I have the events correct.

I haven't seen it in a while either, but it sounds about right. I guess that does poke a hole in my theory.

Narcis Prince

The only problem I have with this interpretation is the scene in which he starts going crazy in the chair at Total Recall which ends with the lady saying "because we haven't implanted it yet." I mean, one could argue that that was part of his fantasy, but I find that it doesn't exactly fit because he's not awake during this scene. It's a scene meant for the audience only. It's not through his perspective. This is the scene BEFORE his eyes pop open and he starts attacking the people in the Total Recall office

This actually happens just after he starts drifting off. There's a couple of things in that scene that make me think it's all a dream. The fact that you can see some of the alien technology on the screens, and the blue sky on Mars.

This movie is bad ass.

I might have to watch it again because of this threadx

I think everyone should go watch this movie again. Glad the thread did it's job.

djklay

Drez wrote: »

The only problem I have with this interpretation is the scene in which he starts going crazy in the chair at Total Recall which ends with the lady saying "because we haven't implanted it yet." I mean, one could argue that that was part of his fantasy, but I find that it doesn't exactly fit because he's not awake during this scene. It's a scene meant for the audience only. It's not through his perspective. This is the scene BEFORE his eyes pop open and he starts attacking the people in the Total Recall office.*

I thought she said that right after they sedated him when he started going crazy? The guy was saying Quaid was just playing out the secret agent part of his implant and that's her reply. Besides one hung over viewing a couple months back I haven't seen it in years so I may be wrong too. They leave you right in the middle unless I'm missing something. You can think about it, but I doubt any answers can come of it. I remember pondering the outcome when it first came out then gave up once I figured there was no real answer.

Drez

djklay wrote: »

Drez wrote: »

The only problem I have with this interpretation is the scene in which he starts going crazy in the chair at Total Recall which ends with the lady saying "because we haven't implanted it yet." I mean, one could argue that that was part of his fantasy, but I find that it doesn't exactly fit because he's not awake during this scene. It's a scene meant for the audience only. It's not through his perspective. This is the scene BEFORE his eyes pop open and he starts attacking the people in the Total Recall office.*

I thought she said that right after they sedated him when he started going crazy? The guy was saying Quaid was just playing out the secret agent part of his implant and that's her reply. Besides one hung over viewing a couple months back I haven't seen it in years so I may be wrong too. They leave you right in the middle unless I'm missing something. You can think about it, but I doubt any answers can come of it. I remember pondering the outcome when it first came out then gave up once I figured there was no real answer.

Ah yes, I think you may be right. Still, I'm sure she says this after sedating him which, to me, suggests omniscience and objective perspective rather than through Quaid's perspective.

Masume

Man I LOVE this movie, loved it when I saw it in the theater, but during those days Schwartzie could do no wrong, up until Last Action Hero, anyways (Which really wasn't that bad). I haven't seen it ages myself, have the DVD but left it in the wrap. Ironically we were just making Quato(sp?) jokes over the last weekend, best mutant ever. I read the book after I saw the movie, it was even better actually. Explained a lot of small things, and really gave the ending if I recall. It wasn't a dream, if I remember correctly.

Neon Blonde

Azio wrote: »

Total Recall is definitely the best Schwarzenegger movie of all time. Terminator 2 has nothing on this.

I was always more of a Kindergarten Cop guy.

randombattle

If only we had more movies like Total Recall now a days.

Greeper

Neon Blonde wrote: »

Azio wrote: »

Total Recall is definitely the best Schwarzenegger movie of all time. Terminator 2 has nothing on this.

I was always more of a Kindergarten Cop guy.

No way.

Jingle All The Way.

Drez

True Lies

Last Action Hero was great too.

ERASER!

Loren Michael

I was too young when I saw this movie, I think. I should probably see it again.

True Lies is my favorite Arnold movie at the moment, though.

TehSpectre

Guys, you are forgetting another perfect (xD) Arnold - book to movie adaptation:

Grove

I don't know, I was always of the opinion that it was real. Mainly for two reasons: One being the scene at Recall where he flips out before being implanted. The second occurs when he is visited by the doctor/tech support guy on Mars. The fact that the doc starts to sweat right before Arnold is about to take the pill always stuck out to me.

Oh yeah and the fact that Arnold was totally ok with his wife being killed. Seemed to scream that his memories of her were actually an implant and that there wasn't anything actually between them.

Either way awesome movie.

Narcis Prince

don't know, I was always of the opinion that it was real. Mainly for two reasons: One being the scene at Recall where he flips out before being implanted. The second occurs when he is visited by the doctor/tech support guy on Mars. The fact that the doc starts to sweat right before Arnold is about to take the pill always stuck out to me.

See there's things like this that I see in the other way. The scene where he flips out starts RIGHT after he drifts off to sleep when they give him the drugs. So he either started freaking out during the memory implantation, or that is the start of the dream. Also, that doctor goes on the describe the entire second half of the movie perfectly. I always saw the sweat on his head as something Quaid came up with because he was so far gone in the dream.

If we're gonna talk about great Arnold movies, I don't think we can forget his (IMO) second best movie:


GET TO THE CHOPPAH!!!

tofu

Nah, Predator's his best.

darthmix

Aren't there a few scenes in the movie where Arnie/Houser/Quaid isn't present, and events transpire that he can't be privy to for plot reasons? If I was directing a movie that was supposed to secretly take place all in the main character's head, then those are the scenes I'd have the hardest time justifying to myself. I'm thinking of a scene late in the movie where Kohagen tells Michael Ironside to finally go kill Arnie. "It's about goddamn time." That scene.

If it's all his dream, then how can it contain scenes where he's not there, and of which he's not conscious?

Sci-Fi Wasabi

Man, total synchronicity. I just got on an Arnold kick maybe three days ago.

Creepy....

Curly_Brace

My friends and I used to have AHNOLD Night, where we would watch a few AHNOLD movies in a row, and I have to say that while Total Recall is great, I think True Lies is perhaps his most over-the-top movie ever.

Also, during AHNOLD Night my friend and I decided this: when he's fighting the main bad dude on the huge elevator in Total Recall, and the guy gets smooshed and his arms cut off when the elevator reaches the top, Arnold TOTALLY should have said something like "I never fight an unarmed man!" Or "Thanks for the hand, Bennett!"

Such a whasted opportunity for bad-ass puns.

Narcis Prince

The line he uses there is also excellent. "See you at the party!" There's a great pun right before that fight though. When Benny (the black cab driver) is trying to kill him with the giant drilling machine, and Quaid uses his hand drill to kill him he yells "Screw you!". One of the best lines in the movie.