Total Recall (1990)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Paul Verhoeven

Writers (WGA):

Philip K. Dick (short story "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale") (inspiration)
Ronald Shusett (screen story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

1 June 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

They stole his mind, now he wants it back.

Plot:

When a man goes for virtual vacation memories of the planet Mars, an unexpected and harrowing series of events forces him to go to the planet for real, or does he?

Plot Keywords:

Mars | Memory | Dream | False Memory | Vacation

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 13 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. July 6

3:30 PM

SCIFI

Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	Douglas Quaid / Hauser
Rachel Ticotin	...	Melina
Sharon Stone	...	Lori
Ronny Cox	...	Vilos Cohaagen
Michael Ironside	...	Richter
Marshall Bell	...	George / Kuato
Mel Johnson Jr.	...	Benny
Michael Champion	...	Helm
Roy Brocksmith	...	Dr. Edgemar
Ray Baker	...	Bob McClane
Rosemary Dunsmore	...	Dr. Lull
David Knell	...	Ernie
Alexia Robinson	...	Tiffany
Dean Norris	...	Tony
Mark Carlton	...	Bartender
Debbie Lee Carrington	...	Thumbelina
Lycia Naff	...	Mary
Robert Costanzo	...	Harry (as Bobby Costanzo)
Michael LaGuardia	...	Stevens
Priscilla Allen	...	Fat Lady
Ken Strausbaugh	...	Immigration Officer
Marc Alaimo	...	Everett
Michael Gregory	...	Rebel Lieutenant
Ken Gildin	...	Hotel Clerk
Mickey Jones	...	Burly Miner
Parker Whitman	...	Martian Husband
Ellen Gollas	...	Martian Wife
Gloria Dorson	...	Woman in Phone Booth
Erika Carlsson	...	Miss Lonelyhearts (as Erika Carlson)
Benny Corral	...	Punk Cabbie
Bob Tzudiker	...	Doctor
Erik Cord	...	Lab Assistant
Frank Kopyc	...	Technician
Chuck Sloan	...	Scientist
Dave Nicolson	...	Scientist
Paula McClure	...	Newscaster
Rebecca Ruth	...	Reporter
Milt Tarver	...	Commercial Announcer
Roger Cudney	...	Agent
Monica Steuer	...	Mutant Mother
Sasha Rionda	...	Mutant Child
Linda Howell	...	Tennis Pro
Robert Picardo	...	Voice of Johnnycab (voice)
Anne Lockhart	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Kamala Lopez	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Morgan Lofting	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Patti Attar	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Bob Bergen	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Joe Unger	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Karlyn Michelson	...	Additional Voices (voice)

Directed by
Paul Verhoeven

Writing credits (WGA)
Philip K. Dick		(short story "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale") (inspiration) (as Phillip K. Dick)
Ronald Shusett		(screen story) &
Dan O'Bannon		(screen story) and
Jon Povill		(screen story)
Ronald Shusett		(screenplay) &
Dan O'Bannon		(screenplay) and
Gary Goldman		(screenplay)

Produced by
Buzz Feitshans	....	producer
Robert Fentress	....	associate producer
Mario Kassar	....	executive producer
Elliot Schick	....	associate producer
Ronald Shusett	....	producer
Andrew G. Vajna	....	executive producer (as Andrew Vajna)

Original Music by
Jerry Goldsmith

Cinematography by
Jost Vacano

Film Editing by
Carlos Puente
Frank J. Urioste

Casting by
Mike Fenton
Valorie Massalas
Judy Taylor

Production Design by
William Sandell

Art Direction by
José Rodríguez Granada		(as Jose Rodriguez Granada)
James E. Tocci		(as James Tocci)

Set Decoration by
Robert Gould

Costume Design by
Erica Edell Phillips

Makeup Department
Craig Berkeley	....	makeup artist
Rob Bottin	....	special makeup effects design and creation
Jeff Dawn	....	makeup department head
Vincent Prentice	....	special makeup effects
Raúl Sarmiento	....	assistant makeup artist
Alfred Sousa	....	special makeup effects: Rob Bottin Crew
Peter Tothpal	....	key hair stylist
Robin Weiss	....	makeup artist
Michael White	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Anuar Badin	....	production manager
Pablo Buelna	....	production leader
Terry Collis	....	production manager
Marco Aurelio Ortiz	....	production chief
Juan Clemente Prosper	....	unit manager
Michael R. Sloan	....	post production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Vic Armstrong	....	second unit director
Guillermo 'Memo' Carreno	....	second assistant director (as Guillermo Carreno Saaved)
Efren del Moral	....	second assistant director
Matthew Feitshans	....	second unit director
Ileana Franco U.	....	second assistant director
A. Hugo Gutierrez Cuellar	....	second assistant director (as Hugo Gutierrez Cuellar)
Miguel Lima	....	first assistant director
Kuki López Rodero	....	first assistant director (as Juan Carlos 'Kuki' Lopez)
Íñigo Vallejo-Nájera	....	second assistant director (as Inigo Vallejo)

Art Department
Henry Alvarez	....	sculptor
Scott Bobbitt	....	lead man
William Boyd	....	foreman
Steve Burg	....	illustrator (as Stephen Burg)
Judy Cammer	....	assistant art director
Elpidio Cano	....	plasterer (as Elpidio Cano Castro)
Miguel Chang	....	set designer
Larry Clark	....	painter
Ron Cobb	....	conceptual artist
Gary Deaton	....	foreman
Bruce Di Valerio	....	assistant construction coordinator
Cal DiValerio	....	construction coordinator
Thomas B. DiValerio	....	construction foreman
Dragon Dronet	....	specialty props
Carlos Echeveria	....	set designer (as Carlos Echeverria)
John R. Elliott	....	carpenter (as John Elliot)
Tim Flattery	....	illustrator
Dominic Gerace	....	carpenter
Giacomo G. Ghiazza	....	storyboard artist (as Giacomo Ghiazza)
Alfredo Gómez Capetillo	....	plasterer (as Alfredo Gomez Capetillo)
Antonio Gómez Capetillo	....	plasterer (as Antonio Gomez Capetillo)
Scott Goodale	....	carpenter
George E. Hanson	....	painter (as George Hanson)
Daniel Hermosillo	....	painter
Steven Ladish	....	props
Neil Lamont	....	assistant art director
Enrique Lechuga	....	painter (as Enrique Lechuga Hernandez)
Etta Leff	....	assistant set decorator
Francisco Marinas Romero	....	painter
Antonio Mata	....	property master
Antonio Mata Jr.	....	props supervisor (as Antonio Mata Ortiz)
Jonathan McKinstry	....	assistant art director
Ron Miller	....	illustrator
Dennis J. Parrish	....	property master
Dan Pemberton	....	construction foreman (as Daniel Pemberton)
Daniel Perugini	....	plasterer
Carlos Romero	....	painter
Héctor Romero	....	assistant art director (as Hector Romero Cardenas)
Anna Sanchez Genard	....	set dressing assistant
Alex Scutti Jr.	....	plaster supervisor (as Alex Scutti)
Mazzareno Sgolacchia	....	propmaker
J. Fernando Solorio	....	set dresser (as Jose F. Solorio)
Benjamin Suarez	....	warehouse supervisor
Miles Teves	....	concept illustrator: Rob Bottin Productions
Marco Trentini	....	set designer
Theresa Wachter	....	set dresser
David Wiezer	....	model maker
Warren Williams	....	carpenter
Alejandro Ayala	....	art assistant (uncredited)
Chris Buchinsky	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
David A. Arnold	....	dialogue editor
David Bartlett	....	sound effects editor
Ron Bartlett	....	sound effects editor (as Ronald Bartlett)
John Brilhante	....	re-recordist (as John W. Brilhante)
Heriberto Cárdenas	....	cableman (as Heriberto Cardenas)
James Christopher	....	sound effects editor
Carlos Delarios	....	re-recording mixer
Dean Drabin	....	adr mixer
Donald Flick	....	sound effects editor
Judee Flick	....	foley editor
Stephen Hunter Flick	....	supervising sound effects editor (as Stephen H. Flick)
Dana Gustafson	....	assistant sound editor
Scott Hecker	....	supervising dialogue editor (as Scott A. Hecker)
Alan Howarth	....	special sound effects
Nicholas James	....	sound effects editor
Doug Kent	....	assistant sound editor (as Douglas C. Kent)
Michael J. Kohut	....	re-recording mixer
Susan Mazzei	....	assistant sound editor
John Pospisil	....	special sound effects
Steve Richardson	....	foley editor
Aaron Rochin	....	re-recording mixer
Fred Runner	....	boom operator
Fred Runner	....	production sound
Hank Salerno	....	adr editor
Norman B. Schwartz	....	supervising adr editor
Dan Sharp	....	re-recordist (as Daniel Sharp)
George Simpson	....	sound effects editor
Michael R. Sloan	....	post-production sound supervisor
Gina Spiro	....	assistant sound editor
Nelson Stoll	....	production sound
Rosemarie Wheeler	....	assistant sound editor (as Rose Marie Wheeler)
Butch Wolf	....	foley editor
David W. Alstadter	....	foley mixer (uncredited)
Vanessa Theme Ament	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Oscar Mitt	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Henry Alvarez	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Jennifer Ann Barnes	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Paula Barnes	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Amanda Beard	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
James Belohovek	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Roland Blancaflor	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Roland Blancaflor	....	special effects technician: Rob Bottin Productions
Marcus Brancly	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
James Clark	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Allen Coulter	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Tracy DeFreitas	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Brian Dewe	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Stephan Dupuis	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Mike Elizalde	....	special effects technician
Fernando Favila	....	project coordinator: The Bottin Effects Crew
Jim Feldman	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Gunnar Ferdinandsen	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Greg Figiel	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Scott R. Fisher	....	special effects
Thomas L. Fisher	....	special effects coordinator
Tamara Fites	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Erick Geisler	....	creature effects
Roy Goode	....	mechanical
Lee Grodsky	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Gloria Hylton	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Karen Kleinfeld	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Bruce Y. Kuroyama	....	special effects technician
Dale L. Martin	....	special effects
Robin McDonald	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Tricia McFarlin	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Don McLeod	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Chuck Montova	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Becky Ochoa	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Dennis Pawlik	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Art Pimentel	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Margaret Prentice	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew (as Margaret Beserra)
Vincent Prentice	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Tom Prossner	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Alberto Revilla	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Samuel Sanz	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Dawn M. Severdia	....	project coordinator: The Bottin Effects Crew
Ernie Shelton	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Loren Soman	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Alfred Sousa	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Richard Stutsman	....	special effects foreman: miniature unit
Miles Teves	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Blake Torney	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Andrea Toste	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Gene Young	....	model construction
Stuart Ziff	....	effects crew: The Bottin Effects Crew
Louise Alvarez	....	special effects crew (uncredited)
Robert DeVine	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Yarek Alfer	....	head sculptor
Philip Bartko	....	mechanical effects technician
Elissa Bello	....	visual effects
Rob Bottin	....	character visual effects
Eric Brevig	....	visual effects supervisor
John Frederick Bryant	....	production engineer: Metrolight Studios
Rob Burton	....	realtime motion control supervisor
Brent Collins	....	computer graphics designer
Michael Condro	....	motion control programmer/operator
Thierry Coup	....	model maker
C. Marie Davis	....	additional visual effects editor
Christopher Duddy	....	visual effects
Alex Funke	....	visual effects director of photography
Paul Gentry	....	director of photography: visual effects blue screen unit
Erik Henry	....	visual effects editorial
Tom L. Hutchinson	....	digital effects artist
Patric Kenly	....	visual effects animation cameraman: DQI
Carole A. Kenneally	....	video effects coordinator
Bill Kent	....	motion control operator
James W. Kristoff	....	executive in charge of production: MetroLight Studios
Brad Kuehn	....	optical photography supervisor
Mark A. Lasoff	....	software designer
Jeff Matakovich	....	optical supervisor: Dream Quest
Tim McGovern	....	visual effects: cgi director
Rob Menapace	....	motion control graphics
George Merkert	....	visual effects producer
Rexford L. Metz	....	visual effects director of photography
Derrick Mitchell	....	assistant visual effects editor
Marlo Pabon	....	visual effects compositor: DQI
William Powloski	....	motion control
B.J. Rack	....	visual effects producer
Linda Renaud	....	assistant visual effects editor
Thomas Rosseter	....	optical lineup
Dobbie Schiff	....	visual effects executive producer: MetroLight Studios
Mary Siceloff	....	visual effects line producer
Jesse Silver	....	matte artist
Mark Stetson	....	miniature effects co-supervisor: SVSI
Michael Talarico	....	motion control camera technician: Dreamquest Images
George Trimmer	....	chief model maker
James Valentine	....	rotoscope supervisor
George Willis	....	model maker
Mark Yuricich	....	miniature effects foreman
Judy Elkins	....	motion control operator: miniatures (uncredited)
Michael Kory	....	CG monitor graphics (uncredited)
Scott Ross	....	general manager: ILM (uncredited)
Laurel Schneider	....	miniature effects production coordinator (uncredited)

Stunts
Gerardo Albarrán	....	stunts (as Gerardo Moreno)
Andy Armstrong	....	stunts
Vic Armstrong	....	stunt coordinator
Alejandro Avendano	....	stunts
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunts (as Bruce Barbour)
Gary Baxley	....	stunts
Dickey Beer	....	stunts
Simone Boisseree	....	stunts
Clay Boss	....	stunts
May Boss	....	stunts
Tony Brubaker	....	stunts
Cheré Bryson	....	stunts (as Chere Rae Bryson)
Richard E. Butler	....	stunts
Roger Callard	....	stunts
Ignacio Carreño	....	stunts
Jorge Casares	....	stunts
Ann Chatterton	....	stunts
Doug Coleman	....	stunts
Simon Crane	....	stunts
Graeme Crowther	....	stunts
Vince Deadrick Jr.	....	stunts
Leon Delaney	....	stunts
Nick Dimitri	....	stunts
Kenny Endoso	....	stunts
Jeannie Epper	....	stunts
Stephanie Epper	....	stunts
Donna Evans	....	stunts
Dana Dru Evenson	....	stunts (as Dana Evenson)
Jose Gallegos	....	stunts
Buddy Gilyard	....	stunts
Allan Graf	....	stunts
Ed Hamilton	....	stunts
Roy E. Harrison	....	stunts (as Roy Harrison)
Swan Hefner	....	stunts
Freddie Hice	....	stunts
John Hock	....	stunts
Marcia Holley	....	stunts
Robert Jauregui	....	stunts (as Bob Jauregui)
Jeff Jensen	....	stunts
Jesse V. Johnson	....	stunts (as Jess Johnson)
Peter Kent	....	stunt double: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Peter Kent	....	stunts
Joel Kramer	....	stunt coordinator
Steven Lambert	....	stunts
Gene LeBell	....	stunts
Wendy Leech	....	stunts
A. Michael Lerner	....	stunts
Fred Lerner	....	stunts
Billy D. Lucas	....	stunts (as Billy Lucas)
Lars Lundgren	....	stunts
Mauricio Martínez	....	stunts
Mike H. McGaughy	....	stunts (as Mike McGaughy)
Bronco McLoughlin	....	stunts (as Bronco McLaughlin)
Wayne Michaels	....	stunts
Bennie Moore	....	stunts
Gabriela Moreno	....	stunts
Steve Picerni	....	stunts
Gábor Piroch	....	stunts
Terry Richards	....	stunts
Walter Robles	....	stunts (as Walt Robles)
Gregg Sargeant	....	stunts
Cherie Tash	....	stunts
Rafael Valdez	....	stunts
Ric Roman Waugh	....	stunts (as Ric Waugh)
Gary J. Wayton	....	stunts (as Gary Wayton)
David Webster	....	stunts (as J. David Webster)
Danny Weselis	....	stunts
George P. Wilbur	....	stunts
Dick Ziker	....	stunts
Erik Cord	....	stunts (uncredited)
Vince Deadrick Sr.	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
David Appleby	....	still photographer
Bob Bremner	....	gaffer
Donald Bryant	....	camera operator
Richard Clark	....	video playback supervisor
Gustavo Covarrubias	....	best boy (as Gustavo Covarrubias Garcia)
Teodoro García	....	second assistant camera (as Teodoro Garcia Lopez)
Anette Haellmigk	....	camera operator
W.C. 'Chunky' Huse	....	key grip
Adolfo Lara	....	chief electrician
Ignazio Maccarone	....	electrician (as Ignacio Maccarrone)
Ignazio Maccarone	....	gaffer (as Ignacio Maccarrone)
Hector M. Garcia Marin	....	first assistant camera (as Hector Marcos Garcia Marin)
Carlos Montaño	....	camera operator (as Carlos Montano J.)
Enrique Morales	....	electrician (as Enrique Morales Montañez)
Enrique Morales	....	gaffer (as Enrique Morales Montañez)
Francisco Roble Mota	....	electrician
Francisco Roble Mota	....	gaffer
Guillermo Moysen	....	first assistant camera (as Guillermo Moysen Rosas)
Xavier Pérez Grobet	....	first assistant camera (as Xavier Perez Grobet)
Álex Phillips Jr.	....	director of photography: second unit
Juan Manuel Priego	....	second assistant camera
Alan B. Samuels	....	video assist operator
Chuck Shuman	....	plate and blue screen photography (as Chuck Schuman)
Bill Thornhill	....	best boy

Casting Department
Claudia Becker	....	casting: Mexico
Joni Kearney	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Haleen K. Holt	....	costume illustrator
Ismael Jardon	....	wardrobe (as Ismael Jardon Tejas)
Taneia Lednicky	....	set costumer
Abel Melo	....	wardrobe
Mayes C. Rubeo	....	assistant costume designer (as Mayes Castillero de Rubeo)
Joan Thomas	....	costume supervisor (as Joan Skelton Thomas)

Editorial Department
Derek Brechin	....	assistant editor
Noori Dehnahi	....	post production coordinator
Ron Lambert	....	color timer
Teressa Longo	....	assistant editor
Humberto Luna-Gallardo	....	apprentice editor
Edgar Pavon	....	assistant editor (as Edgar Pavon Arce)
Carlos Puente	....	assistant editor (as Carlos Puente Ortega)
Florent Retz	....	assistant editor
Mark Eggenweiler	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Bruce Botnick	....	music engineer
Darrell Hall	....	assistant music editor
Kenneth Hall	....	music editor
Steve Love	....	music supervisor
Arthur Morton	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Jon Carpenter	....	transportation
Alan Collis	....	transportation captain
Donald Collis	....	transportation
Jack Collis	....	transportation
Lynn Collis	....	transportation
Bob Dewitt	....	transportation
Ricardo Díaz	....	driver
John Dickenson	....	transportation
John Downey	....	driver
John Downey	....	transportation
Alma Rosa Elizondo	....	transportation
Shane Greedy	....	production van driver
Alfonso Paredes	....	driver
David Trevino	....	transportation captain
Tim Wolf	....	transportation

Other crew
Armando Amador	....	production auditor (as Armando Amador Díaz)
Kim Balser	....	assistant to executive producer
Michael Barnes	....	legal attorney
Pablo Buelna	....	assistant: Mr. Badin
Jane Bulmer	....	assistant to executive producer
Corey Burton	....	adr loop group
Craig Campobasso	....	liason: Los Angeles
Eric Clarke	....	production assistant
Rhonda Columb	....	assistant: Mr. Schwarzenegger
Jim Davidson	....	production controller
Tony Didio Jr.	....	armorer
Lynn Ehrensperger	....	assistant: Mr. Verhoeven
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Lily Flaschner	....	location manager
María Asunción Gómez	....	assistant production accountant (as Maria Asuncion Gomez)
Judith Goodman	....	production coordinator
Jesús Guerrero	....	crowd coordinator (as Jesus Guerrero)
Mario Kassar	....	presenter
Mark David Katchur	....	assistant production accountant (as Mark Katchur)
Mark A. Lasoff	....	software designer
Steve Lionetti	....	production assistant (as Steven Lionetti)
Norah Lozano	....	production auditor
Colonel Jorge Mancilla	....	security chief (as Mayor Jorge Mancilla López)
Lynn Marks	....	assistant: Mr. Schwarzenegger
Steve Newman	....	marketing coordinator
Rosa Lilia Pérez Ortega	....	production secretary
Dennis J. Parrish	....	production associate
Charles Pattenson	....	production assistant
Gary Platek	....	laser and cloud effects
Trudy Ramirez	....	script supervisor
Joel Rosenberg	....	assistant production accountant
Anna Roth	....	location manager
Lilia Soto Aragón	....	script supervisor (as Lilia Soto Aragon)
Sven-Ole Thorsen	....	trainer
Belinda Uriegas	....	assistant: Mr. Badin
Andrew G. Vajna	....	presenter (as Andrew Vajna)
Mike Wacker	....	assistant: Mr. Schwarzenegger (as Michael Wacker)
Frans J. Afman	....	financial consultant (uncredited)
Harry Kopoian	....	airport liaison: Mexico (uncredited)

Thanks
Syd Dutton	....	special thanks
David Gale	....	special thanks
Lisa Krohn	....	special thanks
Dan Speaker	....	special thanks
Bill Taylor	....	special thanks
Larry Watermann	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Carolco International N.V.
• Carolco Pictures
• TriStar Pictures

Distributors

• TriStar Pictures (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (1990) (France) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Pioneer (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Live Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Pioneer Entertainment (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1993) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Artisan Entertainment (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Artisan Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Canal+ Droits Audiovisuels
• Columbia Films (1990) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Elliniki Kinimatografiki Enosi (ELKE) (1990) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Flashstar (Brazil) (video)
• Home Video Hellas (HVH) (1991) (Greece) (VHS)
• IPA Asia Pacific (2009) (Thailand) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (video)
• Live Video (USA) (DVD)
• Maple Pictures (2007) (Canada) (DVD)
• Momentum Pictures (2007) (UK) (DVD) (HD-DVD)
• Scotia International Filmverleih (1990) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1990) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Special Effects

• Dream Quest Images
• Hunter/Gratzner Industries
• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)
• MetroLight Studios
• Stetson Visual Services Inc.

Other Companies

• Adolf Coors Company  special thanks
• Albert G. Ruben and Company  production insurance
• American Express  special thanks
• CBS Studios, London  music recording
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Columbia Studios  sound re-recording
• Complete Film Corporation  completion bond
• Continental Airlines  special thanks
• Credit Lyonnais Bank (Nederland) N.V.  production financing (as Nederland N.V,)
• Credit Lyonnais  production financing
• FGV Panther  panther dolly and crane arm (as FGV Panther Corporation of America)
• Hansard  process compositing
• Hilton Hotels  special thanks
• Inter Video  24 frame video playback
• Lifestar International  medical services
• Miller Brewing Company  special thanks
• Modern Props  special technical props
• National Philharmonic Orchestra  orchestra
• Northwest Airlines  special thanks
• Parker Public Relations  publicity
• Peggy Siegal Company  publicity
• Pepsi-Cola Company  special thanks (as Pepsi-Cola)
• Proton  special thanks
• Sharper Image, The  special thanks
• Stembridge Gun Rental Inc.  weapons
• USA Today  special thanks
• Varèse Sarabande  score album released by
• Xerox Corporation  special thanks
• Yamaha  digital keyboards

Also Known As:

El vengador del futuro (USA: Spanish title)

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Portugal:M/16 | Australia:M (cut) | Australia:MA (re-rating) (2005) | Australia:R (original rating) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1991) | USA:R (certificate #30288) | New Zealand:M | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1990) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (2001) | Germany:16 (cut version) | Iceland:16 | USA:X (original rating) | Philippines:R-18 | Brazil:16 | India:A | Argentina:18 | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Chile:18 | France:-12 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | West Germany:18 | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Estudios Churubusco Azteca, Mexico City, México D.F., Mexico

Company:

Carolco International N.V.

Trivia:

The short story on which it was based was first optioned in 1974, 16 years before the film finally was released.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Towards the end when Quaid is using his holographic watch to fool the guards who have surrounded him on the catwalk, they begin shooting through his "holographic" image but no-one gets hit on the other side, even though they are only a few feet away.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Doug awakens from a nightmare]
Lori: Doug? Honey, are you all right?
[nods]
Lori: You were dreaming. Doug? Was it about Mars?
[nods]
Lori: [kisses him] Is that better?
Douglas Quaid: Hmm.
Lori: My poor baby. This is getting to be an obsession.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Matrix (1999)

Soundtrack:

Rubble City

Great action, great suspense, great cultural satire, and a great mind-bender

Set during an unspecified future era, Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a construction worker who longs for a trip to Mars. His wife, Lori (Sharon Stone) isn't so keen on it--she'd prefer a trip to Saturn, or a space cruise. Riding on the subway one day, Quaid notices a television advertisement for a company named Rekall, which specializes in memory implants of vacations. Quaid checks into it as an alternate means of having a "Mars vacation". While at Rekall, he chooses an alternate personality upgrade of a secret agent. However, while undergoing the procedure, something goes wrong. He learns that his Quaid identity was a memory implant and he really _is_ a secret agent. Now that he has his real memory back, he's on the run and he escapes to Mars. But why is everyone after him?

Total Recall, based on "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale", a short story from 1974 by Philip K. Dick (and novelized in conjunction with the film production by Piers Anthony), had a laborious history getting to the silver screen. Tens of drafts were written. Production companies were attached then went out of business. Many directors and stars were attached who either changed their minds or who were dropped. Luckily, Arnold Schwarzenegger talked Carolco into picking up the project for him, with Paul Verhoeven--who'd already proved his mettle on the similarly toned RoboCop (1987)--on board as director, because this is an excellent film.

While Total Recall certainly has influences, including "The Martian Chronicles" (1980), Dune (1984) and the first major film based on a Philip K. Dick work, Blade Runner (1982), it's more notable for the films that it has influenced in subsequent years, including The Fifth Element (1997) and many of the "rubber reality" films such as Abre los ojos (1997)/Vanilla Sky (2001) and The Thirteenth Floor (1999). It's also yet another film on the very long list that have had various elements "adapted" into part of The Matrix (1999)--most explicitly here, the "bug" that Quaid has to remove from his body with a high-tech machine and the possibility of "waking up" from a particular reality by taking "the red pill".

Although it's easy to interpret Total Recall in a very straightforward manner, so that the bulk of what we're seeing at any particular moment and the bulk of the dialogue are the literal reality, very convincing arguments can be made that the majority of the film is a depiction of Quaid's memory implant while in the "patient's chair" at Rekall. And those certainly aren't the only two interpretations possible.

What matters more than thinking one has a "right answer", though, is the deeply captivating story that provokes our interpretations and the amount of fun we have getting there. Verhoeven and the scriptwriting team, which included Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett, the writing team behind the Alien films (beginning with Alien, 1979), never let us go very long without another plot twist, most of which force a reinterpretation of the material that went before. The twists occur about once per every ten minutes, if not more frequently.

The film is notable for its special effects by Rob Bottin, which were far ahead of their time, and its fantastic production and art design, which manage to make us feel both that we're experiencing a vicarious trip to a "future grunge" Mars and an almost "Doctor Who" (1963)-ish absurdly artificial reality, complete with supersaturated red skies, ala Frank R. Paul's illustrated covers for the Amazing Stories fiction magazine.

Some locations in Mexico were used for the film, including some subway shots on Mars, and actual commercial sign age was incorporated into the film. There's a lot of fun to be had noticing all of the cultural differences and similarities that the future era of the film will bring. Verhoeven delights in subtle glimpses of various symbols and accoutrement's. His view of the future is one full of corruption, commercialism and decadence. He doesn't have much confidence in a "bright new world" as humans spread out to new territory.

Verhoeven is basically extending the way things are now to the future; it's as if he sees our state as indicative of human nature, so that as long as we're humans, people are going to be taking advantage of one another, trying to control one another, engaging in behavior that's a conflict between desires and societal mores, but also helping out each other when the going gets tough. In these respects, Total Recall has culture-satirical similarities to later films such as Starship Troopers (1997), which isn't surprising given that Verhoeven directed both films. It's notable that Total Recall's future is not quite as bleak as Starship Trooper's.

But the film is hardly less violent. Verhoeven's initial cut was given an X by the MPAA for violence. A number of scenes had to have small edits, most of which have thankfully been restored on at least one special edition DVD. The violence here is a lot more small scale and personal than Starship Troopers. In terms of the visceral, Total Recall often rides a gray area somewhere between action and horror. While the action isn't as explosive as many Schwarzenegger films, the suspense never resolves until the end. This is an amazing thrill ride of a film.