Total Recall (1990)

Sub Par Blu-Ray transfer-fun 80's action movie

I wish Amazon would add sub scales for PQ, AQ, overall movie and other criteria, so that, with the advent of Blu-Ray, technical as well as cinematic aspects would be rated separately. What if you love a film, but hate the transfer?

I had never seen all of Total Recall, and as a fan of older Sci-Fi and action films, I thought the effects were fun and advanced for the time period. Despite Arnold's mediocre acting skills, I am still a fan of his films, because they're so "over the top" and action packed. This film from the 90's was a cool "throwback" for me, and I enjoyed the sound and visual effects, as well as the story line of implanted memories, vicarious living etc. The storyline has often been mimicked by movies that followed in the next decade and for historical purposes and perspective this film is interesting as its themes remain relevant. Seeing Sharon Stone in action sequences was funny but effective, and it was cool to see her in some of her earlier work.

The sound was powerful but the transfer was very dirty and there was significant noise and specs that littered the print. The colors were not as vibrant, as I had hoped, and having seen some much older films, that have been restored (Poltergeist, for instance), this older film's transfer is quite disappointing. Still the picture was clear and on a 50" Panasonic Plasma screen, sitting about 15-20 ft back, it still was a clean/clear experience. For the price of under $12, which I paid, it remains a fun and thought provoking sci-fi film for my collection. It is not demo material, but for its story worth a look for fans. November 15, 2008

WRONG COVER PHOTO!!!

Issue: Cover Images don't match UPC codes for this DVD.

ASIN: B0000640RW
UPC: 012236124740
Total Recall
This version of the film has a special edition silver border around the cover image.

ASIN: B00070FX5U
UPC: 012236170488
Total Recall
This version of the film doesn't have the silver border or photo of Mars on the cover.

Amazon has switched the images so be aware of this when ordering. I would suggest emailing the seller to make sure you are getting the version you really want! November 1, 2008

NOT HD!!!!!

Great movie, but if you own the DVD the blue ray is a waste of money. It's not high definition at all. I have the DVD and blu-ray playing at the same time. I see no difference switching between them. I'm using a 62" tv and it should show any improvement. (Buy the Blade Runner Blu-Ray disk instead. The picture quality will blow your mind :-) October 22, 2008

Works in Europe

Blue Ray Quality decent, can be compared to an upscaled DVD.

Film itself is a classic! October 20, 2008

So whatever your name is, get ready for a big surprise: YOU are not YOU, You are ME.

Total Recall is certainly imaginative. I've seen it twice now, and I STILL don't understand it. I think you could watch this film a few times, and still have questions that you needed answered. But it plays with your mind, and leaves you racking your brains, wondering if what you just saw actually happened.

In my opinion, this is not Arnie's best movie. Maybe it's the character I'm not sure. And normally I love Arnie in movies. Just didn't get this one. Mind you, I don't often understand films that are based on Philip K Dick stories - does anybody? This is based on 'We'll Remember It For You Wholesale'.

Arnie plays Doug Quaid, a construction worker, who's bored with his uneventful life, but not with his nymphomaniac wife (Sharon Stone). For some reason, he's fascinated by Mars, to the extent of dreaming about it. Dreaming that he's there, with another woman. There's a way he can get a 'vacation' implanted into his memory, and with a bunch of extras - like being a secret agent for example.

Once unconscious, Quaid wakes up in a rage, claiming he's no Quaid, but a man called Hauser. (Anne of Green Gables fans, watch out in these scenes, for a character called Doctor Lull, who was played by Rosemary Dunsmore, who played Katherine Brooke in the Anne Of Green Gables sequel.) But the technicians haven't even begun to implant the vacation yet. Blacking out again, and waking up some time later, he's confused. His once loving wife is out to kill him, as well as his colleagues, and he has some unfinished business on Mars. Despite the fact he's never been there you understand.

It's from here that the film skews into a totally different plot and left me completed puzzled. A later scene involves Doctor Edgemar coming into the so called vacation to tell Quaid/Hauser that he's had a schizoid embolism back in the chair when he was getting the implant. This is quite possibly the point where I definitely started to lose the thread of the film - as well as being confused about whether Quaid was Hauser, or Hauser was Quaid, something happens in this scene (I won't give it away) which completely confused me.

In a way, it's good because it leaves the viewer to decide what actually happens. The viewer can decide whether or not the film is a dream, or a reality, whether Quaid gets lobotomised or not, whether Quaid is Quaid or Hauser etc. But for simple minds like mine, it's left totally bamboozled.

Whereas I did enjoy what I could understand of the movie, the reason I'm giving it a low rating, is because it's simply not my favourite Arnie movie.

The movie transfers well onto blu ray, and some additional scenes (more footage of Mars for example) would have looked amazing in high definition. August 19, 2008

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