Total Recall by Mia, Ryan and Anastasia

Total Recall

A Film Blog by Mia Clarke, Ryan Hartloper and Anastasia Selivanov

Watch the Trailer!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DwNb-ZGVjE (YouTube)

Information About the Film (3):

The film Total Recall was released in 1990. The film was directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Ronald Shusett, Dan O’Bannon, Jon Povill and Gary Goldman. The film was inspired by a short story by Philip K. Dick. The leading actors are Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Ronny Cox and Michael Ironside. The running time is 1hr and 53 mins (IMDb).

A General Review of the Film (4):

The film “Total Recall” takes place in two different settings, the film starts off on earth, and eventually changes settings to take place on Mars. Doug Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is the protagonist of the film. The opening scene of the film takes place in Quaid’s mind while he is having a nightmare. In his nightmare, Quaid suffers an extremely painful death after an accident on Mars, foreshadowing his future on the planet. During the beginning of the film the audience learns that Doug is married to a woman named Lori who he lives with him on Earth. Bored of his everyday life on Earth Quaid wishes to visit the planet Mars, however after he learns about the revolutions happening on Mars Quaid is tempted into visiting a company, Rekall, that implants memories of vacations into their customers minds. The implants allows people to take trips without even leaving the “Rekall” building. While the “Rekall” scientists are implanting Quaid’s desired memory of being an undercover agent on Mars, a problem arises during the procedure. Quaid learns that the life he has been living was actually a false memory implanted into his mind, and that an organisation is currently working towards getting rid of him for good. During his escape from his enemies, Quaid is given a briefcase by an old friend. Inside the briefcase, Quaid finds instructions that his previous identity had left in case his original memory happened to be tampered with. Determined to discover his true identity, Quaid escapes the authorities and sets out to Mars in disguise. Following his previous identity’s instructions, Doug goes to Mars and finds Melina, a woman he knew in his previous life. He finds her in a village full of humans who were sent to Mars to work in the mines, virtually as slaves, who then became deformed and mutated because of the toxins in the mines. After escaping capture from the authorities in his apartment, with the help of Melina, Quaid meets up with Quato. Quato is the leader of the resistance against Coohagen, the owner of the mining industry who also controlled the oxygen supply to the community there. Unfortunately, the rebels are betrayed and their base gets ambushed which results in the death of Quato and the capture of Quaid and Melina all while Cohaagen begins to starve a section of the colony from air. Although the rebel operation is ruined, Melina and Quaid manage to escape Cohaagen’s men right before his old memory is re-implanted.After escaping capture once again, Quaid and Melina take down Cohaagen’s men they manage to activate the alien’s air system on Mars. By activating the air system on mars left by the aliens, the inhabitants on Mars are able to breathe freely and do not risk being tortured by lack of air from Cohaagen as he himself ironically perishes from lack of oxygen. The final scene revolves around Quaid and Melina observing the beautiful view on Mars in each others embrace.

Quaid learns that the life he had been living was actually a false memory implanted into his mind, and that an organisation was now working towards getting rid of him for good. Determined to discover his true identity, Quaid escapes the authorities and sets out to Mars in disguise. Following the instructions given to him through a video made by his previous identity. "Hauser," Doug goes to Mars and finds Melina, a woman he knew in his previous life. He finds her in a village full of humans who were sent to Mars to work in the mines, virtually as slaves, who then became deformed and mutated because of the toxins in the mines. After escaping capture from the authorities in his apartment, with the help of Melina, Quaid meets up with Quato. Quato is the leader of the resistance against Coohagen, the owner of the mining industry who also controlled the oxygen supply to the community there.

Unfortunately, the rebels are betrayed and their base gets ambushed which results in the death of Quato and the capture of Quaid and Melina all while Cohaagen begins to starve a section of the colony from air. Although the rebel operation is ruined, Melina and Quaid manage to escape Cohaagen’s men right before his old memory is re-implanted.After escaping capture once again, Quaid and Melina take down Cohaagen’s men they manage to activate the alien’s air system on Mars. By activating the air system on mars left by the aliens, the inhabitants on Mars are able to breathe freely and do not risk being tortured by lack of air from Cohaagen as he himself ironically perishes from lack of oxygen. The final scene revolves around Quaid and Melina observing the beautiful view on Mars in each others embrace.

Several film techniques in Total Recall were used to affect the audience: sound, costumes, framing, lighting, and editing (Golden.) For example, certain sounds that were used in the movie were really effective to understand that the movie takes place in the future. For example, when Quaid met Kuato, the moment where Kuato was revealing himself, the music in the background was very ominus and suspenseful. The sound of the instruments progressively getting louder as Kuato reveals himself which can lead the viewers to believe that Kuato is not a human person. That music was nondiegetic, since it was not part of the environment of the scene.

        In addition, the music that was present throughout the whole movie made the viewers understand that there was a mystery/suspense going on. An example would be at the beginning of the movie, the music was rather mysterious with violins playing slowly accompanied by the sound of loud and intense brass instruments which helped the viewers to understand that the movie will be suspenseful and full of action. That music was nondiegetic, because the characters could not hear the music playing and it was not part of the scene, it was there to put emphasis on the type of movie that will be presented. Although each scene had its own unique piece of music to accompany it, the music has the same tone throughout the film. Each piece had ominous undertones and was a mix of violin and brass instruments.

       The costumes that were used were really helpful to the movie staging. Indeed, they help us to understand the setting of the movie. For instance, when the characters were wearing more modern clothes, we could understand that they are from the planet Earth compared to the people living on Mars, they had clothes that were less fashionable. Those helped to emphasize the affluence of those on earth compared to the oppressed and exploited people on Mars. They wore distressed and worn out clothing in dull colours, they had messy and knotted looking hair.

        To add another example, the “bad guys” were wearing suits and were more formal in the movie and all of the others. This choice of costumes was also helpful to have a better understanding of the different parts of the movie.

Framing is a big part of making a movie. For example, a close-up frame shows the actor’s head from the neck-up. A scene where there was a good use of a close-up frame was when Quaid was listening to a tape of his previous self, explaining the situation he has been embroiled in, in case he loses his memory. In that scene where he takes the bug out of his nose, we can really see the pain on his face.

        Another example would be when Doug was at Rekall. When Doug woke up and had a "schizoid embolism”, there was a close-up frame to emphasis the fear and madness that he was experiencing. This is very effective for the viewers, since it really shows the emotions and on what state of mind the character is going through.

        The use of different lighting will reveal a lot about the setting and scenes of the movie. Low-key lighting will show that at any moment during the scene, it signifies that something unexpected is about to happen. This creates a sense of suspense and keeps viewers on the edge of their seats waiting for something to happen. A scene where this type of lighting is used, is when Melina and Quaid are underground escaping. The low-key lighting helps to understand that they are underground in a sort of a cave.

        In addition to that scene, another one would be when Quaid is watching the video that his past self, Howser made for him. At the same time the bad guys are following close behind, and Quaid has to hide so they do not find him. The usage of low-key lighting here puts emphasis that Quaid is an abandoned building and that something bad will soon happen to him.    

        Editing is the part that makes the movie come together.  Cross-cutting is used to create suspense and have the scenes come together so the movie could have a meaningful order. At the end of the movie, the last scene cuts from shots of Melina and Doug suffocating outside, to shots of air being brought back to the villages, to shots of windows of building exploding. It did create suspense, since we did not know what was going to happen at the end of the scene.

Several interesting issues and themes are present in Total Recall. Since the movie is about how  Doug lost his memory, on his trip to Mars and how throughout the movie we see how he struggles to find who he really is. From the beginning to the end, Doug/Quaid goes through a lot of  situations to try to find his true self. He does not know either he is Doug and have a normal life on Earth, working, have a wife and friends. Or if he is Quaid and he works for Kuato in Mars and has a whole other life there. Knowing that, we can see how the movie makes us think about  memory with the fact that Doug could not remember his past life on Mars and he had a new memory implanted in him. Identity is shown with the facts that with his “memory lost”, Doug had trouble to know who he really was. Indeed, in his “past life” he was known as Quaid but in his new memory he is known as Doug. Here we can see how someone can have trouble to  identify themself since they don't even know which memory of which life is real. Indeed, when Doug went to Rekall to have a fake memory of Mars implanted in him, the two scientists were not able to bring him back when he was in a "schizoid embolism”, meaning he was stuck in a fantasy world that are based on the memories that were to be implanted. What they did was to wipe his memories of even visiting. Rekall and he went on with his life. As we can see, the issue is that because of the use of technology and its unpredictability, this gave Quaid his memories back.

  The importance of trust is another theme that was present in the movie. Indeed, after his visit to Rekall, Doug did not know who to trust and who not to trust, since he did even know who he was. Throughout the movie Quaid meets people from his “past life” and with his new knowledge of his past and present life he has to decide who to trust and he also has to ask others to trust him. Melina did not trust him at first when she saw him, but as time went one she learned to trust him and at the end they ended up by being a team that saved the people living on Mars.

Throughout the movie, it is difficult at first to understand what is the truth and what’s not. But as we get into the movie we can make links between Doug’s past and present life. Indeed, we can the thème of  power and exploitation with Cohaagen that was charging people of Mars for the air that they were breathing. We can see here that he was doing this to use the people, meaning that he was charging people for the things that usually you do not have to pay (the air we breathe). 

Word count: 1532 words

Film Review (5):

“Total Recall” succeeds at immersing the audience in an action packed and comedic film that is sure to keep the audience entertained. While many parts of the script are composed of cheesy dialogue and low art scenes, “Total Recall” keeps its audience entertained through the uncertainty and unpredictability of its plot. The audience is constantly left wondering if Quaid’s adventure is actually happening or if it is all part of the “Rekall” experience he had asked for has a double positive effect of not only keeping the viewers entertained but also immersing them in the plot. When evaluating the scene where Quaid is supposedly entering his “Rekall” vacation as a secret agent, the audience can obviously notice that Quaid had been giving the serum to place him in his desired vacation. Therefore it can be easy for many to say that all the events following Quaid’s injection where simply his “Rekall” experience; however this does not explain Quaid’s dreams. The fact that Quaid’s dreams before “Rekall” involved the same lady (Melina) that he eventually meets up with later in the film directs the audience to thinking it can not just be a coincidence... or is it? The beauty behind the viewers constantly questioning the true reality of the film is that it only provokes their critical thinking and as a result leads them to have a better understanding of the plot itself and familiarises them with key concepts and underlying thoughts provoked by the director. At times, however, the film fails at evoking and emotional response out of the audience due to its cheesy dialogue. If viewers are simply looking for an action packed, low art, and somewhat comedic film, “Total Recall is definitely worth seeing. However, an audience wanting to view an emotional and artistically stunning film should definitely steer away from this film.

Our Rating of Total Recall (6):

★★★☆☆

Course Connections (6):

1. Moral Deskilling: Moral deskilling is a concept brought up in the article, ​Humans and robots are on the cusp of a sexual intimacy we may never reverse, ​by Cassie Werber. The concept claims that “we could lose some of what it is like to be human” (Werber, 55). The concept of moral deskilling can be related to how people in the film ​Total Recall, ​pay to have memories of vacations implanted into their brains while strapped into a chair instead of actually going on a real vacation and experiencing the trip in person. People in the film are skipping out on creating real memories with loved ones and experiencing real human interactions. The implantation of impersonal memories limits people from creating new experiences and genuine connections with other humans which can easily be related to moral deskilling.
2. A second topic covered in class that strongly connects to the film is that of Epistemology. According to the course pack on page 21 “Epistemology is the study of knowledge. Questions of interest: What is knowledge? Is experience a source of knowledge?”. The film “Total Recall” envelopes the whole idea of what Quaid truly knows. This raises the question, does Quaid truly know he is not in a “Rekall” experience? If so, what makes him sure that his beliefs are justified? For example, when the doctor attempts to explain to Quaid that he is experiencing “freeform delusion based on our memory tapes” (Total Recall. Directed by Paul Verhoeven, United States: TriStar Pictures, June 1, 1990.) and that Quaid is really just strapped in a chair at “Rekall” he is directly telling Quaid that what he believes to be his reality is actually an illusion. Although Quaid is taken aback at first, he believes the doctor to be working for the authorities and chooses to disregard what the doctor says.
3. An important class connection to make between the film “Total Recall” and our class is the study of Axiology/Ethics. The film contains basic questions of ethics and morals through the violence that goes on between the rebels and the Mars government. However, the deeper and more significant question of ethics within this particular film comes with the idea of implanting false memories into peoples minds. Is it morally correct to plant false memories and ideas into people’s minds? While it’s never correct to force ideas upon people,  what if people choose to have ideas planted into their minds? When evaluating the concept of memory implantation and its place in ethics, it is important to evaluate the potential positive and negative effects of such a practice. For example, a soldier wanting to replace traumatic memories of the war after he returns home can most definitely be seen as a potential positive effect of implantation of false memories. In this specific scenario, the practice would only directly affect the soldier himself and could very possibly be used as a healing mechanism and preventing post traumatic stress disorder. On the other hand however, placed in the wrong hands, memory implantation technology could also be used to cause harm. The idea of ethics and “good and bad” surrounding the memory implantation technology is present throughout the entirety of the film and strongly relates to the course material of this semester.
   

   
   
   
   

Discussion Questions (7):

• Can Virtual Reality vacations (like memories of trips being implanted into people’s heads in Total Recall) ever replace actual vacations?
• Do you think that, in the future it could be to colonize other planets and create technology capable of supplying the planet with the resources humans need for survival?
• Was Doug ever actually awake and conscious or had he never left Rekall?

Articles Relating to Total Recall (8):

Regarding Virtual Reality and Travel:

In the film Total Recall, people can pay to have memories of vacations implanted in their heads without ever having to leave the Rekall building. With all of today’s technological advancements, virtual reality systems are able to give people a similar experience to Rekall’s memory implants.

http://theconversation.com/vr-technology-gives-new-meaning-to-holidaying-at-home-but-is-it-really-a-substitute-for-travel-101258

Regarding the Colonization of Mars:

In the film Total Recall, Earth is not the only colonized planet in the galaxy. Mars is a colonized and populated planet in the film. Researchers today have been talking about the possibility of one day being able to colonize Mars. As brought up in the movie, it would be difficult to provide Mars with all of the resources human need to survive.

https://blogs.library.mcgill.ca/schulich/the-ethics-of-colonization-on-mars/

Works Cited: 

Chapter 6 of Philosophy: The Quest for  Understanding "Philosophy and You" Knowing the  _____Inner Self, edited by Kelly McKinney, John Abbott College, pp. 19-24.

Golden, John. “Introducing Cinematic and Theatrical Elements in Film”.

“Philosophical Terrain.” ​Philosophy and You, Chapter 1, pp. 19-21.

Sea, Titan. “Total Recall (1990) Trailer [HD] - Arnold Schwarzenegger.” YouTube, YouTube, 12 Nov. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DwNb-ZGVjE.

Schaffer, Vikki, et al. “VR Technology Gives New Meaning to 'Holidaying at Home'. But Is It Really a Substitute for Travel?” The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2018, theconversation.com/vr-technology-gives-new-meaning-to-holidaying-at-home-but-is-it-really-a-substitute-for-travel-101258.

The Turret, blogs.library.mcgill.ca/schulich/the-ethics-of-colonization-on-mars/.

“Total Recall.” ​IMDb,​ IMDb.com, 1 June 1990, ​www.imdb.com/title/tt0100802/

“Total Recall.” Directed by Paul Verhoeven, United States: TriStar Pictures, June 1, 1990.

Werber, Cassie. “Humans and Robots are on the cusp of a Sexual Intimacy we may Never

Reverse”. ​Getting Cozy​. August 11th, 2017. pp, 49-58.