Filmmaker reacts to Total Recall (1990) for the FIRST TIME! 

"Omg there's three titties! That's incredible." 😂😂😂 Most people have the same reaction to that one scene

Paul Verhoeven is an absolute legend.

It was Dean Norris in the makeup, that's why you know him. You will find out that he is in a ton of famous flicks, T2, Starship Troopers etc

Its clever that they had the recall guy pitch the entire plot to Arnold. Also tbe technician gives away the ending when he says “thats new blue skys on mars.” As they are loading arnold in the machine.

To give you an idea of just how nice Arnold Schwarzenegger is in real life, he found out during the shoot that Michael Ironside's sister was in the hospital battling cancer, so every day during the shoot he called Michael's sister and encouraged her through her treatment.

As you have probably learned by now, Paul Verhoeven has no chill with violence.

This is where everyone learned their arnold grunts

Phillip K Dick the author of Total Recall is also the author of Do Androids dream of electric sheep? aka the Bladerunner film.

For 30 years, I've been contemplating whether it was all just a memory implant or if it was reality. Still not convinced either way. I think that's a great hallmark of classic science fiction. Love this film!

Makes me wish I had three hands! 🤣

a very young Sharon Stone, and the actor ( the mutant you seem to recognise) was Hank from Breaking Bad.

"you think this is the real Quaid? It is" My favourite line from this movie

A close to perfect role for Sharon Stone. I remember her saying it was hard for her to get interesting roles, because her beauty put her in very narrow type casting. A brilliant woman.

"Ill blow this place up and be home in time for corn flakes" is my favorite line from this movie. Hes such an asshole and has made Mars suck so much that he doesnt even need to flaunt champagne or some shit; just that he gets the privilege of enjoying a breakfast cereal.

Saw this in theaters in 1990. Michael Ironside being Mr.Intense, Ronny Cox being a great super villain(slightly similar to Robocop), Sharon Stone knocking it out of the park as a sweet villain, Rachel Ticotin absolutely not needing to be saved and Arnold bringing the goods once more. For me it's one of those all-time films, like Fugitive, Shawshank Redemption and Usual Suspects. Just a joy to watch again every time. The effects got an academy award too, well deserved IMHO. Stellar miniatures. Paul Verhoeven just knows how to do bloody action. Starship Troopers man. Helldivers 2 was inspired by that film, another Paul Verhoeven classic.

Verhoeven's ten year streak from Robocop to Starship Troopers is just legendary

This might honestly be the best sci fi film ever made. It's really that good on so many levels. I've watched this dozens of times and it never gets old.

Total Recall is a WOW movie. So many surprises and twists. Arnold kills it.

I love that everything hit for you without being jaded by any of its age. This is such a great example of what there is to love about sci-fi stories, it touches on so many "what if" ideas to think about. I also love that they decided to leave it open ended enough that, even to the end, it could have been all in his head as part of the implanted memory as vacation (blue skies on mars and you get the girl)

When he takes the case from the old lady and she says "F--- You, you a--hole" it's a callback to Arnold's famous lines from the first Terminator movie and Commando. Hence Arnold's little bow. Yet another meta layer on an insanely meta film.

There are good films, and then there's movies that transcend all conventional film criticism through sheer awesomeness

I love that Verhooven was like "I am going to make what Stereotypical American Action Movies are like as a foreigner sees them" and then went and made the best ones of both the 80s and 90s.

I damn near wore out my VHS copy of this as a kid. The late 80's and 90's were peak cinema. This, Star Wars, Predator, Terminator 1&2, Robocop, Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, so many more. Action stars & practical effects at their finest.

If you ask in Spain a lot of people knows Jerry Goldsmith iconic theme for this movie, they used it in television for broadcasted soccer matches opening, like you said, getting ready for battle

It's so insane that we don't make movies like this anymore. The priorities for funding films is so incorporated it seems the fun of making them is dead.

Arnold in the dream is how I do my impression of him

Mutant man in that bar was Hank from Breaking Bad lol

Absolutely love this movie. Paul Verhoven is a freaking genius

This was the movie my aunts and uncles and the older cousins would watch in the other room at gatherings lol. One of my earliest memories is getting a peek at the three titty lady. Changed everything

There's very few movies where you feel ANYTHING can happen. This is one of them! The movie feels like a dream itself, which is the point of the question whether it was real or not.

I love the action sequences in this film. Anybody could just throw blood and explosions onto the screen. But I love how, even at its most ultraviolent, this movie is just brimming with creativity. And insane practical effects.

This used to loop in the bedroom for months at a time... fall asleep listening to it lol. Actually had disks explode in the player from over use. It's a great movie... and good option for the future. Lol.. Great reaction.

the crazy thing is after he killed the guy who told him to take the pill, everything went down exactly as that guy said it would. so it *could* have all just been a dream and his brain got scrambled. (also the gag where he pretended to be a hologram and was like "you think this is the real quaid? it is" is still one of my favorite arnold moments)

Wow, James! I can't believe that you haven't reacted to "Total Recall" yet. This one is FIRE!!!

Great reaction! This is a movie than not only you CAN rewatch, but that you NEED to rewatch! Next time, pay attention to what the technician who gets the program for the memory implant says. All the conversation before the implant operation has to be rewatched, as it matches everything that happens later in the movie. That is, everything that happens to Quaid later seems can be part of the program. You actually see pictures on the monitors that match the visuals we see later, including - of course - Melina's face. That is, you could add a scene at the end of the movie in which Quaid wakes up at Rekall, and walks away with all that being an implanted memory, as per program. Plot twists, the machine malfunction, all in the script of the implant. Rekall delivered everything that was promised. Also, you can add a scene at then end, with the doctor and Lori (the wife) signing a document to authorize the termination of Quaid, still on the chair at Rekall, after his mind rejected their final attempt to snap him out of his delusion. By killing their projections, his mind is forever trapped now. Also, you can add no scene at the end, and accept that's just reality within the movie. The movie works either way. But, by not adding a final scene, we're left with a memory implant of sort ourselfves. Is it a memory of real fiction in a movie? or were the last 2/3 of the movie finctional events within the movie? can Quaid really tell the difference between real memories and implants? can we, the audience, tell?

A great example of the 80s breed of movies (made in '90), these are the movies I grew up on.

As a mexican I have the obligation to inform you this movie was filmed in my old México City 😂 The stairs and train chase sequence was filmed in the Chabacano station... And Those stairs are still loooong. 😅 The other car chase was in the Insurgentes roundabout. The rest were government buildings or inside the Churubusco studios. I saw this movie when I was 20 something, and those mars scenes, them gasping for air, still freak me out 😂

remember they said "blue skies on mars" was part of the memory they would implant at Recall, As well that he would save the world and get the girl.

I love it when someone watches a favorite from my childhood and loves it like I do. I get to remember the feelings I had when I first saw it way back in the early 90's.

It was always thr Recall trip because the tech on the side in the office says, "Blue sky on Mars? That's new " under his breath. Which means the end was part of the program. Whether he was having an embolism or not though, is the question.

The province of science fiction is speculation, and this story asks some engrossing existential questions while entertaining you with the action and special effects. I saw this in the theater first-run and was captivated. Paul Verhoeven cemented his place in my cinematic heart with this film, primarily because of his deft handling of every scene. Surprisingly deep performances by Arnold, Sharon Stone, Michael Ironside, and Ronnie Cox kept me entranced. I'm glad you enjoyed one of the best sci-fi action movies ever made, James. I enjoyed your analysis of it.

Have you seen Demolition Man. Forgot what year but 90s. Sly and Snipes star in it. Really Cool movie too

That one bad dude character is the actor from SCANNERS !

"In an hour he could have Total Recall" James: "Coooool!" I loved this movie as a kid and was honestly such a mind blowing story concept to me. Glad you loved it as well it made me giddy seeing your genuine joy watching it!

Omg...so happy you watched this! One of my favorite films of all time!

One of the 90's best sci-fi action movies . Arnie was mega awesome in this ! Arnie + Paul Verhoeven becomes a classic 90's masterpiece !

You can't beat Verhoeven's squibs. Glorious. One of my absolute favorite movies to smoke a blunt and watch

I love the 90s, and this movie was like the start of an incredible decade of movies.

There was a level of professional that elevated this film to a higher standard. Great review James.

This is my favorite Arnold flick. The practical effects are so good for the time. Great cast too. Ronny Cox is so good, just like in RoboCop. It's definitely a great rewatch.

I dont think you realize how good the makeup is because when arnold is acting with the bug is not him its a full size puppet head of arnold. Also the same when he takes off the lady head. Rob Bottin who did the effects on the thing did this and finally one a special oscar which meant they went straight ahead and just gave them the award because of its technical achievement. Quato and his host are also a massive puppet that took i believe 12 people to operate

Everything about this film is absolutely brilliant. It’s based on the novel, “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale,” by Phillip K. Dick, author of “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” which is the book on which “Blade Runner” is based. It really helps that this film was directed by Paul Verhoeven, who directed the original “Robocop” and “Starship Troopers.” The music is by Jerry Goldsmith, and I’m pretty sure the first two notes from the brass instruments in the music from the opening credits are a nod to Basil Polidouris’ opening music for the original “Conan The Barbarian,” film, which basically was Arnold’s breakout role. The practical makeup effects and prosthetics were by Rob Bottin, who was responsible for at least most of the effects in John Carpenter’s “The Thing,” as well as the werewolf film, “The Howling.” As a testament to how much of a standup guy Arnold can often be, while on set, he noticed that Michael Ironside (the actor who played Richter-the guy who lost his arms) had something on his mind and asked what was the matter. Turns out his sister had been struggling with cancer. Arnold then got on the phone with Michael’s sister and spoke with her for about an hour about an exercise regimen and a nutrition plan that would help boost her energy and immune system.

Without doubt one of the greatest films ever, literally has everything and delivers without question. Never get bored of watching it and really enjoyed seeing you enjoy it so much!

The re-watch value of this film is almost without pier. So many awesome scenes. So many brilliantly done twists that can be thought about again and again.

Favourite line: See you at the party Richter.

Honestly might be Arnold's best film in my opinion.

I love how crazy this movie is. Shout out to Verhoeven

James is the only reactor that I know of that gets the giggles at the most violent scenes. 😅

This movie has one of my favorite scenes/lines. After Quaid kills Richter in the elevator he yells "See you at the party Richter!" a throwback from earlier when Richter punches him in the face before his memory wipe.

I'm personally of the opinion that everything that happens after Arnold submits to the machine is all part of the delusion. Everything, and i mean everything that happens after he straps down to the machine happens *exactly* how the dream vacation salesman says it will. He became a secret agent, people were trying to kill him, he met an exotic woman and he killed the bad guy, Vilos Cohaagen. They even showed him the exact face of the woman who would show up in his dream, her face flashes on the little screen. And the name of this prepackaged fantasy? "Blue Skies on Mars," which turned out to be a spoiler for the very last image he sees in his dream(likely ever). When the sweaty guy appears at 17:55 and claims to be a scientist speaking to him from the waking world, he warns him that he's suffered a "schizoid embolism," and if he doesn't come out of the dream soon, he'll be lobotomized. He doesn't listen, and so the rest of the movie continues to happen. But everything he warned him about came true! "One minute you'll be the savior of the rebel cause, and the next thing you know, you'll be Cohaagen's bosom buddy. You'll even have fantasies about alien civilizations ..." In other words, all the crazy plot twists and stomach aliens that come in the last part of the movie are the result of Arnold's brain misfiring as doctors remove chunks of it from his skull. The final fade to white as he kisses Milena under the blue skies of Mars are his last moments of life. Probably.

open your mind, open your mind. Love this movie and your reaction made me happy.

I totally grew up on this film - I had a VHS copy at, like, the age of 8 and for some UNFATHOMABLE reason my parents thought this was a totally acceptable film for their child to watch over and over *and over* again. I had probably seen it 150 times by the time I was 12, and by then my Total Recall VHS tape actually wore out, and always frakked up my VCR when it got to the moment where Melina pulls a gun on Quaid. I knew the whole film pretty well by then, at least. It’s the incredibly over-the-top violence that shocks me more than anything else about this film when I go back and re-watch it today. Man, you just do NOT see real practical effects-based violence like this in movies anymore today, like ever. Nothing that even comes within 100 feet of this. Of course, it was pretty exceptional back then too - along with Robocop of course, part of Verhoeven’s ultraviolebt sci-fi satire trilogy if you include Starship Troopers as well.

My dad took me to see this with my twin brother when it was brand new. We would have been 11 at the time. Needless to say, it made an impression. Nobody does it like Verhoeven when he's at the top of his game.

Damn I kinda regret not watching this earlier. Sci Fi and Action meshes so well, it's crazy. This and They Live are really profound movies, even if they aren't using the most subtle references or fancy words. Also, the action is just so amazing like, what the hell is going on lmao people were crazy, there's glass, blanks flying everywhere and people trumpling eachother, insane. If you haven't, you should watch District 9, not at all the same vibes, but the same amount of just, sheer filmmaking craziness.

"5th Element and Blade Runner" Cyberpunk Geneaology lesson: The script for "Total Recall" was from "Alien" writer Dan O'Bannon Blade Runner (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep) and Total Recall (We Can Remember It For You Wholesale) were both written by Philip K Dick in the 60's. Around that time Jean Claude Mezieres created "Valerian and Laureline" which 5th Element director Luc Besson adapted in 2017 as "Valerian and The City of 1000 Planets." Mezieres is creditted for pioneering the "industrial" look of science fiction, like Star Wars, whereas sci-fi before then was all very fantasy-informed with glowing crystals and aliens in priest robes. Mezieres is in fact a bit bitter about the look of Star Wars, and there's a couple obvious potshots at Star Wars in his later work. At this time, an adolescent Luc Besson, inspired by "Valerian and Laureline" began creating the ideas that would become "The 5th Element" In the mid-70's, during pre-production on Jodorwosky's Dune, Dan O'Bannon met Moebius. O'Bannon had an idea for a comic that he pitched to Moebius and Moebius was intrigued and agreed to do the art. They created the Metal Hurlant ("Heavy Metal") comic "The Long Tomorrow" which was the source material for the "Harry Canyon" segment of the Heavy Metal animated movie, and was the chief source of inspiration for the look of Blade Runner. Ridley Scott had both O'Bannon and Moebius for "Alien" but for Blade Runner, he had Syd Mead whom he instructed to make "Blade Runner" look like "The Long Tommorrow" (Syd Mead and Moebius would work together on "Tron") TLT is short, it's like 16 pages and easily accessible online, it's worth a read. You'll see how Blade Runner was inspired by the look of the buildings, the stratified society with the lower classes in the lower depths of the city, the detective protagonist in a flying car, and a very familiar looking femme-fatale. "Aliens" fans will also learn why the gender of "Arcturian Poontang" is irrelevant. Around the same time, "Alien" producer Ronald Shusett bought the rights to "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" and comissioned O'Bannon to write the first draft of "Total Recall" which then took a decade and half to make it to the screen. Robocop writer Ed Neumeier was a crewmember on "Blade Runner," inspired by his experience working on the film. For 5th Element, Besson had Mezieres and Moebius on his production team. Mezieres asked why Besson didn't just adapt Valerian back then, Besson replied that VFX tech was not up to the task yet, and waited another decade.

I could put this movie on a loop and watch it all day. Your reaction was just like me watching it in the theater when it came out.

Michael Ironside who plays Richter voices Sam Fisher in the Splinter Cell video games

I do love when a favorite reactor pops up with a movie I just know they're gonna love!

You think this is better than the remake? It is.

Great Arnie flick! I got it on VHS 😂

Such a great classic movie - like at the time those effects were amazing - everyone acted it perfectly for the movie and the lines they had.

You know a film is special when almost 35 years later people still debate whether it was a dream or not.

I'm abit obsessed with this movie. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a brilliant mind who got this off the ground, people laugh at his acting ability, but as a professional, he's among the best ever. Did you notice Hank? I'll see if you did when I hit play lol. Big shout out to the underrated Ronnie Cox, maybe the best 80s villain character actor ever, this and Robocop in his cv.

David Cronenberg actually wrote a draft for Total Recall. While he left the project they kept elements in, like the mutants

This is based off a book by Philip K Dick...hes written a lot of other really good scifi that was turned into movies. A Scanner Darkley is his...and Paycheck.

"See you at the party Victor!" One of my favorites!

My personal favorite Paul Verhoeven film! One of the best Arnold films ever!!!!! Also for 1990 some of the special effects still look pretty good today imo.

This was a fun one, James. Your reactions are great. This is such a classic sci-fi action flick and you know Paul Verhoeven is gonna bring the blood and guts! My aunt got this on VHS for me for my birthday when I was way too young to see it but it's been a favorite of mine ever since.

Paul Verhoeven: RoboCop, Total Recall, Starship Troopers Great gore and humor and concepts in all of them.

So funny that you recognised Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) under all that Tony mutant make up 👏😂

James, you remind me of friends from high school that used to sleep over most weekends and we'd watch pretty much anything we could get our hands on at Blockbuster. Keep on keeping on man, love the work!

15:17 Absolutely Iconic ... classic SciFi cinema shot

Interesting thing to note: If you saw this on VHS it came with a movie trailer for Terminator 2 with Arnold being constructed saying I'll Be Back. As for this movie its definitely an EPIC movie. Watched it many times and it never gets old. Plus you gotta love Michael Ironside's performance as well. If you've never seen this version of Total Recall starring Arnold it is a must. Thanks as always with what you do James VS Cinema ! Keep it up!

17:43 It's Hank Schaeder!

This has got to be one of my favorite Arnold films! I had an Uncle who was very Arnold, Jean Clad, Segal, and Chuck Norris in my upbringing. I miss the 90s.

"Give the people the air" followed by Arnold noises.

I knew you were gonna really love this movie as soon as I saw the thumbnail, glad you got to react and experience this one. We were spoiled back in the day. I saw it in the theater, I was like 9 at the time. This was always one of my favorites, I feel like I liked it a little more than most people at that time, but it was certainly recognized as an awesome movie from what I remember.

"That's a new one, 'Blue Sky On Mars'"

HOW HAVE YOU James, NEVER SEEN THIS? Crazy, but I'm here for it.

It was such a blast watching this on your channel as you reacted/commented on this. Hadn't seen this in a few years and forgot how much fun this way. Wonder what the budget was since nothing in this looked like a place we currently have and of course all the extra background people. Thanks for doing this

So glad you loved this, had this on VHS as a kid, so 10 yr old me watched this like 200 times, so many cool scenes, the futuristicness of it, the one liners, action, comedy, cool effects, just a great classic popcorn film

I love how much fun you had with this one. It's one hell of a ride.

Awesome Movie and Work Bro, Thanks. Greetings from Helsinki, Finland

In my top ten movies of all time. I love your channel and appreciate all your time and hard work. Thank you for sharing your gift and insight with us. Much love

Yoooo! Great reaction. I saw this in the movie theater. I love seeing your take on set design and blocking. Especially your noticing of the amount of extras, giving the scenes a realistic look. 80s movies were wild with how much they did that. Speilberg was huge on using the people of which country he was filming be in the film genuinely. Temple of Doom they fed the head villager lines and what to do to express his hands. Makeup ane effects through this movie are insane. All the practical robotics. It looks bad and weird and goofy, but that look let us know we're watching a movie.

Love how much fun you had with the film 🤠

Nice Wyo hat James. Been waiting for you to check this film out for awhile. Thanks for getting around to it!

Total recall is a great film! awesome to see it with James!

Brilliant story. Brilliantly executed.

I remember that my dad, who was a grip, liked to say about this film that they broke the most candy glass he'd ever seen anybody break in any movie. Which is a nice axcolade, LOL