Why the fight choreography of Arnie's TOTAL RECALL is so good (and so brutal). 

The Trilogy is: RoboCop, Total Recall, Starship Troopers. You'll never get another Paul Verhoeven.

In the original post-download fight scene he's fighting more human opponents. They're sweaty, overweight, covered in wounds. They scream and grimace as they are hit. They and Quaid's blows are clumsy and desperate. These are all things that make the fighting more relatable to ordinary human experience, and thus more realistic and gritty. Whereas in the remake it's a larger group of clean, masked and identical assailants. Everything about them says 'we are not characters'. And if they are not characters, the audience has less reason to worry the hero is in any danger.

The fight scene in the remake looks like a video game cut scene. The original scene looks like a real, terrifying situation. You can buy that Arnie could kill 4 guys in that situation, by taking the initiative but in the remake, you can tell that a bunch of stuntment are taking turns getting punched.That remake sucks ass. A fucking elevator through the Earth. My fucking God.

This is really the problem with the PG-13-ification of violence. By removing the sound fx and squibs that make violence feel more real, it creates this bizarre distance and I think it takes the viewer out of the movie. If you don't want to show graphic violence in your movie, fine, then choreograph a fight that doesn't involve those kinds of hits/kills. But I think it's oddly jarring to see what should be horrific violence done in such a sanitized way. If people criticize violent movies by saying they desensitize viewers to the violent acts, id argue that pg13 action movies are actually worse. They remove the weight and danger that violence actually poses to people. Either represent violence and bloodshed in a way that respects life and its fragility, or dont.

My friend Steve Lambert, who was a Gung Fu master and member of The Five Dragons (Al Leong, James Lee, Douglas Wong and Eric Lee) was in Total Recall. He was the guy on the escalator who gets sprayed and thrown. Sadly, Steve passed away a couple years ago, but he was absolutely brilliant and his work in Martial Arts and Film live on.

The difference, IMO, is that fight scenes used to look better because they were a lot more _raw_ and looked less choreographed back then. Action movie fights used to look like it could be regular guys having a punch up with some gritty sound effects and squibs thrown in to make it more dramatic, then the Matrix came along and every fight choreographer had to have 27 black belts and fights started looking obviously choreographed, which has the effect of breaking the audiences suspension of disbelief.

*"Total Recall: 1990"* is the real deal, the classic, which I have watched multiple times. I've seen the 2012 remake only once. That's it.

Problem with the remake imo, is that the action scene doesn’t have a ‘punch’ to it. The original does, the sound effect, emphasis on certain actions and the blood.

The irony is that Richter never did go to the party. Jokes aside, Total Recall is my favourite Arnie film. It's possibly my actual favourite film. Though Starship Troopers Ive seen more.

The thing about Arnold is that he always had amazing charisma. Even if he isn't the best actor, you want to watch him.

7k subscribers on this just shows that YT doesn't promote quality at all . . . This video was pure greatness!

I don't care if you're the toughest badass that ever lived. There's no "air" time in real life. No one in the real world can fist fight his way out of a ten-man squad with submachine guns.

"See you at the pauty Richtaa!"

Total recall reboot was forgettable, nothing against the actors/director. You just can't beat OG Paul Verhoeven films.

Tbh Arnie could of probably killed most people with one hit back then, guy was built like a fucking nuclear reactor

my personal disliking with over the top action scenes like in the remake is that it doesnt seem possible. the first one feels legit, its one gunman who didnt shoot because he didnt react quick enough to being kicked in the chest, far from realostic but it feels plausable. the police in the back rows wouldnt have waited when the main character starts grappling with the close officers

I personally don't like the overly choreographed fight scenes in movies these days. They look too obviously scripted, which kills my suspension of disbelief.

I can't remember where i heard it, but apparently its twisting and snapping of leeks that gives the most satisfying "bone breaking" sound

The violence in Paul Verhoeven's Total Recall is so much more visceral, especially when Douglas Quaid has to defend himself from Harry and his men. This is a fight where, even though the hero is portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger, there is no promise Quaid will survive. This is a ferocious street fight with a sense of jeopardy and true risk In only moments of brutality, with straightforward, easy to follow camera work, it creates an emotional investment in "Arnold" Quaid. Like him, the audience is confused as to how he "switched on" into a trained killer and is in for the ride all the way to Mars By comparison, in Total Recall 2.0, the inciting violent encounter between "Colin" Quaid and the Next Gen Stormtroopers, it looks more like a "non-skippable cut scene" from a pretentious hideo kojima video game The cinematography is *_TOO_* sophisticated and self-congratulatory, the violence is *_TOO_* smooth with obsequiously compliant assailants, so much it instantly removes the audience from the moment and attention lapses because they think there is no danger Violence is ugly and not a bloodless dance routine, which is why Total Recall 1990 is the superior film

Excellent video. Verhoeven is an apt economist with his action shots.

There are two things I liked of the 2012 remake, the first one is that the roads from the future city look like they could be from the same universe as "Minority Report" and also a good choice to cast Bryan Cranston as Cohagen, even though Ronny Cox is still a good "rotten bastard" in that film. The original one, will always be a classic and since I live in Mexico City, it is great to visit some of the filming locations in my daily life, or at least when I happen to visit those locations.

The fight between the 2 women is also one of my favourites ever, filmed really well.

This was a really great take. Super interesting, very well made and flowed perfectly. I'm subscribing for sure.

So stoked to have found this channel! Love your insight and how you bring up things like the cultural vision of a fight scene for the era.

I think, the reason is "Paul Verhoeven" and his over-the-top, yet tongue-in-cheek film making.

Michael Mann directed LA Takedown and it was his practice for Heat.

Great subject matter for a video to explore. Me and my film bros for decades always have defended the violence in this and the Director's previous film RoboCop as not realistic violence or cartoonish violence or violence that is just a series of quick-cuts, extreme close-ups, rapid-fire editing in low lightening that results in incomprehensible action. His movie's violence always seems to follow the satirical themes of his movies and have a seriously dark comedy vibe element through line running through them. But the action itself reminds me of Jackie Chan action where there is actual imagination and creativity in each action set piece that has an inspired way each person is dispatched and inventive solution to how the hero gets out of each violent situation. They all have an almost musicality and balletic rhythm to all of it they follow that has an ebb and flow. The Auh-nold action scene using the dead body as a human shield as he dispenses with his adversaries is a step by step master course on the building blocks of comedy. The body keeps getting hit with more bullets as the scene goes on, becoming more and more mutilated and disfigured till it's wildly ridiculously over the top and then culminates with Auh-nuld remorselessly tossing the bullet riddled corpse aside like discarded trash nary a second thought, like a cold efficient world class spy would, which just the matter of factness of the zero empathy given to his ruthless top tier skill set is poker face hilarious. Tarantino violence can also often be so heightened and stylized to the point of parody, but just on the edge of it, but his violence also usually has a streak of black comedy running through them. And people always die memorably.

Fine...I´ll watch the remake again!

what channel is this? this is great. thank you.

The "concrete" wall shakes when Arnold bangs them both against it in the beginning, ha

“Quaid freaks out & is sent home”?? He slaughters the entire staff in the most brutal, fucked up ways! He stabs a metal bar through a guys skull for gods sake! Haha!!!

I grew up on 80’s action movies, but I had forgotten The Neck Snap that was such a great trope in the fighting scenes Arnie’s fighting this kind of predates Steven Seagal’s approach. But works much better with Arnie rather than a tub of lard and people just flipping around him

@_shotzero - Speaking of brutal fights, my memory is that the fight between Alabama and Virgil in True Romance is one of the most realistically visceral I've seen on film.

Arnold is so much more physically imposing you just the pure brutality he was capable compared to a normal man.

Arnie's Total Recall? Sorry pal, i think you just meant Total Recall

I like the remake, but the original is one of my all-time Favs: it has a specific mood i even can't describe but which i love.

I love the original Total Recall. Man is it a blast. The old Bond movies have great fights too considering they’re PG. The train fight in From Russia With Love is intense.

Verhoeven does, gore, squibs and bloodletting like no other. Guy is a genius.

o glad I found this channel cant wait for our next video.

Kate vs Sharon, that's the fight I'd like to see. Too close to call in all kinds of ways.

was just talking about this scene with one of my movie buddies the other day

You forgot manhunter 🤣 Love the Arnie version - can rewatch it anytime - couldn't finsih the Colin version.

Fiiiiiiiine. I'll finally watch the remake.

I myself belonged to the people wondering at how one can miss a pistol-shot that close. Now i know better.

Holy shit! I just caught something I never noticed before! When Arnold pulls the two dudes back before knocking them into each other, he hits the wall behind him, and it bends inward, a wall made of concrete! Revealing that it's just a sheet of some kind. I can't believe I am just now seeing that, for as many times as I have watched this.

The violence in 1990 Total Recall was graphic. The New Zealand Classification Board should not have given it the lower M mature rating and it should have been rated Restricted 16 for graphic violence and offensive language. It's rumoured that in the original X rated cut which got trimmed for a R rating, in the Last Resort battle sequence, the bowie knife that Thumbelina uses to kill Helm is graphically seen slicing up his upper torso. In Benny's death scene, when Quaid kills Benny with the drill, his guts were seen falling out of his body (Pretty sickening). Quaid killing Cohaagen's scientists was heavily trimmed down and Richter's death which both his arms get severed in the elevator fight was also shortened.

I think the camera work in the remake worked better in the previz. There was something "uncanny valley" about how it bounced around with real actors

Great video! Nice channel! Subbed!

I will always prefer the 1990 Total Recall because 1, it stars Arnie when he was still a huge box office draw, 2, it's the original film adaptation, 3, it was released during my childhood which gives it nostalgic value. With that said, as much as I dislike the 2012 remake, I have to give it credit for being an adaption that is closer to Quaid's character in the source material.

When the Total Recall remake came out, there were a BUNCH of BTS videos, and they kept talking about this sequence. They were gushing over and over - especially Bruckheimer - about how this "has never been seen in a movie before." They were so interested in the execution of this SHOT that the final result lacks emotion. Like action sequences that do 1,000 cuts - blip blip blip blip - there's no emotion. What makes the original Arnie/Verhoeven movie action sequences work, just like Bourne and Matrix, is that you not only have enough wides to know the geography, but reaction shots from the characters to convey mental state and emergency problem solving. That translates into a more EMOTIONAL action sequence, which has a more lasting impact than, "Isn't it so cool how we made the camera zip around the room really fast?! Oh, by the way, our main character is fighting for his life - and he has NO idea that he can fight like this..."

NO NO NO NO now you leave me with my own oppinion, I am used to having a youtuber telling me which movie is better. This feels wrong now, you can't just do that to me! (just kidding, great video man)

I agree. Redoing the same story is a really interesting exercise. The Beaver Trilogy for example.

i think i have to point out that all those good remakes haven't been sold as such. independence day isn't war of the worlds though it clearly is. (yes i recognise invasion of body snatchers exception)

Can you do a video on the fight between Hector and Achilles from Troy. My favorite fight scene of all time, and always felt more real than other fights. Would love to get your perspective!

i grew up with the original and while i do luv it the remake for once i thought wasnt that bad. it had really good vfx and action along with sets and locations, thought it was a fun time just not legendary like the og.

Len Wiseman took a scene out of The Bourne Identity.

Excellent analysis and the references to fighting styles at the times was really interesting. You do have a few spelling mistakes though. Eg : Paul Verhoeven

That first fight sets the tone of all the action and violence that is to follow. Even the rats get blasted in the same fashion. All in is always better IMO. The 1990 version has more in comon with Deadpool when it comes to violence. Arnie gets kicked in the balls, sliced with a knife, almost ground up with a rock drill, tossed in to Mars' charming atmosphere AND he uses some poor dead schmuck as a human shield. He's also WAY more intense, even just judging by the memory implant scene. "My name is not Quaid!" Having seen the 1990 Total Recall, this remake didn't stand much of a chance with me, whereas The Thing blew my hair back in every way. I had seen the 50s version on TV and it scared me a lot as a kid, but "The Thing" instilled paranoia and horror on a whole new level. Shame for the 2012 Total Recall. I could not stop comparing it.

I believe it depends on the current audience when it comes to remakes. I liked True Grit a lot, and an older gentleman I was working with at the time still liked the old version with John Wayne, I guess it depends on the writing, directing, and acting on if any film will work, whether it’s an original or remake.

Very well done vid mate, I was captivated throughout. Colin is a great actor but no one can beat Arnie in an action movie. The new one was cool looking but too sanitized imo. Arnie in a crazy, early 90's gorefest with his hilarious one-liners ftw. 😁

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="745">12:25</a> - what do you mean Trinity 'not scary'? I think there was scare factor in her intro; she killed a buncyh of cops, and before we knew that they weren't the good guys. And technically those cops were innocent, playing their role in the Matrix. Not to mention her unworldly spider like powers; pretty scary.

Original film was a proper passion project of a film. Like most older films were. Well thought out, and it shows. The later one was a cash grab, like most modern films. Crowd pleasing money machine films have ruined the film industry.

Thanks!!

Please, take a look at Riley Scotts The Duellists

F Arnold’s Freedom.

Im going to be honest here, i didnt evwn know there was a remake. Just why, why did they make it, there was no need. If you can't improve it let it be.

Ultimately, the only person qualified to remake a Verhoeven film... is indeed Verhoeven. Otherwise, it doesn't really work. Sure, people can TRY (and they have, obviously), but it's a bit like someone trying to emulate Spielberg, Lucas, Coppolla, etc. I mean, even Michael Mann was redoing his OWN FILM when he shot "Heat". :) Small Easter Egg... Xander Berkeley got to be in both. Super underrated actor.

Both the original total recall fight scene and Trinitys intro in the matrix have quite simple, even bland backdrops. The focus is on the action. The backdrop for the total recall remake is too busy. The lighting too dim. It’s hard to follow what’s actually happening…and it happens too fast. I think it breaks immersion and is a worse scene for it…

Hamlet was a remake of amleth. Seriously Shakespeare remade something.

So I hate the 2012 fight scene. I know that if you're on a SWAT type team you have a lot of training. Weapons and hand to hand training. Even if you're on a crappy SWAT team you'll just shoot and hit your target from 10 yards away. The Bourne movies changed fight scenes in movies forever bringing in a realism that is cool but your "Jason Bourne" character still has to have realistic enemies to fight. The 2012 movie SWAT team are basically a bunch of Star Wars Stormtroopers.

In the movie you may notice that there is mostly just dull greens and shades of greens and then with mars that massive contrast it delivers a real feeling

So Arnold sits in the chair to have the full 'secret agent' package and It's at that moment it all starts...so is it just an implanted memory and Arn never leaves the docs office?

When i saw the remake, i thought that he is still in simulation. After like 20 minutes - wait, they are serious, all this bs is actual story?!? That movie was terrible :D

The original Total Recall is perfect. It doesn't need a remake. So is Robocop.

Verhoeven is a waaaay better filmmaker, and it shows in every scene.

Paul “Verehoven”? 🤣

The choreography of the fights cinematography (sometimes) in the new one is just rubbish unbelievable film making... Typical of modern films like marvel.

The remake has a neat aesthetic , but they really mangled the plot and the fighting. Prey had the same problem with its fight scenes. There were a lot of skinny people break dance fighting and sliding into home plate for no reason. That kind of violence should be graphic. It should be shocking. If you did that in real life, either you or other people around you would be mortified.

This is from the /r/martialarts sub: Interesting video but I don't really like the comparison to WWE wrestling. I woud much rather argue that the fight scene is crude at least in part by design. In the remake the bland superhero instantly goes into superhero Matrix mode right from the start. In the Original Arnie doesn't. He desperately attempts what an untrained guy his size could attempt. Using his size and strength to shove and muscle his way through the situation. He more or less discovers bit by bit during the fight scene that his muscle memory knows stuff that he doesn't. But this is added on top of his crude untrained bar-fight fighting style. Apart from the admittedly goofy looking shoving two guys into each other, this has very little to do with WWE style moves and a lot more with crude, unpolished fighting of somebody who isn't trained to fight. Which makes perfect sense and the scene more believable and imho a lot better than the remake.

I think the only problem with the original is Arnie playing a nobody, an everyman. It's not believable, he's Arnie! That's probably the only point where the Colin Farrell version of Quaid is better.

*Kimba* led to the Lion King. ^_^

Fight scenes went quite lame and tame in comparison to the 80s and early 90s. Even Matrix was too whimiscal and flowery by comparison, the SFX to the fight scenes in particular were in no comparison to Total Recall.

The original was a much better movie

This remake was. One of the worst movies ive ever seen

unnecessary piece of shit remake vs a masterpiece

"was in fashion in the movement culture at the time" yeah....and it sucked ass

I HATE REMAKES

its NOT good and the only thing brutal about it is the acting. he can't act.

I always hated this movie.