Total Recall - Return to Reality?

Is this real or just a dream?
Dr. Edgemar (Roy Brocksmith) and Laurie (Sharon Stone) try to convince Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) that he is not actually on Mars, but rather in an induced dream-state back on earth. Quaid suspects they are trying to trick him and follows his instincts-- with explosive consequences.

[@LucianDevine]

Man, Quaid's groin takes a beating in this movie!

[@yega3k]

I just watched this movie again for the first time in over 2 decades! And I'm just realising how much The Matrix borrowed from this movie 9 years later - The Matrix (1999) was released 9 years after Total Recall (1990). Here are a few things I caught: - Both The Matrix and Total Recall revolve around questioning one's own reality - Quaid suspects his life isn't real / Neo suspects his life isn't real - Quaid receives a phone call from a friend telling him how to escape agents who are after him / Morpheus calls Neo telling him how to escape agents who are after him - Quaid removes a tracker from his body / A "bug" is removed from Neo's body - Quaid is offered a red pill / Neo is offered a red and a blue pill - Melina is a part of the resistance and also Quaid's love interest / Trinity is a part of the resistance and also Neo's love interest - Both Melina and Trinity are all-round 100% bad ass - (Agent) Richter is after Quaid / Agent Smith is after Neo - Kuato asks Quaid to open his mind / Morpheus asks Neo to free his mind - Quaid is betrayed by Benny / Neo is betrayed by Cypher - Dr. Egdemar tells Quaid none of it is real / The Architect tells Neo he is not special

[@jr3474]

NICE

[@edercortes1960]

Even if both movies are the same they are both iconic movies for a reason

[@andrewburgemeister6684]

@@hinkhall5291 😂

[@andrewburgemeister6684]

Yeah, so many interesting similarities whether deliberate or coincidental!!

[@yega3k]

By the way, I am NOT trying to put down the The Matrix in anyway. I literally rewatch The Matrix trilogy every year ! Secondly, every filmmaker is inspired by something they've seen in the cinema! It's perfectly normal! No need to get defensive lol.

[@lobonegro1567]

Sharon Stone peak in beauty

[@devilslayerthesaintofkille1317]

1:08 red pill before the matrix.

[@taoist32]

burtonrules123 Remember the red pill was to awaken to reality. He didn’t take it. Thus, he was still trapped in his fantasy/matrix.

[@Argumemnon]

Let's just say that, while the Matrix was very good, it wasn't really very original.

[@macturner80]

burtonrules123 all the same saturnian principles

[@iREZARECTEM]

Yes, in the Matrix, taking the red pill was to awaken to reality. However in this scene, he was already in reality and he had already awakened. The construction worker career and wife was the Matrix. That was no matrix pill either; if he ingested it, they would've successfully drugged him and likely lobotomized him for real.

[@iREZARECTEM]

@Pepe Gomez , I know the difference between the movies. I was adding on to the reference of the original comment and making my own assertions. It's called comparative analysis.

[@eastafrika728]

You gotta love the way Arnold Schwarzenegger says,"Bulls**t!".

[@gc3k]

But in the end, back on KZbin, you'll be DEMONETIZED

[@eyeswideshut7354]

lol

[@joemacdonald6312]

So get a grip on your video and mosaic out that naughty stuff!

[@franchisefred4066]

Underwear gets all sweaty 🤣

[@seferino]

Now you have done it

[@markmcflounder15]

ROFL bro! Freaking brilliant comment. I was rolling bro

[@EHH246]

I love how this movie makes small switches from action movie to a debate on whether or not what he is experiencing is real or not.

[@IceColdProfessional]

Had the Wachowski brother/sisters beat by like 20 years.

[@lopnezk1320]

Philip K. Dick wrote very often with those allusions.

[@alwillk]

@Lop I think he wrote that PC game amnesia in the early 80s.

[@Colt2571]

This actor was incredible...a great mid point addition to the movie

[@xavierpaquin]

An incredible actor with the voice of a chain-smoking lesbian

[@ganthc]

Xavier Paquin didn’t he voice Ursula in The Little Mermaid? 🙃

[@AnthonyTNT85]

@@xavierpaquin lmaoooii

[@markmac495]

Roy Brocksmith RIP

[@TheValhalla1989]

He was also in the rekall commercial in beginning.

[@Redbob86]

The first time I saw this scene I thought "The Matrix totally ripped off this concept, right down the fucking red pill!"

[@ergonautilus]

The first time I saw the Matrix, I thought…

[@hugodrax1674]

Movies appear to copy each other because most of them promote the same occult themes. The red and blue pill was pure Masonic occult symbolism for Yin and Yang, symbolising male and female, heaven and earth. In the end they strike a "Balance" between heaven and earth, blue and red, the "Balance in the force" as occult Star Wars puts it, which is a common theme they push in the occult. In the original Matrix trilogy this balance is represented by a deal being struck between the machine world and "reality", heaven and earth, but in the New Matrix movies expect it to be more overtly represented by Male and Female blending to achieve "Gender Neutrality", just like the Wachowski Bros/Sisters . A lot of Hollywood movies are occult beneath the surface and they'll often retell the same occult allegory. The Matrix allegory was actually retold in a different movie franchise during the same era for a different demographic, Harry Potter. Harry Potter and the Matrix was the same story even though Harry Potter was started before the Matrix and the Matrix was finished before Harry Potter.

[@barrybabbot7481]

@@hugodrax1674 I think you're right about the direction of the new Matrix film and I was afraid it would go this way. Once you understand the meaning of symbolism between man and woman then you realise that it is not about gender or a battle between man V woman or being neutral on either side. It's about your inner resistance and the struggle between the two internally. I don't think the majority will accept the films if taken down this path.

[@hugodrax1674]

barry babbot ... You hold the sheeple in high regard, unfortunately they are very foolish and can be easily manipulated by the Sci-Fi and fantasy movies they confuse with reality. Yin vs Yang is really all part of the conspiracy of the A.ryan and the Hoax Alien Threat to create a New World Order. For this Gender and especially masculinity must be portrayed as the source of all conflict and discord from the home to the fictional threat of global nuclear war. #metoo. Watch the entire video on my channel and then read the M/\sonic Occultist, Manly P Hall's lecture, "Marriage the Mystic Rite", and understand how long this conspiracy has been planned for.

[@scottmatheson3346]

@@hugodrax1674 the irony of you referring to anybody else as sheeple is remarkable, given how easily you're led by the nose. you are inferior to everybody you're trying to set yourself up as superior to.

[@LoversGrief]

There are actually 3 possible interpretations: 1 - it's all just part of the package he's bought and everything is going according to plan; 2 - something really went wrong and they sent this guy in to rescue him; 3 - he's not dreaming and everything is real.

[@cjcanton9121]

If it's part of the package IMO it's criminal that they included the trip to recall and the recall dream as part of the dream, that seems like a way to drive someone mad and make them doubt they're every actually in reality.

[@joethekinghawk7514]

3#

[@starwart2000]

I actually think it’s 1. Quaid got his moneys worth.

[@castortroy1727]

I'm voting for the second choice here. It seems to be the most likely explanation. To me the fade to white ending symbolized Quaid waking up from his lobotomy on Earth in reality. The fact that Douglas Quaid was dreaming of Melina and Mars before traveling to Rekall for the false memory implant and fantasy ego trip procedure was Quaid's subconscious tormenting Quaid because Quaid secretly fantasized being someone larger than life, such as a top secret Martian government agent and spy and one-man Army versus himself on Earth in reality as an average day construction worker and bodybuilder. And Quaid fantasized being with a sleazy, athletic, Brunette woman in his dreams which Quaid's subconscious personified as Melina. As Quaid was put under for the false memory implant procedure he saw an exact image of Melina as his desired female love interest because Quaid was losing consciousness and saw his designed, preferred love interest as Melina from his dreams. The fact that everything Bob McClane said would happen did happen could've been coincidence. But the fact that everything Dr. Edgmar predicted would happen did in fact happen to Quaid after he shot Dr. Edgmar wasn't just coincidence too. Quaid's psychological subconscious created that bead of sweat on Dr. Edgmar's forehead to make Quaid believe Dr. Edgmar was lying so he could shoot Dr. Edgmar, killing Dr. Edgmar in his mind while the real world Dr. Edgmar was on Earth at Rekall, activated in Quaid's subconscious dream gone wrong to pull Quaid out of his fantasy. The fade to white ending symbolized Quaid waking up from his lobotomy on Earth. Quaid suffocating to death in his nightmares of Mars at the beginning symbolized Quaid feeling suffocated by his reality he was given on Earth and wanted to escape from. Harry and Lori acted suspicious before Quaid goes to Rekall because Harry and Lori, as both his best friend and co-worker and his trophy wife, believed Quaid went to Rekall before and doesn't remember.

[@Stormie33]

@@cjcanton9121 I feel like you would run that risk no matter what though, even if you're just waking up back at Recall after your two-week normal vacation where you're not a super agent and Recall played no story role in your dream. When you've had an experience that is indistinguishable from reality, you could no longer ever be sure that you're actually in reality now.

[@deasnutz4ever]

One of the best headshots in cinema history. Love this movie.

[@gordonfreeman5656]

Verhoeven headshots in a nutshell (always goods headshots)

[@BinJuice1630]

I never realised how much the action hero shot unarmed people in the 80's.

[@ecgameplayer]

Well he did try to kill him by tricking him to swallow poison Also funny enough this movie is technically 90s

[@demo2382]

LMAO the escalator scene, where he uses an innocent civilian as a bullet shield!

[@Sonicsmith]

Yes, but they were all bad...

[@Seekingtruth-mx3ur]

@@Sonicsmith lol True Lies

[@oddish4352]

@@demo2382 Well, the civilian was dead... but unarmored human bodies aren't much good at stopping bullets. Another indication (along with that geeky guy saying "Here's a new one: 'Blue Sky on Mars' at Rekall) that this was a simulation. If Quaid had used a real body against real bullets, he'd have been perforated.

[@Treblaine]

the best part about this is all the things this guy says like "one second rebel, next second Hagen's buddy" and "fantasies of alien civilisations" are EXACTLY what happens later in the movie. And didn't Doug request an adventure called "Blue Sky on Mars"? There are new levels to this movie that so many don't appreciate.

[@user-qn4xu4tq7n]

jack brubruh did you see his wife, no way is that more realistic

[@Skynet_the_AI]

All i can say is... HELLOOK i meens hellooo

[@castortroy7704]

But it can be a dream or reality. To me it was real. Everything Bob Mcclane and Edgmar predicting would come true happening was coincidence. Quaid dreamed of Melina and Mars before Rekall. The image of Melina for Quaid's preferred love interest was a result of Rekall re creating Quaid's memory using surpressed memories. Cohaggen paid Dr. Edgmar to theorize a convincing enough lie to deceive Quaid. The fade to white ending was for an ambiguous ending. Before Quaid goes to Rekall Lori and Harry behaved in a suspicious fashion. When Quaid leaves his apartment Lori gives him an icy, cold, menacing stare and you can tell she's tired of the deception. When Harry warns Quaid not to go to Rekall Harry glares at Quaid as if he's worried Quaid Will find out what's going on. Imo it was real but could go either way.

[@Seekingtruth-mx3ur]

@@castortroy7704 that's a good analysis. I think it could be real as well.

[@castortroy7704]

@@Seekingtruth-mx3ur I believe it was real. I'm one of the minor few that do. Harry, his said friend, and Lori were acting suspicious before Quaid goes to Rekall. The fact everything Bob Mcclane and Dr. Edgmar predicted coming true was coincidence.

[@Toosii2times]

As director Paul Verhoeven is careful to explain on the DVD commentary, when Dr. Edgemar (Roy Brocksmith) visits Quaid, he outlines the entire third act of the movie. He says that if Quaid kills him, "the walls of reality will come crashing down" (moments after Quaid shoots Edgemar, the walls of the apartment literally crash down); he says that Quaid will believe himself the savior of the resistance only to discover that he is in fact Cohaagen's "bosom buddy" (which is exactly what happens), and he says that he will have visions of an "alien civilization" (which Quaid experiences during the mind-meld with Kuato). Verhoeven points out that if a viewer believes the whole film is a dream, then Edgemar's prediction that Quaid will end up being lobotomized is fulfilled in the fade to white which ends the movie. -Source IMDB

[@viscountalpha]

I like the idea the memory implant is working as intended and it's all happening in his head. That he either saved the day or wasn't lobotomized at the end.

[@ianmancusomma]

The doctor says if he kills him he will be stuck their permanently with nobody to guide him out… so technically he’s there forever he can’t wake up

[@kadejito1]

In that same commentary, Verhoeven postulated that Hauser and Cohagen may have been lovers previously, which explains why Cohagen seemed very reluctant to kill him until he had no choice ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Not more than a grunt from Arnie on that one 😆

[@calogerohuygens4430]

Real evidence about dream hypothesis is that Melina face appeared in Rekall lab' monitors a few seconds before memories were implanted in Quaid's head. Clearly Melina is an invented character of spy story tale intended for Quaid.

[@MROJPC]

Just when I thought I had the whole movie figured out. Thanks ! 😮 😂

[@cybergothika6906]

Oh so this is where Matrix red pill came from, I never noticed that. Masterful piece. All movies playing with reality were trying to keep it up with Total Recall.

[@andrewburgemeister6684]

I feel The Matrix was mind blowing for a film of it’s time with the VFX and also the philosophy.

[@seppukusushi2848]

The original Red Pill.

[@SammEater]

Yet some Matrix "fans" still say the Red Pill was a "trains allegory" not about accepting the fact you live in a fake reality, while disregarding the fact the Wachowskis literally took that scene from this one.

[@seppukusushi2848]

@@SammEater *"trains allegory"* I don't wanna hear about Lana's Trains. lol.

[@edwardgaines6561]

Red pill? So *THIS* is where _MGTOW_ came from?

[@AntimatterSemen]

Proof that this movie is a true classic: even after 20+ years people on the Internet are still debating whether or not it was supposed to be real or just a memory implant malfunction. Personally, I'd rather believe it was real just because it seems more fun that way.

[@apocalypsepow]

The drop of sweat makes me think it's real. Why would he be sweating?

[@andreaspooky6183]

There are evidence of both theories: - Quaid was Hauser, and he was erased of his villain past: Quaid dreams of Melina in the beginning, because he remembers of time past with her - Quaid was dreaming all along: the alien elements added on his trip to Mars are infact THE elements at the end of the movie, meaning he's mixing truth and desires within his dream However, this is the same kind of debate of the spinning top in Inception, because it's done to entertain you in an endless loop of doubts and questions, when it's the journey itself to be most important. The "ego trip" is at the epicenter of this, with a mix of dream and reality.

[@Dragnmastralex]

@@andreaspooky6183 most people tend to believe it was all a dream. the fade to white at the end was him being labatomized and the tv series that happened afterward even told stories of him losing himself in the machine and being lost. everything loaded on the screen before he was put into total recall even things that they couldn't have faked. this scene is proof since they didn't know where he was on mars but happen to stumble upon him and have a strike team ready to ambush him if the pill failed? the drop of sweat on the doctors head was Houser's doubt. in the end he didn't want to come back to reality because his life was boring and he wanted the adventure.

[@realityitis4]

@@apocalypsepow I think that was the clincher, and this is clearly what inspired the matrix red pill blue pill scene, well this was the original moment. also the whole speel of how the walls of reality will come crashing down, they clearly left the ending where he kisses rachel ticotin clearly open to interpretation and the remake, well it was not even half as good, colin farrell isn't half the leading dude arnold was, yes he's got looks and arrogance, but ill give arnold the edge on blockbusters, the dude started out a bodybuilder who could barely be understood because of his austrian accent, now he's a legend other actors aspire to be

[@NPC13377]

It was all a dream. During the implant scene the scientists talk about blue skies on mars which is what happens later.

[@anubhavjha854]

Am I the only one who thinks "The matrix" heavily borrowed some major plot points from this movie..

[@straightouttacoffee7648]

The Matrix ripped off Neuromancer and The Invisibles. Parts of those may have been inspired by the work of Phillip K. Dick, of which this movie is an adaptation.

[@COGjedi117]

Something has to come from somewhere.

[@gambleviso7726]

The "Matrix" script was in the box before this movie but they never could put this in a movie with their technology at that time.......

[@musclecarbear4704]

Nothing new under the sun. ...nothing.

[@bellicose4653]

True. But in this movie the red pill is a trap

[@perfectionbox]

If that guy had truly been a psych doctor, he would've kept talking calmly instead of yelling at Arnold.

[@westyraviz]

Like when he said “swallow it!”

[@rafaelarcas942]

tell me about it. The fact that the doctor seems to be convenient in what he say by lying of course made this scene better that in the remake where it was Harry , Doug Quaind's friend, who tried to lure him because Harry is only make a new lie after the other to make that main lie real but he is not convinient enough compared to the doctor. Harry seems to improvise while the doctor and the Lori from the ORIGINAL seems to really thing that throught.

[@Lane8492]

"That's for making me come to Mars." Stomps him. "You don't know how much I hate this friggin planet." LOL

[@pedddler]

Imagine those types of comments could be made 70 to 80 years from now considering a trip to Mars appears to be more and more likely in a not too distant future.

[@blaze1148]

@@pedddler u trippin' bro XD.

[@muccisebastian9300]

@@pedddler there is no space, its all a money laundering scheme

[@westernsellers9148]

Mars is the fantasy of the Satanist leaders

[@MeneTekelUpharsin]

@@pedddler Not really. There's nothing in Mars that makes worth going there.

[@Lowlander-ci7is]

Remind me not to sweat anywhere near Arnie 😌

[@starcrafter13terran]

he decided he would prefer to bone the maid

[@user-fm3xr9yz3i]

They should have hired prince andrew

[@magicwanddd]

Sharon Stone has such a commanding look with those piercing Blue Eyes when she looks face-to-face at Quaid!

[@pineapplesand556ers]

Sharon Stone is so hot.

[@thomassodomizer764]

Yes Sir! She was at her peak here.

[@eldebtor6973]

Her hugs are so nice.

[@luthermcgee432]

You're telling me?!

[@giorgialadashvili4771]

An interesting detail I noticed is how this scene is never mentioned or even indirectly alluded to again, even by Cohaagen near the end. When explaining his plan, he mentions such trivial details as the mask and money, and yet curiously omits his diabolically ingenious plan to convince Quaid he was still at REKALL and dreaming. It almost as if this scene exists in isolation, apart from the rest of the movie. If you do accept the whole thing as a dream, it makes perfect sense. It's the only "real" part of Quaid's experience (or as "real" as it gets) and you can interpret later silence as Quaid's complete mental blocking of the incident and accepting dream as his only reality.

[@dabearcub]

Sharon is still beautiful, and a great actress, but she’s at the top of her game right out of the gate!

[@gabrielvazquez7147]

That guy is no Morpheus, don't swallow the red pill!

[@Avrelivs_Gold]

This director used the best tricks to get you involved. You couldn't stay indifferent. Toughest action actor, sexiest female, evilest villains, ugliest monsters... This is why everyone is still enjoying this movie even 35 years after.

[@Simon1985_]

Sharon Stone was one of the best looking females on the planet

[@Avrelivs_Gold]

@@Simon1985_ and she could get much more had she acted in mainstream films. Nowadays mediocre looking women become celebrities just because they're not that ugly as most actresses...

[@tachikomakusanagi3744]

Also this is the originof the Red Pill meme, everyone seems to think it was The Matrix but it was created here. The Matrix merely added the blue pill concept.

[@Avrelivs_Gold]

@@tachikomakusanagi3744 novel writers and screenwriters read many older books and obviously there are much more philosophy theories on paper than ever be on screen

[@mightymaxglitches1548]

Dude even after seeing the reboot first I still couldn't tell if he was in reality or not. A true masterpiece and a fantastic scene.

[@simonscott1121]

It's really obvious if you..... just watch the movie. Spoiler: It's not real. It's exactly as the Doctor described.

[@Blue_Monkey]

@@simonscott1121 You are wrong, read what Paul Verhoeven, who directed the movie, said about it

[@PolosLatinos]

"I love you" - Sharon Stone played it very well... because you can see in her eyes even the lack of sincerity of her character :D

[@patmcbride9853]

The original "red pill" Funny how gravity on Mars is the same as on earth.

[@usul573]

I think the red pill color is a reference to the red fruit apple of knowledge.

[@paulwettstein7071]

It's not. They likely had artificial systems in the domes.

[@alhemmings8554]

Mars has the equivalent of around 38% of the earths gravity. Enough to put a serious spring in your step, but not likely to cause you to bounce around like on the moon.

[@otomicans6580]

As far as I can tell from the Expanse books, Mars' gravity is treated as being about the same as Earth as well. That is, humans from Mars in the books are as sensitive to gravity effects as Earthers are.

[@orkutfinance]

Or how you can make an atmosphere for a planet in about 10 minutes

[@michaelf6327]

Best Sharon Stone ever looked...........EVER!

[@samluo2056]

Basic Instinct??

[@drewpowers7236]

When a woman doesn't love you she can't even fake it for 2 minutes... even if it was her sole job

[@jainee4507]

Arnolds reaction to the nut stomp is priceless 😂

[@andrewdonnelly7201]

It looks so real...that's 2 of Arnies wife's who brutally beat him up in a hotel room..Helen in trueies with a phone and kicks him and Lori here lol

[@hectorlopez1069]

My God, Sharon stone was hot.

[@jcbanbury]

Yes seriously hot!!

[@Brady2k10]

RIP roy brocksmith (the doctor in this) i love this movie so much it saddens me to know one of the actors whole played a role in this film has passed away

[@jasonwilletts559]

He was only 44 when this scene was filmed, he looks much older

[@Redthepunkrocker]

I love when Arnold says bullshit 😂

[@billpeoples7152]

Sharon Stone.... wow!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@beepboop205]

Sharon Stone is incredibly beautiful.

[@TigressOrchid]

Sharon was a beauty here.......

[@sapphyrus]

This movie perfected what others like Inception later tried best: There isn't a way to certainly deduct that it's real or dream throughout the movie. It all goes according to the package he bought yet virtually seamless. Truly a masterpiece.

[@therearenoshortcuts9868]

it's definitely a dream there's no way he single-handily beat up an entire army LOL

[@eugenereeves418]

A drop of sweat got this guy killed 🤣

[@Galliao]

Edgemar: "If this damn room was just 5 degrees cooler"

[@DelcoRanz93]

Funny thing, Roy Brocksmith (Dr. Edgemar), Robert Picardo (Johnny Cab), Lycia Naff (Mary), Ronny Cox (Vilos Cohaagen) and Mark Alaimo (Captain Everett) are all actors who have at one point or another played a role in the Star Trek franchise.

[@AlbertCalis]

Don't forget Mel Johnson Jr. (Benny), he played a Cardassian on Star Trek DS9. And Michael Champion (Helm) he was an alien from the future in Star Trek TNG.

[@fishmanfairclough7530]

Now I get where I know the Johnny cab voice from thank you very much, I thought it sounded super familiar :)

[@toomanyaccounts]

@@fishmanfairclough7530 Robert Picardo has done a fair amount of voice actor

[@gc3k]

verhoeven's action movies always let you stop and think about the absurdity of what you're watching, then goes back to being an absurd action movie :D

[@nelsonbernardi1072]

The fake doctor ended up with an acute neurochemical trauma himself

[@DarrelSimon]

Are you suggesting that Dr. Edgemar was LOBOTOMIZED with LEAD?

[@DarrelSimon]

@Holy Diver Are you suggesting that Dr. Edgemar was LOBOTOMIZED with LEAD?

[@TheRmm1976]

2:32 great moment when they zoom on the drop of sweat! Bye bye Doc!

[@joeince9430]

I don’t get it- why the sweat made him shoot the doctor?

[@kingofthequicksave6482]

Joe Ince Quaid reasoned that people in a dream wouldn’t sweat/get nervous.

[@joeince9430]

King of the Quicksave true- and also people in a dream would try to bang Sharon stone

[@andrewburgemeister6684]

@@kingofthequicksave6482 could also be that his genuinely concerned that Quaid won’t listen and will get worse with his psychosis with the rest of the journey frying his brain and forcing Rekall to pull the plug and lobotomise him.

[@GeeShepherd]

Now you've done it! NOW YOU'VE DONE IT! ....... Common babe, you can't kill me, we're married. ....... Bang! ....... Consider that a divorce!

[@retiredsnowbunnyhunterx5106]

Best quote!

[@DarrenSemotiuk]

Quaid shot first

[@BigBoss29591]

Although Paul Verhoeven now says it was all a dream, he didn't always think that because they were planning to make a sequel that would indicate that the events in the first movie were real, but they scrapped it. Here's the thing, Cohaagen wanted Quaid brought back alive for re-implantation, so if the events were real and Dr. Edgemar was working for Cohaagen, then the pill would've only knocked him out so they could drag his unconscious body back to Cohaagen for re-implantation

[@castortroy7704]

Exactly

[@lukamilas8648]

Which proves Dr. Edgemar was lying to him.

[@stevekima8881]

The director himself said that its meant to be left to the audience imagination ( after the movie was released). But personally i think thats an after thought to hype up the movie. Coz the dialogue throughout the movie hints that its all in his dream. Everything he requested in Recall including his leading lady was as his preference. And he ask to make mars blue sky as well which came true in the end of the movie but in reality we all know it's not remotely possible. And when the doctor came in to pursuade him take the pill he talked about being lobotomized, the term he heard from his co-worker. So it just seems more likely his fantasies playing out.

[@jeffw8218]

Exactly, way more evidence that it's "all in his head", and the reality of the film is that when the movie is over, he wakes up. I don't agree with people that Arnold winds up as a "vegetable" or gets a lobotomy: He paid for an action-adventure fantasy, and that's exactly what he got, including the "double-crossing", the doctor intervening, etc. At the end he wakes up, goes back to his old life, and that's about it.

[@dereksbooks]

I prefer the interpretation that it's real since there are no real stakes if it's just an implant, but one major flaw with the reality argument is that Melina existed as a character choice at Rekall before Quaid was fully sedated. How could Melina's exact picture be part of Rekall's fantasy unless she was just an implant? If Melina is a real person, why would Rekall have her picture BEFORE putting Quaid to sleep?

[@jeffw8218]

@@dereksbooks It's not just Melina, it's the whole thing; being a "secret agent", becoming an unstoppable killing machine, Blue Sky on Mars, etc. The film is Quad's "Rekall Trip", exactly what he paid for. At the end of the film, he wakes up and goes back to his normal life.

[@alfasiger4178]

@@jeffw8218 But the doctor sweating is something unintentional. In fact, if it was a dream, the psychologist NPC would not sweat/be nervous at the prospect of being executed or failure to succeed in his mission of reconstituting Houser. From that little detail, he figured he was not in a dream. Besides, he had these memories before the recall moment anyway, which is why there was a malfunction during his "recall."

[@jeffw8218]

@@alfasiger4178 I disagree, I think that was a detail added by the script-writers of the Rekall Program, as a Test to see if the subject believed their fantasy sequence. Basically, if you didn’t take the redpill, it meant you were fully immersed and ready to “kill” the doctor, believe their story about alien civilizations, and risk it all. The doctor sweating was a detail for the subject (Arnold) to notice to help him make the correct decision.

[@redplaguethe3rd]

It was never a dream. Everything Quaid was experiencing was real...my guess, when he went to Recall, his memory cap got popped and the Howser personality appeared and then reverted back to Quaid. that's why Lori and everyone else was trying to keep him away from Recall.

[@jaysmith1147]

You couldn’t have been more wrong. Paul Verhoeven gives details of scenes in the commentary of the DVD, he doesn’t outright state which interpretation, reality or dream, is the truth. In specific scenes he outlines how each situation can go from either viewpoint, making it even more confusing and gives more detail from both levels. So the answer is ambiguous, could be either one.

[@giftheck]

@@jaysmith1147 Correct. It is meant to be open to interpretation. However... this scene DOES present some interesting evidence - everything the doctor said came to pass (except for the lobotomization). Was it part of the ruse, or was it genuine? It's still open to interpretation, but this bit is definitely interesting to note.

[@LightStreak567]

YES! Plus, Rekall doesn't do simulations, they said it in one part of the movie. They implant fake memories into your mind, there's a major difference in that. You remain in reality recalling a past memory that technically didn't happen in your life, but you remember it as if it actually happened. Quaid doesn't know this since his memory of visiting Rekall was erased after they "blew his cover".

[@LightStreak567]

There clues in the film that hint the answer, the question of whether Quaid is in reality or not is not left ambiguous

[@jaysmith1147]

Responding with, “This is a movie so it’s never real either way,” is a pointless answer. The point of talking about the movie is using your suspension of disbelief and getting into what’s going on. The twists and turns not giving a clear answer is why people debate the ending.

[@velequest]

God bless the 90's

[@barrybabbot7481]

Phillip K Dick was absolutely certain he was living in a simulation but he did not have any reasons for how or why although he did postulate that it was likely computer based. Even in death he continues to live on throughout his stories and or replica (replicants) robots made in his likeness.

[@tron3entertainment]

Hence the reason, *NEVER* let them see you sweat.

[@OGFrylock]

2:47 the walls of reality!!

[@michaelproctor8100]

There was a scene that was dropped from the film where Melina (Rachel Ticotin) tells Quade that she used to be a model for Recall, which would lead one to deduce that his experiences were implanted.

[@mityaboy4639]

Years after years we argue about whether this was real or just the dream ... but the more important bit is, how would we react in a situation like this - when things starts crashing down on us, and things somehow start to play out just like in a dream... as it was predicted... and then someone would appear and tell us that we are dreaming and people around us wanting us to wake up... how would we decide whether we are really in just in our head or things are real... the dilemma of you questioning your own (current) existence... Love the movie :)

[@Bahia82]

Dream

[@BadassName17]

I’d backtrack and think of all the coincidences, and realize that something is actually off. When you question your reality, always try to retrace your steps and connect the dots.

[@mityaboy4639]

@@BadassName17 like in Inception? “how did you get here?” - would we be able to even ask those questions? i mean wouldn’t we just think its okay without prompting us to think about the ‘basics’? like where did you board the train? where did you get the ticket? without asking the specifics, wouldn’t we just skip over those in a dream? like we did not have the scene Quade board any spacecraft, or the matrian train… he was just there. of course if we are not dreaming, we would ask these, but in a dream i think we are on a different level, not questioning our ‘reality’ - so my point would be, someone else would need to raise it, and then it would be us to decode the situation. also: i am not sure what our hero experiences is a dream, it is sort of a virtual reality- directly ‘injected’ to his brain, to make it feel real as a memory. and such as with real memories, we remember the events of a trip, but hardly the crowd on the airport or unless it was pretty bad, the process of getting there.

[@castortroy1727]

Facts. It's ambiguous but I think the unusual fade to white ending of Total Recall before the casting credits roll as opposed to the typical Hollywood fade to black ending pre-credits insinuated that the entire adventure and experience Doug Quaid endured tragically was in fact a sabotaged false memory implant surgical neurological procedure gone wrong as Dr. Edgmar forewarned Quaid earlier and ironically accurately foreshadowed the rest of the events in order that would happen to Quaid. The fact that everything Bob McClane from the Rekall Center on Earth said would happen did happen was possible coincidence but the fact that literally everything Dr. Edgmar predicted and foreshadowed would happen to Quaid did in fact happen accurately and in order wasn't just coincidence and irony too. Quaid was dreaming of Melina and Mars before the Rekall false memory implant procedure because Quaid was tired and bored as an average joe construction worker on Earth with a blonde model trophy wife aka Lori. He wanted to be something larger than life, a super secret Martian government agent and spy in his case, live on Mars and fantasized being with a sleazy brunette woman, Melina in his dreams before Rekall and post-false memory implant procedure gone wrong. Quaid suffocating to death symbolized Quaid feeling suffocated by his life in reality on Earth he needed to escape from. Quaid's wife, Lori, and his best friend and co-worker from his construction job, Harry, acted strangely and suspicious before Quaid goes to Rekall when mentioning Rekall and the false memory implants because Lori and Harry suspected Quaid went to Rekall before and doesn't remember going. Hence their grim, suspicious, concerned expressions and behavior. The underground alien built artifact on Mars, the Mars planetary core reactor, blue skies on Mars, all appeared on the Rekall visual screen before Bob McClane and his Rekall operatives/surgeons put Quaid under for the neurological surgically implanted false memory implanted adventure/dream. Quaid's psychological subconscious molded and envisioned the graphically modeled and designed preferred, desired personal preference of a sleazy brunette woman as Quaid's desired female love interest in his implanted dream fantasy adventure into the exact image of Melina from his dreams on the screen from Quaid's first person pov as he's put under, fading in and out of consciousness, before falling asleep into his dream state. In all reality, Rekall truly did design a programmed replica of the real Dr. Edgmar, the Rekall spokesperson, head doctor/psychiatrist at Rekall on Earth, into Quaid's psychological memory implanted dream gone wrong as a back up plan if Quaid became trapped inside of the false memory implanted dream fantasy. Quaid's psychological subconscious created that bead of sweat on Dr. Edgmar's forehead to make Quaid believe Dr. Edgmar was lying so he could shoot Dr. Edgmar, killing Edgmar in his mind and dream state of dementia, to stay in his fantasy forever. The fade to white ending symbolized Quaid waking up from his lobotomy on Earth in reality.

[@kimtruong4676]

"Now You've done it, Now you've done it" My favorite scene ever.

[@davethegoldenboynelson2992]

I love a wrestling match 🤼‍♂️ with Sharon Stone

[@paudical]

one of the best movie scenes ever. nothing can prepare you for it!

[@bennymutant]

The next thing you know you'll be Cohaagen's busom buddy! Classic movie cheers

[@DeadlyVenomKing]

Booty Buddy

[@joethekinghawk7514]

Got benny's avatar , your funny

[@Loverboy7789.]

Screw u Benny you never helped them

[@andrewburgemeister6684]

That foreshadowing though…

[@connorkenton1067]

So funny , so humourous and so action packed.

[@karlhungus5436]

This is the only movie that delves into psychosis (Inception, In the mouth of madness, 1408, Jacob's Ladder) that I'm willing to sit all the way through. The subject matter is just too dark and hits a little too close to home for me. But Total Recall I can stand.

[@varunemani]

The first time I saw this and scenes in the Matrix I had realized of 'Inception' How Copycat Nolan totally ripped off concepts, right down to the fucking mind implant, building levels and dream worlds!"

[@mjcaboose8036]

Whether or not this is a dream or reality I ponder over a certain aspect in the film. If this was a dream and Quade (hope I spelled that right) then we as the audience should only experience the movie in his perspective. In the beginning, he was the main focus in practically every scene until the moment in he entered the machine, the films cuts to other people in different area seperate from Quade. So as soon as the simulations starts, we’re seeing events taken place that he’s nowhere near or just left. That might be a hint that this could be real. My thoughts at least…

[@Yerflua]

Ah, but there are ways to incorporate that too and still have it happening all in Quaid's head. Quaid isn't just experiencing a memory, he's experiencing a whole narrative - which is actually how our long term memories work, what were sense impressions and moments are organised by our brains into cohesive narratives with beginnings, middles, and ends. Indeed our brains "write in" parts of memories that were never there. So the scenes with other characters could just as easily be contextual implants that the Rekall procedure puts in to make the narrative makes sense, they are stories Quaid's brain tells itself to make the story real - just as how conspiracy theories quickly expand out to include meetings and connection that were never there. We're not experiencing Quaid's dream, we're experiencing the narrative Quaid is telling himself ... and arguably a dream that begins collapsing when he shoots the doctor on Mars. Indeed is it possible Quaid imagines the doctor's sweat in order to convince himself that it's reality?

[@Gameprojordan]

Quaid not quade

[@castortroy1727]

I believe the scenes without Quaid present were soley meant for us as an audience.

[@TheSocratesofAthens]

Also, why would he have to come back to reality through such ambiguous means? Why would Recall have implants that so thoroughly blur the distinction between reality and the fabricated experience? No wonder people had psychosis. It would make more sense to have the experience as a kind of lucid dream rather than a mind-bending experience that would lead the client to deny reality. That way, the client has had a wonderful experience that can help him appreciate his own life, much akin to watching a very life-like film rather than essentially a psychosis-inducing experience that breaks his connection with the real world.

[@kegginstructure]

Philip K Dick was the author of "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale" which was the story adapted to the movie. PKD was noted as being an author who would leave you trying to decide what really happened. Another story called "A Case of Conscience" left one wondering about whether a planet was destroyed by God or by a cataclysmic accident. PKD was the master of writing ambiguous stories that make you wonder which of two situations was real because from the inside, the situations were indistinguishable to the protagonists - but you as the reader from the outside could see the alternative interpretations, leaving you to wonder which one was correct.

[@cristianl.p.7795]

At the first connection, Dr Lull says to Quaid : "Ernie patch in MATRIX 62 37..."

[@connorkenton1067]

I really love this movie so much. 😊😂

[@kencf0618]

To the best of my knowledge no film has ever been a straight-up adaptation of a Philip K. Dick novel (H. P. Lovecraft's oeuvre has had a like cinematic treatment ). That said, this scene is. The. Most. Philip. K. Dickian. scene in the entire film. Kudos.

[@daseguin]

I had no idea Amber Heard was the inspiration for this role!

[@doctorsocrates4413]

Weird and wonderful film....always a great watch.😀....

[@armanigorgio-ly3yj]

I love how he spits the pill on his chest

[@shelster9967]

Drinking game- watch this movie and take a drink every time Arnie cries out with an.....”Ahhhhhllllllhhhhhh!!!”

[@madandy2008]

Blacked out twice already lol

[@peter08xxx]

@@madandy2008 What the fuck did I do wrong!? :D

[@andrewdonnelly7201]

Another game...take a drink everything Lori hits arnies balls lol

[@rawbacon]

The Doctor (Roy Brocksmith) was 45 or maybe less depending on exactly when this was filmed, looked like Hell for 45 no wonder he died at 56.

[@ThePhoenix109]

Rip

[@whatthehec6736]

In the 90s and 80s everyone looked older. Some 30 years olds already had beer bellies, receding hair lines and 3 kids.

[@davidframpton8215]

Anyone seeing this is into class sci-fi. Love it. Saw it 1990 in cinema. Great story Great acting. Great music.

[@danielwilliamson6180]

That's what I love about both Total Recalls movies They keep you guessing. Is it dream or reality? Was Dr. Edgemar telling the truth? or was he lying?

[@juliusquasar1565]

“This is ‘a dream’!? HOOOOORRRRAAAYYY, NO CONSEQUENCES!” *shoots the doctor*

[@murilao71]

Sharon stone in this best moments on my opinion whe was incredible!!!

[@hollywoodmkx]

Paul Verehoven loves his head shots. See RoboCop, Starship Troopers, here with Kuato, too.

[@Kane-ib5sn]

Sharon Stone as a barbarian queen in Conan; now that would be worth seeing.

[@christalball93_]

They don't make movies like this anymoee

[@JThom529]

Well done made scene and Arnold thinking “that makes a lot of sense” and we’d almost believe it ourselves. The “guide” was great casting and sounding so sure and convincing. Freaking great movie even if silly

[@A-ee9eh]

“The walls of reality will come crashing down…” Seconds later the walls of the hotel room come crashing down.

[@eatmyshorts7973]

That is what reality meant.

[@mr.constitution]

This movie was so graphic and violent lol. Funny how they let kids like me watch these movies back in the 90s!

[@Fraire-kk3pj]

I love this movie! my favorite scene great acting!

[@joethekinghawk7514]

He almost had me convinced.

[@DeadlyVenomKing]

Then u should swallow that red pill

[@spearPYN]

Classic science-fiction. It wont get better than this ever again.

[@westyraviz]

I always laugh when the fake shrink barks “swallow it!”

[@philaufan6]

Sharon Stone....

[@rafaelarcas942]

I gotta say that the tension in this scene is better that the one from the remake. The version of Lori played by Sharon Stone seems to be more clever, intelligent and manipulative that the Lori from the remake who is too much agressive with a explosif temper. Also, that version of Quaid played by Arnold seems to be more suspicious and thinker while the one played by Collin Farell was too much nervous and panicked .

[@johntrevy1]

Lori in the remake is basically a meld of Lori and Richter.

[@crispinjulius5032]

Richter may be an evil captain of henchmen but he likes a strawberry daiquiri as much as the next guy.

[@davy_K]

Sharon Stone was never more smoking than in this film. The remake was a pale shadow of this.

[@Pinesol23]

but in the end back on earth, YOU'LL BE LOBOTOMIZED !!!!!!

[@DarrelSimon]

But in the end, back on Mars, Doctor Edgemar was lobotomized with lead (2:35 - 2:36)!

[@Loverboy7789.]

Now get a grip on yourself Doug And put Down that Gun

[@ItsTimePictures]

Imagine watching this movie with 500 people on opening night. That’s how I saw it and it was an absolute fucking blast.

[@stevekima8881]

What!!?? how old are u? And how did u learn to use the internet at such a later age in your life?

[@Charvo75]

Sharon Stone would have been a perfect villainous Mystique

[@martingrey2231]

@1:54 I have to admit, it'd be a tough call. He told a great f*cking story 🤔

[@QDesjardin04]

If this were just Quaid's dream, why have scenes revealing what Richter's doing, outside of his POV?

[@hugodrax1674]

It's the narrative of the Ego trip being played out

[@jaysmith1147]

The movie has scenes set up to give interpretation to the reality side or fantasy. The scenes without Quaid suggest everything’s really happening because they are not from his point of view and give the villain’s view. The dream in the beginning of Quaid on Mars could be a repressed memory or fantasy dream. Even little details in the film were deliberately made to be confusing and give answers to both sides.

[@QDesjardin04]

@@jaysmith1147 The kind of reasoning I use is one of disconfirmation - i.e., just because you guessed the coin flip 3 times in a row doesn't mean you can say the next 100 tosses.. but having one wrong guess breaks the chain. Yes, the doctor gives a point-by-point play of the next 45 minutes, but he comes off like he's holding so much shit in - not exactly the right way to persuade someone when you're reading their mind's desire. There would also be no point of revealing how Richter is actually lovers with Sharon Stone, when Quaid is never made aware of it -- it's as if that NPC had a life of their own, away from the player!

[@luismiranda8944]

Can you imagine how weird the dialogue and confrontations would be if the movie was shown exclusively from the POV of Quaid? Personally, I think that having those scenes of the villains chatting is their way of not letting something get in the way of making a good movie. The movie would be significantly less good if none of those villain scenes were included.

[@andrewburgemeister6684]

@@luismiranda8944 if everything was from Quaid’s POV, it would be more obvious it was the implant. Having those scenes without Quaid helps the narrative move along and presents a side to the reality vs dream argument to make us debate it even more.

[@shadowdoglaw257]

Arnie stayed getting punched or kicked in the balls throughout this movie 😂 😂

[@trasegorsuch5140]

“One minute, you’ll be the savior of the rebel cause, and the next thing you know, you’ll be Cohaagen’s bosom buddy!” Foreshadowing!

[@peterwells1131]

awesome. one of my favourite scenes

[@Kalaida]

Recall implants memories. Memories are past tense. Plus, if this was a dream, it'd be all in the perspective of Quaid. But during the movie the scenes shift to and from the perspectives of many other characters. And in regards to the computer screen, he was probably seeing what he wanted to see since he was drugged into fatigue.

[@blakemerrithew9162]

As a kid I thought they were trying to trick him, as an adult you realize they were trying to save him and this movie has a sad ending.

[@castortroy1727]

It's ambiguous and works either way. In my personal fan theory and opinion, it was in fact all a dream and a false memory implant procedure gone wrong at Rekall. The fact that Douglas Quaid was dreaming of Melina and Mars before the Rekall memory implant procedure was because Quaid's subconscious personified his inner desires to be a super secret Martian government agent and spy on Mars in his dreams, versus an average man and construction worker on Earth in reality. Quaid hated Earth and his average day, everyday job and self as a typical construction worker and fantasized being with a sleazy brunette woman, which Quaid's subconscious personified as Melina in his dreams. Quaid suffocating to death symbolized Quaid feeling suffocated by his life and reality on Earth he needed to escape from. The fact that everything Bob McClane said would happen at Rekall did happen could've been coincidence, but the fact that literally everything Dr. Edgmar predicted would happen did happen accurately and in order wasn't just coincidence. The red pill was really a symbol of Quaid's desire to return to reality in his physical body on Earth. Quaid's psychological subconscious created that bead of sweat on Dr. Edgmar's forehead to make Quaid believe Dr. Edgmar was lying so he could shoot Dr. Edgmar and remain in his fantasy ego trip forever. The fade to white ending before the credits symbolized Quaid waking up from his lobotomy in reality on Earth.

[@DivinityIsPurity]

Before Neo, Arnold was the first to put the red pill in his mouth. However, he didn't exit the Matrix because he never swallowed it, the end.

[@briantaylor9285]

We lost one of the greatest That Guy's ever. Roy Brocksmith. Fantastic actor. RIP.