Total Recall debuted in US cinemas 25 years ago today. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger at the height of his acting career, the Paul Verhoeven adaptation of Phillip K. Dick novella, We Can Remember It for You Wholesale, still stands as one of the finest sci-fi action movies ever made. With that in mind, here’s seven interesting facts about the film that you probably never knew.
Total Recall is Based on a Short Story
Yeah, so we kinda ruined this one in the intro. But did you know that We Can Remember It for You Wholesale wasn’t actually a full novel? The short story features Dennis Quail undergoing the same basic premise of the movie. However, unlike Total Recall‘s Dennis Quaid, Quail doesn’t join a rebellion. Instead, he ultimately turns himself in to the authorities, and yet another twist in the plot is revealed.
Total Recall’s Twists
As stated above, Total Recall deviates from it’s inspiration considerably. This is reportedly due to Ronald Shusett (Producer) and Dan O’Bannon (screenwriter). The pair fleshed out the short story by essentially creating entirely original second and third acts. While trying to get Total Recall into production the pair would move on to work on Alien. It’s due to the success of this sci-fi horror that Disney offered them a deal to film Total Recall. However, this deal also collapsed due to this extended story being considered ‘unfilmable’.
David Cronenberg was the First Director
Before Paul Verhoeven took the helm, David Cronenberg was originally considered to direct Total Recall. This was an agreement between Shusett and De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, who picked up the mantle after the deal with Disney fell apart. Apparently Cronenberg was deeply involved in the project, writing 12 new drafts of the script himself. However, disagreements between the director and Shusett lead to Cronenberg leaving the project. He would be approached again a few years later, but refused.
Patrick Swayze is Dennis Quaid
The director wasn’t the only change in the line-up. The original actor set to play Dennis Quaid was the late Patrick Swayze. Production on Total Recall was to begin in 1988, with Bruce Beresford hired to direct, and Patrick Swayze in the lead role. Sets were built in Australia, and the camera was getting ready to roll. However, the De Laurentiis Entertainment Group then filed for bankruptcy. The crew was fired, the sets were destroyed, and Total Recall went into turnaround. This meant that any studio could sweep in and buy it.
Arnee is the Hero
Reports state that Arnold Schwarzenegger had really wanted to be in Total Recall. He had made it known that he was keen, but the De Laurentiis Entertainment Group didn’t think he was right for the role. Now, though, the company had gone bankrupt so was out of the picture. Schwarzenegger convinced Carolco Pictures to buy the rights to the film so he could star in it. In fact, Schwarzenegger was heavily involved, overseeing cast decisions, script revisions, and more.
Enter Verhoeven
Schwarzenegger was so heavily involved in the production, that it’s actually him who’s credited with bringing in Paul Verhoeven. The Austrian actor had been considered for RoboCop, Verhoeven’s breakthrough film in the United States. Of course, he wouldn’t get that role, but enjoyed the film. As such, Schwarzenegger asked Verhoeven to direct Total Recall.
Schwarzenegger Wasn’t Happy After Filming
Once production was complete, TriStar, the distributor of the film, released a first trailer. This first preview didn’t include any of the action sequences, or the special effects. It tested poorly with audience, and also with Schwarzenegger. The actor hated this trailer, saying it “cheapened” the movie. Again taking on a role of personal investment in the movie, he made efforts to get a new trailer made by a different company. That’s perhaps a good thing, as the special effects were a significant step forward at the time; so much so that Total Recall took home the Oscar for Best Visual Effects.
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