Comparisons Between the Original Total Recall and the 2012 Version

by Lewis Robinson

Like many classic films, Total Recall has had its share of remakes. Unfortunately, nothing has managed to beat the original. After all, the first film was a whirlwind of practical effects, amazing one-liners and pure insanity. Despite this, it's still worth comparing the two. If you'd like to learn more, here are two ways Total Recall and its remake differ.

1. Tone

Tone is integral to any movie. No matter what the script says, tone defines how audiences view a film. A great portrayal of this is remakes. Consider one of the most famous remakes ever made - Evil Dead. The first film, while a horror, is gory and campy fun. This is amped up even more in the sequel. However, the remake takes the premise extremely seriously. There are very few, if any, laughs or campy moments. A similar thing can be said about Total Recall and its remake. The first Total Recall is classic nineties fun. While the tone is all over the place in some parts, it remains light hearted yet action-packed. It's the sort of movie you can watch over and over without getting bored. On the other hand, the remake adopts an entirely different tone. The film is far more serious and intense. One way the filmmakers tried to convey this is through color. 

While the original is extremely colorful and bright, the remake decided to go for a more gritty look. Unfortunately, this resulted in far less interesting visuals. The script is also an indicator of tone change. While a couple of Arnold's classic quips are thrown in, practically nothing is played for laughs. This creates a less well-rounded feeling, as well as a lack of entertainment. Finally, it doesn't feel as dreamlike as the original. Since the movies are about dreams, this isn't exactly a good thing. While Arnold's didn't contain the most common dreams, it still felt realistically dreamlike. In general, the newer version feels like it's taking itself far too seriously. 

2. Special Effects

When it comes to remakes, a discussion about the effects is almost inevitable. This is because, generally speaking, remakes tend to heavily rely on CGI. On the other hand, older films were more likely to use completely practical effects. As any film buff will tell you, practical effects are almost always superior to CGI. The Total Recall movies are no exception to this rule. The year the remake came out, CGI had become extremely popular. Unfortunately for the film, it still hadn't been perfected. The effects, which are used often, don't look real at all. The flying car scenes look like a video game, and the fight sequences feel uncanny. To be fair, these effects are pretty good for the year. 

The original, however, has effects that still look realistic. From the robotic head disguise to the exploding head (there are a lot of head effects), everything looks pretty real. One of the most interesting techniques used was miniatures. While this may seem like it would look cheap, this method is fairly popular in mainstream films. For instance, the flooding hallway scenes in Titanic were made with miniatures. In Total Recall, Mars was created through a mix of this and matte paintings. It's also important to acknowledge that early CGI was used. While this may sound like a downside, the combination of the two created some of the most memorable movie scenes ever. Regrettably, practical effects take a lot of time and effort to make. With CGI available, filmmakers often turn to this option. However, nothing beats a physical effect.

Conclusion

Remakes aren't often successful. Other than a few lauded exceptions, most of these films tend to be forgotten. Despite this, the Total Recall remake should be applauded for adapting the book. It didn't completely copy the previous movie. However, when all is said and done, the original Total Recall is by far the superior film.