This DVD item from TriStar Pictures was reviewed on 1-Apr-2009.
Total Recall Reference DVD. Classifications : General Action & Adventure Genres DVD Video Arnold Schwarzenegger Action Stars Action & Adventure Genres DVD Video General Science Fiction & Fantasy Genres DVD Video Computer Paranoia By Theme Science . Click the following link to view the cover of Total Recall. Related topics: 1990-06-01. General. Action & Adventure. Genres. DVD. Video. Action Stars. Action & Adventure. Genres. DVD. Video. requestid: f4025de3-dca5-4622-a21f-23fbd413d40f
requestprocessingtime: 0.0717690000000000
salesrank: 58813
numberofitems: 1
packagedimensions: 7075025530
1) DVD DVD Total Recall by TriStar Pictures. This movie is a sci-fi classic. Everything in this movie calls to the movies of the 80s but it´s delivery still holds up well. Great entertainment¤ 2) DVD DVD Total Recall by TriStar Pictures. Total Recall had its controversy in its heyday. Known for its violent scenes and fast paced action sequences, it was a favorite movie of mine when it first entered the theater. It was an interesting blend of science fiction, action, and some suspense mixed in together. One left the movie with many questions that are still being pondered to this day. That said, the Blu Ray version is a bit of let down.
The film quality of the Blu Ray version is sub par at best, with artifacts and some noise. My Blu Ray player up scales dvd movies with better picture quality than this transfer. I ended up having to change my picture settings to get a less noisy picture. This version was a real downer since high definition should look better than high quality dvd transfers. While the $10 price tag (or around this price range) is attractive, if one has a previous DVD version then one should really wait for a better edition on Blu Ray.
On a side note:
This Blu Ray version of Total Recall really shows the need for accurate reviews of Blu Ray movies (instead of dvd versions). Not all Blu Rays have good picture and sound quality and some are outright poor in these two areas. I would advise anyone to check out reviews, especially those that detail the picture quality, of prospective Blu Ray movie purchases.
¤ 3) DVD DVD Total Recall by TriStar Pictures. It great to see the big S in one of his better movies. Much better work than what he is doing now heh.¤ 4) DVD DVD Total Recall by TriStar Pictures. There is nothing going on in the special features department here but this is still the best transfer to video of TOTAL RECALL that I have seen. It isn´t perfect but the colors are stable and vibrant, there isn´t a lot of film dirt and the print looks natural and film like without the digitally processed look that some older films get when they make the transition to Blu-ray. It is an improvment over the DVD version and for ten dollars it is worth the upgrade, but I wouldn´t pay more than ten for it. No commentary, no trailers, no special treatment of any sort. Just the standard (cheap) Blu-ray keep case and a decent but unremarkable transfer of the film and a useless 5 minute documentary about Mars.¤ 5) DVD DVD Total Recall by TriStar Pictures. This is not a movie review, but a review on the quality of the disc.
I have owned this on VHS, DVD and now Blu-ray. From VHS to DVD; huge improvement. I watched the first 30 minutes on DVD, then switched it out and popped in the Blu-ray, and started from the beginning. THis is what I saw. The Blu-ray doesn´t have those odd little swirly artifacts you get along image edges when upconverting, and eliminating that is enough for me. But this transfer will not give you the 1080p satisfaction. It looks more like 720p, except solid colors have that annoying snow effect (they look like videotape, not solid), just like a DVD upconversion. If you have this on DVD, don´t bother unless they remaster and re-release this. It´s not worth the $20 ($10 isn´t bad though). If you don´t have this on DVD, then go ahead and pop for the Blu-ray. The DVD Special Edition has more special features than the Blu-ray, so weigh this as well.
Now that I´ve covered the transfer issues, here are the other differences:
Unique to DVD Special Edition (not on the Blu-ray)
5.1 and 2.0 Dolby Digital Audio
Commentary by Arnie & the director
Imagining Total Recall Featurette
Rekall´s Virtual Vacations
Visual Storyboard comparison
French subtitles
Visual Storyboard comparisons
Concept Art
Photo Gallery
Production Notes
Trailers and TV spots
Cast & Crew
Unique to this Blu-Ray disc
DTS HD ES Audio
5.1 Dolbey Digital Surround EX
Both versions have the "Visions of Mars" featurette,(The Blu-ray disc indicates this may be in SD), and both have English and Spanish subtitles.
¤ 6) DVD DVD Total Recall by TriStar Pictures. This science fiction blockbuster from 1990 began its production life as a very different movie than the one that was released. An adaptation of the Philip K. Dick short story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale," Total Recall was originally conceived of with Richard Dreyfuss starring as a Walter Mitty-like character who experiences a variety of artificially induced fantasies. The movie we know is a mega-budget action epic set on Mars. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a normal working man who discovers that his entire reality has been invented to conceal a plot of planetary domination. Oscar-winning special effects and violent action propel the twisting plot, in which Arnold manipulates his manipulators in a world of dazzling high technology. Director Paul Verhoeven (Robocop) indulges his usual penchant for gratuitous bloodshed, but the movie has enough cleverness to rise above its excesses. --Jeff Shannon¤ 7) DVD DVD Total Recall by TriStar Pictures. This science fiction blockbuster from 1990 began its production life as a very different movie than the one that was released. An adaptation of the Philip K. Dick short story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale," Total Recall was originally conceived of with Richard Dreyfuss starring as a Walter Mitty-like character who experiences a variety of artificially induced fantasies. The movie we know is a mega-budget action epic set on Mars. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a normal working man who discovers that his entire reality has been invented to conceal a plot of planetary domination. Oscar-winning special effects and violent action propel the twisting plot, in which Arnold manipulates his manipulators in a world of dazzling high technology. Director Paul Verhoeven (Robocop) indulges his usual penchant for gratuitous bloodshed, but the movie has enough cleverness to rise above its excesses. --Jeff Shannon¤ Page Updated: Robert N. Goolsby, 29-Apr-2009, 012236124740, 880-430-196-006-9X6-S5B-RWB-I8B-65B-2OB-I2B-SAB-00B-8 
Total Recall, DVD, Image © TriStar Pictures
|
