Blue Skies on Mars: A Total Recall Fanedit

***Spoliers ahead****

I was interested in this from the outset. Total Recall is a good film anyway, so a new take on it is most welcome. I did wonder whether this ‘Memeno-izing’ of films is becoming a bit cliche, I wasn’t really a big fan of Jorge’s Dark Knight. However in this case, taking your bulk-standard action film, where it is suggested that it could be all in his head, blurring the lines a little and then finishing the film and categorically stating….”yes it is!” was really cool!

To be honest, I wasn’t really sure where this was going – but it did strike me that it was really emphasised throughout the film that Quaid is literally living out the promised implant – so the ending came as no surprise. You’ll be pleased to know Jorge that afterward I went out for several cigarettes to think about what I’d seen and see if I fully got it and could put it all together!

Good work on removing plenty of the OTT action and ‘MMM, two weeks’.

Can’t fault it really – picture quality not so hot, but I’m guessing this is the fault of the source. So I’m going 10/10. Cool!.

*This rating was given before reviews were required*

One word…….Fantastic! After I finished watching this movie, I was still left in shock and awe at what I saw after it was all over. It is true from the disclaimer that this edit will not be for everyone, but for me I thoroughly enjoyed every second.

As many others have commented already the video quality is a little iffy, but I don’t think it is no fault on what Jorge has accomplished here. Meaning I own the Special Edition of Total Recall in the tin can and quite frankly the video is pretty mediocre at best. Just because the video was a little bit of a bummer doesn’t mean the video editing wasn’t superb. Thats where Jorge’s skills come in and it’s clearly evident he is in a class all by himself. However, what I already PM’d Jorge about, was that his main concern was how did his 5.1 mix come out because I guess his other releases were in 2.0. The answer to that is obviously perfect. There was no blunders nor any bad audio transitions to think of. Very high marks there. What impressed me the most with the sound mix was the one part where Quaid gets off the tram on Mars and then you have a really cool video effect, sort of dream-like, and you innercut that with different people he’s encountered. Voices are panning to different speakers, some are clear while others are slowed down and garbley. Same thing with the beginning with Quato. Man that was brilliant. First class audio editing there.

I did have 2 small slight gripes though. Just a couple minor observations I picked up on. The first one being is that after Quaid has taken the chip out of his brain and Rickter and his henchmen think he is still there that whole scene is in color. Then they find out Quaid isn’t there and Rickter shoots the rat, but it just magically turns to black and white. Which of course shouldn’t of happened because that effect when the reverse chronological (B&W) and chronological (Color) meet is suppose to be saved for the end when the different elements merge together for the first time. No biggie though. The last one is that you have 2 sets of credits which I don’t think you need. The one’s at the beginning are perfect, I don’t think you need the ones from the original movies’ at the end. A little overkill in my opinion. Just overlay that music with the credits that scroll up. I don’t know how that would affect Jorge’s use of the “blue skies” music, but maybe it can be shortened somehow. Anyway just rambling. Overall, it still came up aces in my book and is a testament to Jorge’s skills!

Video: 6 out of 10. Like was said before just average video. I don’t have the Blu-Ray to compare this too. This is the only real thing wrong with this fan- edit.
Audio: 10 out of 10. Perfect. Nuff said.
Editing: 9 out of 10. Just the 2 small gripes I stated before knocks it down just a notch, Everything else is perfect.
Entertainment: 10 out of 10. It gets this high ranking because for me anyway it is just that damn good.

Overall: 9 out of 10.

I respectfully bow down and salute you my good man. Good job Jorge!

I’ve always found Total Recall to be a so-so kind of movie, but Jorge has crafted a version I can enjoy much more. I give this edit a 9/10, as I too believe Johnny Cab should be demolished at a wrecker’s yard.

This is a great edit.

I did not catch the moment where it goes from color to B&W during a scene in a middle of the movie as Thunderclap noticed
(maybe it was just a smooth transition between a shot of a taxi in present day, and Arnold in a taxi on Mars? Anyway).
Of course it should be easier to watch for someone who already saw the original, but I think that it works even better than in
The Dark Knight remixed by Jorge, because the story of Total recall screamed for that treatment even more.

I did not feel bored at any moment, the whole edit flows VERY well.

I’m one of those suckers for Arnold’s silly one-liners and over the top gore in the original…but I was warned!
Maybe I also waited more new twists in the story, but after all the whole movie is already a big giant twist.
The new reorganization of the scenes and the new feel of this edit is way enough to please the audience without adding more
useless complexity.

Video and audio editing are Jorge’s level: top.
Video quality could have been better though (but I’m not sure the original DVD was great quality anyway)

All in all this is what fanediting is all about, and what Jorge usualy do best: making great companion pieces to original movies.

9/10 because it was near perfect, minus the few things I said above.