Blue Skies on Mars: A Total Recall Fanedit

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.

The original is far from a favorite of mine, but knowing Jorge’s track record of quality edits, I wanted to see this one for sure. He has done a nice job of rearranging things and presenting an alternate storyline. The transitions were very smooth. I’ll give this an 8. :)

EXACTLY as Jorge states in his “Warning” above, this edit is NOT for everyone. Not all the action is gone from this edit, but it is toned down a great deal. In my opinion, there is a good balance of action and plot now.

Having said that, this edit IS for ME.

I always liked “Total Recall” and can watch the original in the context of it being 20 years old/filmed in 1990/and it is ultimately an “Arnie action movie”. I also have been a huge fan of the Philip K. Dick short story, “We Can Remember it for You Wholesale”, that the movie is loosely based on.

I liked the re-arranged scenes and the flashbacks/dream sequences/the past. I warn you, the manner in which Jorge presents this edit does require more than casual viewing to follow the “new” story. Jorge wisely differentiates the past and present by B&W and color. Although, I can see that some viewers may take issue with the going back and forth between the past and present without any plot cues to require it.

As far as the technical aspects of the edit: great seamless edits, great audio and okay video quality.

The video quality isn’t the best. I am not sure if this is because the source (DVD?) is of poor quality. I took a look at my store-bought DVD and it wasn’t any better.

I found the “open your mind” transitions to be very effective and helps create that weird, eerie, mind trip this edit is.

I found it interesting how Jorge has the past and present meet up for the finale of the movie. The last scene of the movie is perfect. Arnie’s face says it all. (I am trying not to give away the ending).

My only “real” complaint of this edit: the “Johnny Cab” scene! I hated it in the original and hate it here! Jorge, Jorge, Jorge …really? UGH.

*This rating was given before reviews were required*