Culture news 16 years and 80 million dollars… this sci-fi masterpiece starring Arnold Schwarzennegger was born in pain
After Commandos and Predator, Arnold Schwarzenegger is interested in a science fiction project. It is thanks to his work that the film quickly entered production, after more than 10 years of hardship.
A conflict at the script level
When it comes to talking about science fiction books successfully adapted for cinema, it’s hard not to talk about Philip K. Dick. Minority Report is an example. The two Blade Runner films are another, being the result of the adaptation of the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. But we must not forget the news either Souvenirs for sale (We Can Remember it for You wholesale), adapted twice for the cinema under the name Total Recall. Released in 1990, it was the first one that caused the most talk. It must be said that it required 16 years of development. Eight years after the publication of the news Souvenirs for saleit was producer Ronald Shusett who bought the adaptation rights from K. Dick for a pittance ($1,000).
A total amount for the film which will be very different. There are disagreements between the producer and the screenwriter. The news being quite short, we had to invent the second and third acts. It is the latter which is the source of conflict, with Shusett wanting something more dramatic than O’Bannon’s pen. A disagreement which, without resolution, pushed Walt Disney to sell the project to De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (DEG).
Schwarzenneger wins and settles the last details, a literally painful shoot
The change of hands on the project does not immediately provide solutions. David Cronenberg, originally chosen in 1984 to direct Total Recalldecides to resign regarding Shusett’s desire to make “Raiders of the Lost Ark” going to March. Disagreements over the ending of the film continued for several years and during construction of the set in 1988, DEG filed for liquidation.. The staff is fired, the set destroyed and 14 million dollars go up in smoke.
Arnold Schwarzenegger will take over the project. Thanks to his influence (Commando in 1985, Raw Deal in 1986 and Predator in 1987), he convinces a new production house to take over Total Recall and to have Verhoeven (Robocop) as director. It is under the leadership of the latter that Gary Goldman brings his pen and will unblock the situation after the beginning made by Shusett, O’Bannon but also Jon Povill and Steven Pressfield.
Enough to be able to start filming, also plagued by inconveniences. Some film sets cause respiratory problems due to dust. It is in Mexico that they are located, capital of local food causing food poisoning and gastro in the casting. Finally, injuries are also to be deplored since Schwarzenegger cuts his wrist by breaking a window which a defective device should have done.
An excellent film
Total Recall therefore took 16 years of development, had three production houses, half a dozen writers as well as several directors. Between $48 million and $80 million are estimated for the final budget. A bad for a good ?
It was a colossal budget for the time, but the investment seemed to have been profitable. Today, Total Recall is undoubtedly one of the best science fiction films, if not one of the best films of all time. Some even consider it to be the best adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s literary work as well as one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s best films.