Total Recall by Philip K Dick was originally titled “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale”. Wow, is that original title retro-awesome or what? Well, I read it. I mean, I think I read it. I remember reading it. I have evidence to remind me I read it. I’m still not totally sure though. But, as long as I’m alive, the world is safe from aliens, so it’s all good.
I remember loving the Paul Verhoeven / Arnold Schwarzenegger cinematic rendition, but I’ve not yet seen the Len Wiseman / Colin Farrell remake. Getting into the original story was a good mix of nostalgia and surprise. I could feel lots of the inspiration for the movie, but there was still a lot of difference. I loved the layered twists in the short story and they definitely felt more PKD than the movie, for sure, of course; identity, memory, and one’s place in the universe—all tricksy, mostly beyond one’s control, and questioned. Good stuff and darkly humorous.
I made 16 highlights.
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