As the film Total Recall was released in 1990 critics were confused. In their
attempts to give a summary they all created different stories. Some even figured
out some failures in the plot and for some the story line was an enigma.1
Though there was a lot of misunderstanding about this film there was also
a consens on the kind of genre the film belonged to. Fred Glass gave in his article
'Totally recalling Arnold' the film 'Total Recall' the label NBF "New Bad Future",
which has to be understood as a subgenre of the fertile SF (Science Fiction) of
the 1980's. NBF is defined as following: "NBF films tell stories about a future in the grip of feverish social decay. While some posit a post nuclear barbarism (as in
the Mad Max trilogy, ...), most envision the world that will emerge without such an
apocalyptic break with history. The NBF scenario typically embraces urban
expansion on a monstrous scale, where real estate capital has realised its fondest
dreams of cancerous growth. (...). The heroes,..., go up against the corruption and
power of the ruling corporations, which exercise a media-based velvet glove/iron
fist social control."2
Exactly these characteristics can be found in 'Total Recall'. In consequence
it could be read as a film that is following these patterns which are founded in the
1980's Science Fiction. In this respect one could argue that 'Total Recall' is a
quite traditional movie. But 'Total Recall' offers something new through using
cyberspace. This world that is defined as virtual reality mixes all the patterns and
norms of traditional SF and makes this film very special in its appearance.
As Paul Verhoeven says about his film: "For the audience every moment in
the movie seems to be real. But when you get to the next scene, you can doubt
the scene before, yeah? I'm exaggerating, because it would be really terrible to do
that to an audience; everybody would be driven crazy, probably. But every once in
a while you realise that what you saw before should have been seen in a different
way, It was not reality, or it was a misinterpreted reality."3
The narrative structure of this film is therefore extremely complicated. It
combines reality, dreams and virtual reality. Perceiving this film means having the
choice between many narrations. They all depend on the point of view the
perceiver wants to take. [...]
Table of Contents
Introduction
Summary of the story
Introducing Branigans scheme
Application of Branigan's Narrative Scheme to 'Total Recall'
Deviations to the classical narrative
The Point-Of-View and the Perceivers
Conclusion
Objectives and Research Themes
The primary objective of this analysis is to deconstruct the complex narrative structure of the film 'Total Recall' by applying Edward Branigan's narrative scheme. The research explores how the film functions as a classical Hollywood narrative while simultaneously subverting traditional structures through its treatment of multiple realities, virtual space, and fragmented protagonist identity.
- Application of Branigan's Narrative Scheme to film analysis.
- Examination of 'New Bad Future' (NBF) as a Science Fiction subgenre.
- Analysis of narrative complexity, including dreams, reality, and virtual memory.
- The role of the perceiver's point-of-view in constructing filmic meaning.
- Critique of Hollywood's influence on the manipulation of narrative perception.
Excerpt from the Book
Application of Branigan's Narrative Scheme to 'Total Recall'
'Total Recall' can be read as a film with a 'classical' narrative scheme. The abstract would be the title of the film: 'Total Recall', because there is no compact summary of the situation that is to follow and the title itself defines the issue of this film very well. Included in the abstract is a prologue. Two people in space suits walking on a wasted red shining landscape. Time and location are not named and so the perceivers have to guess and have to ask the first questions. Who is it? Where is it? What is going on? The two spacemen look at each other and for a short moment the faces can be recognised. It is therefore the introduction of some characters. When one of these people is falling down a slope, smashes its helmet and can not breath it is the introduction of an adventure line and also the hint for the perceivers that this happens on a planet, where is no air to breath.
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This chapter introduces the film's genre classification as 'New Bad Future' and outlines the central problem regarding its complex, multi-layered narrative structure.
Summary of the story: This section provides a chronological overview of the plot, detailing Douglas Quaid's transition from a construction worker to a secret agent on Mars.
Introducing Branigans scheme: This chapter defines Edward Branigan's theoretical model for classifying narrative structures, including components like the abstract, orientation, and climax.
Application of Branigan's Narrative Scheme to 'Total Recall': This part demonstrates how the film fits into the classical Hollywood narrative framework while utilizing specific elements like the 'snowball effect' to maintain coherence.
Deviations to the classical narrative: This chapter analyzes how the film subverts traditional storytelling through the hero's schizophrenic identity and the ambiguity of reality.
The Point-Of-View and the Perceivers: This section examines the role of Cyberspace and the importance of the viewer's active choice in interpreting the film's multiple reality levels.
Conclusion: This final chapter synthesizes the findings, arguing that 'Total Recall' functions as a meta-critique of the Hollywood film industry and its power to influence audience memory and perception.
Keywords
Total Recall, Narrative Scheme, Edward Branigan, Science Fiction, New Bad Future, Narrative Structure, Cyberspace, Schizophrenic Hero, Point-of-View, Film Semiotics, Reality, Virtual Reality, Hollywood Cinema, Perceiver, Defamiliarization.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this analytical work?
The work focuses on analyzing the narrative architecture of the 1990 film 'Total Recall' to understand how it balances classical storytelling conventions with complex, non-linear plot elements.
Which specific theoretical framework is utilized?
The analysis employs Edward Branigan's 'Narrative Scheme', which provides a systematic way to classify and predict sensory data and structural components in cinematic narratives.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to determine whether 'Total Recall' follows classical Hollywood narrative patterns or if its structure represents a significant departure from standard genre norms.
How does the author define the film's genre?
The film is categorized within the 'New Bad Future' (NBF) subgenre of 1980s Science Fiction, characterized by urban decay and corporate control.
How is the protagonist's identity analyzed?
The hero, Douglas Quaid, is analyzed as a 'schizophrenic' figure whose shifting identities obstruct the viewer's ability to maintain a single, coherent interpretation of reality.
What role does the 'perceiver' play in this narrative?
The perceiver is seen as the fundamental organizing agency who must actively choose a perspective to make sense of the film's conflicting levels of reality.
Why is the concept of 'Cyberspace' central to the argument?
Cyberspace introduces a new spatial dimension to the film that disrupts traditional, single-track narrative spaces, requiring the viewer to constantly re-evaluate what is 'real'.
Does the author conclude that the film successfully subverts Hollywood norms?
While the film uses deviations to create ambiguity, the author concludes that it ultimately remains successful by adapting traditional Hollywood principles to fit new, complex narrative features.
- Quote paper
- International Master of Arts Dirk Schmelz (Author), 1994, An Analysis of the complex plot of "Total Recall", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/107840
