Total Recall Foreshadowing Virtual Reality Technologies

In the movie Total Recall, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character visits the rekall studio to get false memories about Mars implanted into his mind. Once the implantation takes place, he becomes immersed into the unknown world of Mars. This is the part that most mirrors video came culture I think. The fact that Schwarzenegger melds reality and a virtual world could be considered a videogame. Even though the memories became real life for Schwarzenegger’s character, it shows that videogames can “spill into” real life and connect people as well as impact people’s lives. One example of videogames spilling into real life that is similar to this situation is youtubers who review videogames. They make a living off of playing and sharing video games with the public. Even though they are not physically in Black Ops or Undertale for instance, they are emoltionally/psychologically immersed in the world and are bringing their experience to others. Another huge part of videogame culture that Total Recall reflects is a more up and coming technology called Virtual Reality. Total Recall is basically about what we know as “Virtual Reality” becoming real. We have VR goggles to transport us to different worlds and now VR can even help outside of the entertainment realm such as in classrooms. Total Recall was created even before VR existed in real life. I think that Total Recall showed the desire for people to experience other life experiences even before VR technology was possible. And now, Virtual Reality is making that an actual reality. Not as intense at Total Recall perhaps, but nonetheless real.

Leave a Reply