10 Things You Didn’t Know About Total Recall
4. It Was Originally Pitched as Raiders of the Lost Ark goes to Mars
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Weve all heard of films being pitched using pithy comparisons to existing films, e.g. Alien being Halloween in space. When Shusett and OBannon purchased the rights to Philip K. Dicks short story, We Can Remember It For You Wholesale, they were keen to retune it to have a blockbuster sensibility, reflecting the success not just of Indiana Jones but of Alien, on which the two first collaborated. Their vision was the main sticking point for Cronenberg, who wanted to attempt something more horror-based and expressionistic. As to how much of Raiders is in the final film thats for you to decide.