Total Recall

Total recall brings another perception of the evolution of virtual reality. In the world of total recall virtual reality has advanced to the point where a completely realistic world can be created within someones mind. This virtual world leads the characters of this film to confront the idea of reality. Througout the movie the main characters, specifically Quad, are questioning whether or not what is being experienced is reality, or merely a manufactured memory within the mind. The director of the film adds several layers in order to constantly leave the viewer, themselves, questioning whether or not the characters in the film are in reality or a manufactured reality. The creator of the program which creates the manufactured reality actually enters the mind of Quad and tries to persuad him that what he experiences isnt happening in the physical world. Instead of accepting what he is hearing, and taking the opportunity to exit this experience Quad decides to remain, whether what he is experiencing is real or not. This is a commentary about the fact that people might actually prefer to live in an alternate reality that is interesting than a reality that isn't.



In the film Oxygen has become a reasorce on Mars, similar to oil today. This gins the central conflict of the plot. Not having the right amount of oxygen leads to a race of people with birth defects, but also psychic abilities. One of these people is leading an uprising which is a major source of conflic in the film.



Throughout the film Quad descovers several things about himself. He apparently has an alter ego which is a bad person who doenst care about those people who are stuggling on mars. Quade makes the decision to ignore this evil alter ego which may be who he was prior to the experience.
In the end of the film quade remarks that this may all be a dream, but that isnt whats really relivant. This is a commentary on the fact that it isnt a matter of what is real or not, its a matter of what you beleive in .

Blade Runner

Blade Runner focusses on a new aspect of technology -- the cyborg. The creaters of these cyborgs were so succesful that their craetions are in fact a danger to society. After an uprising of the cyborgs, or replicants, they must be restrained. The replicants are kept on a seperate planet. This idea of isolation is interesting because it is almost a new form of racism for cyborgs, this is a commentary on our society and how we are intimidated by anything that is different or that we perceive as a threat to our way of life. The cyborg combines aspects of technology with aspects of humanity. Modern society could be said to contain cyborgs, for example, peope with advanced prostetics. The cyborgs in this film are also very human -- when their skins are pierced they bleed. This brings a humanity to all machines, when you pierce their outer layer, they bear their insides just like humans. Another idea that is touched upon is the idea of reality versus perception.