“We Can Remember It for You Wholesale” by Philip Dick

This paper is aimed at discussing the short story We Can Remember It for You Wholesale written by Phillip Dick and its screen adaptation Total Recall that was directed by Paul Verhoeven. In particular, it is necessary to explain why this film achieved critical and commercial success. Overall, one can argue that the film-makers decided not to focus on the main theme of Phillip Dick’s novella, in particular the contrast between the expectations of an individual and his real life. Paul Verhoeven and his colleagues had to focus on the actions of the main character, rather than his reflections. Secondly, they attempted to make the protagonist more appealing to the general public. Finally, they had to create visual effects that produced long-lasting effects on the viewer. Thus, the failure to explore the theme of the story helped the film-makers become creative. These are the main questions that should be analyzed.