On this day in 1990, the second of Paul Verhoeven's so-called "Triple Dutch" science fiction trilogy hit theaters in the United States. The first was "RoboCop". The third was "Starship Troopers". And in the middle was "Total Recall". It's a very loose adaptation of Philip K. Dick's 30-page short story, We Can Remember It for You Wholesale. Verhoeven transformed that premise into a massive box-office hit and helped cement Arnold Schwarzenegger's status as an action superstar by proving he could headline a reality-bending blockbuster as easily as a conventional action movie. The movie -- which languished in development hell for 16 years -- managed to be a boffo action-adventure hit, a provocative story about capitalism and corporate power, and a faithful carrier of Dick's signature paranoid 'What is reality?' sensibility.

Today's video: Top ten P.K. Dick adaptations. Your mileage may vary.

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Round Up by driftglass of the Professional Left Podcast and Science Fiction University

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