The Lawnmower Man
Short description
A scientist named Lawrence Angelo runs computer-based experiments that combine drugs with virtual reality to boost intelligence. He uses Jobe Smith, a mentally disabled gardener, as his subject, and the treatment works far beyond what Angelo intended, transforming Jobe into a genius. Angelo's former employers, who have their own interest in the research, interfere with the experiment, and Jobe becomes something far more dangerous than a clever man. The film was released in 1992 and runs 108 minutes.
The Lawnmower Man was the first feature directed by Brett Leonard, who wrote the screenplay with Gimel Everett; Everett also produced. Jeff Fahey plays Jobe and Pierce Brosnan plays Angelo, with Jenny Wright, Mark Bringelson, Geoffrey Lewis and Jeremy Slate in supporting roles. Leonard went on to direct Virtuosity and Hideaway in 1995, Man-Thing in 2005, Highlander: The Source in 2007 and Triumph in 2021. Made for about 10 million dollars, the film took roughly 32 million worldwide, a solid return on its budget.
Audience reception was mixed. On IMDb it holds a 5.6 rating from 874 votes, while on TMDB it sits at 5.6 from the same sample, and the critics' rating stands at 4.9 from 42 reviews, so professional and general viewers landed in similar territory.
What's left behind the scenes
- The idea for the film originated with director Brett Leonard and producer Gimel Everett. Together, they wrote a script for New Line Cinema under the working title "Cyber God." However, at that time, New Line Cinema acquired the rights to adapt Stephen King's short story "The Lawnmower Man" in the horror genre, and the film's producers decided to use the title and King's name for promotional purposes. As a result, "Cyber God" was renamed "The Lawnmower Man" and began to be positioned as a King adaptation, with the writer being credited as a co-writer of the screenplay. Nevertheless, the film's plot remained completely unrelated to the story, so King successfully sued to have his name removed from the credits.
- According to director Brett Leonard, the initial script about virtual reality was rewritten many times before reaching the version that made it into the film.
- The first scene filmed for the movie was one of the meetings between Dr. Lawrence Angelo and government representatives.
- The character of Job the Lawnmower was originally supposed to have red hair. However, he ended up being bleached blond because red hair on the actor Jeff Fahey's head looked completely unnatural.
- In the scene where Dr. Angelo frees Job with a severely damaged head, actor Jeff Fahey was replaced with a mannequin with a specially treated head.
- Actress Jenny Wright was unable to film in the virtual reality episode with strobe lighting – the strobe flashes made her feel sick. It was necessary to film wide shots with a stunt double. Close-ups of Jenny Wright's face were filmed separately against a blue screen, with the actress not allowed to move.
- A remote-controlled lawnmower was specially created for the film.
- The virtual reality footage totals 8 minutes of screen time. Creating the computer visual effects for these 8 minutes took 7 people 8 months. The budget for these 8 minutes was $500,000.
- The film is dedicated to the memory of Milton Subotsky (1921 – 1991), the film’s co-producer, screenwriter, and producer, who died on June 1, 1991, from heart disease.
- When Dr. Lawrence Angelo stimulates Job's brain using virtual reality, the symbols that flash before Job's eyes are Kabbalistic mystical symbols surrounded by ancient Hebrew script.
- Dr. Angelo's line, “I decided to take my work back to the basement,” was later sampled in the first track of The Prodigy’s album “Music for the Jilted Generation” (1994).
- A director's cut of the film exists, which is 39 minutes longer than the theatrical release, with a runtime of 140 minutes.
Similar movies
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
