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The Lawnmower Man (1992)

R | | Horror, Sci-Fi | 6 March 1992 (USA)
Trailer
2:03 | Trailer

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A simple man is turned into a genius through the application of computer science.

Director:

Writers:

(title only), (screenplay) | 1 more credit »
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3 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
...
Mark Bringelson ...
...
Terry McKeen
Jeremy Slate ...
Father Francis McKeen
...
The Director
Colleen Coffey ...
Caroline Angelo
Jim Landis ...
Ed Walts
...
Lieutenant Goodwin
...
Carla Parkette
...
...
Security Chief
...
Patrolman Cooley
...
Jake Simpson
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Storyline

A scientist performs experiments involving intelligence enhancing drugs and virtual reality on a simple-minded gardener. He puts the gardener on an extensive schedule of learning, and quickly he becomes brilliant. But at this point the gardener has a few ideas of his own on how the research should continue, and the scientist begins losing control of his experiments. Written by Ed Sutton <esutton@mindspring.com>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

God made him simple. Science made him a god.

Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, sensuality and a scene of violence | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

| |

Language:

Release Date:

6 March 1992 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Stephen King's The Lawnmower Man  »

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$32,101,000 (USA)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

A remote-controlled lawnmower was specifically built for the movie. See more »

Goofs

As Dr. Angelo is telling Caroline that she doesn't understand what he is going through, he rubs his eyes with his empty left hand in close-up. In the next shot, a cigarette has suddenly appeared in his hand as he pulls his hand from his eyes. See more »

Quotes

Dr. Lawrence Angelo: All this power isn't meant to be in the hands of one person!
Jobe Smith: You're wrong! You need to be led, just like everyone else, it's a basic need.
Dr. Lawrence Angelo: This technology was meant to expand human communication, but you're not even human any more! What you've become terrifies me. You're a freak!
Jobe Smith: Your naive idiocy makes me VERY ANGRY!
See more »

Crazy Credits

At the start of the movie, just after the New Line Cinema logo, the following Virtual Reality 'statement' is given (the director stated that this was rewritten many times): By the turn of the millenium a technology known as VIRTUAL REALITY will be in widespread use. It will allow you to enter computer generated artificial worlds as unlimited as the imagination itself. Its creators foresee millions of positive uses - while others fear it as a new from of mind control... See more »

Connections

Referenced in Hackers (1995) See more »

Soundtracks

Man Wants
Written by Gregg Leonard, Joel Hazard, Elizabeth Presley
Performed by Creative Rite
Courtesy of Reality Buffers Music
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Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
Let's party like it's 1992
14 September 2010 | by (Edinburgh, Scotland, UK) – See all my reviews

This effect-laden sci-fi horror film looked pretty impressive back in 1992. But of course times move on, and such movies have a tendency to look dated quicker than most as technology marches on to new levels. I guess The Lawnmower Man is one of these films. But in fairness, it can be quite fun to look back at old special effects and see what was cutting edge back in the day. In truth, today if you were to give a 12 year old child a computer game with graphics similar to those in The Lawnmower Man, that child would turn around and laugh in your face. Such is the speed of computer technology. So yes, The Lawnmower Man no longer looks cutting-edge but neither does it look terrible, its effects work within themselves and are only occasionally atrocious, such as the burning priest.

As most people already know, the story is about a simpleton who is turned into a genius via virtual reality technology. The side effect of this method is that it turns the, otherwise good natured man into an insane evil psychotic.

The Lawnmower Man is neither a particularly good film, nor an especially bad one. There's certainly nothing special here, and the effects were by far its chief selling point. Without them this would almost certainly be a forgotten B-movie. Pierce Brosnan and Jeff Fahey are reasonable enough in their roles, but they were always going to play second fiddle to the CGI. At the heart of it all it's a simple clichéd story that doesn't really hold very many surprises to be perfectly honest. But it's still quite good fun in a silly kind of a way.


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