"I'm a fifty terrabyte, self-evolving, neural network, double backflip off the high platform. I'm not a swan dive." For the next entry in our Virtual Insanity series, we’re diving headfirst into the world of early virtual reality—and the filmmaker who helped bring it to the big screen. This week, we're going behind the scenes on VIRTUOSITY, the 1995 cyber thriller starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. But before we get there, we’re rewinding to 1992's THE LAWNMOWER MAN —the first film to seriously tackle VR on screen and the movie that launched director Brett Leonard’s Hollywood career. We’ll explore how THE LAWNMOWER MAN came to be, why it sparked a legal battle with Stephen King, and how its unexpected success set the stage for VIRTUOSITY, a film that had already been in development long before Leonard came aboard. It's a double feature of tech-noir chaos, '90s visual effects, and the strange, glitchy dream of cyberspace. Want to support the show?Subscribers of CinemaShock+ can enjoy an extended version of this episode, which includes bonus segments and additional content, plus get access to all episodes two days early, exclusive merchandise discounts, and more. Join now at cinemashock.net/plus. ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS: Andy Lancaster | asotirov | Benjamin Yates | Caverly | courtland ashley | curtcake5k | Elton Novara | Hunter D Mackenzie | Interzone78 | Jackson_Baker | Jvance325 | Lucy Lawson | MagicBloat | Nate Izod | Nathan Kelley | Robert Stinson Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy. This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop & Todd A. Davis. For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net