Weirdhouse Cinema: Virtuosity

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss a glistening example of 90s cyberslop: 1995’s “Virtuosity,” directed by Brett Leonard and starring Academy Award-winning actors Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Stuff to Blow Your Mind, a production of iHeartRadio.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Hey, welcome to Weird House Cinema.

Speaker 3 (00:13):
This is Rob Lamb and this is Joe McCormick. And
today we are going to be covering the nineteen ninety
five action sci fi thriller Virtuosity, a movie that you
will probably remember even if you haven't seen it, because
in nineteen ninety five you could not help but be
exposed to the trailer where Russell Crowe struts through a

(00:33):
future mall in a baggy purple suit and the tune
is the Beege's Staying Alive. It was like one of
the most iconic uses of a needle drop in a
trailer from the nineties.

Speaker 2 (00:44):
That's right, that's right. And this one, as we'll discuss,
does have quite a needle drop score. It also has
an original score as well, but a lot of needle
drops in here. It really really sets the tone for
the mid nineties looking to late nineties. Feet.

Speaker 3 (01:00):
Yeah, so I want to briefly tell a story of
the roundabout way we came to feature this movie today.
So next week is going to be our two hundredth
episode of Weird House Cinema. I think we still haven't
picked the movie for next week, but that makes today
the one hundred and ninety ninth episode. And Rob, when
you and I were batting ideas around, you mentioned the

(01:22):
possibility of doing a movie set in the year nineteen
ninety nine for the one ninety ninth episode. I think
that was a stroke of genius, and folks, there are
a lot of dope movies set in ninety nine, usually
made in the eighties or nineties, imagining nineteen ninety nine
as a terrible dystopian turning point. So I was looking

(01:43):
at our options and for a while I thought that
we were going to be talking about End of Days
starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. For those of you who mainly remember
Arnold's roles as a terminator or an elite commando of
some kind, this is a bit outside his normal range.
It is a Y two k Anti Christ movie in

(02:04):
which Arnold has to shoot the devil with a machine
gun to prevent the titular end of Days.

Speaker 2 (02:10):
Yeah, a movie in which Arnold plays sort of an everyman. Also,
I guess, sort of a super cop. But yeah, it
gets type. I don't want to see Arnold play in
every man. I want to see Arnold play like a
crom chosen champion that has been forged out of trauma
and loss into a human weapon. That's what I want
out of my Arnold roles.

Speaker 3 (02:31):
Well, I think the even weirder thing is the context
that it's like a religious supernatural thriller. It's like The Omen,
but with Arnold in it.

Speaker 2 (02:40):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (02:40):
I haven't seen End of Days in a long time.
I barely remember it. But Rob, didn't you say there's
something about the year nineteen ninety nine in it that
plays into a prophecy? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (02:49):
Yeah. The only things I remember are that, a, there's
a really cool bat creature in it, but also very
like brown and dark, very saturated looking, but still monster.
And then there's this whole thing about how well six'
sixty six really means nine ninety nine because in dreams
numbers are inverted or upside down or. Something IT'S i

(03:12):
remember it sounded pretty cool until you thought about it
for like two.

Speaker 3 (03:15):
Seconds so, Anyway end Of days that is deliciously weird
as a. Pitch it does apparently have glorious delivery on
the theme of nineteen ninety, Nine but UNFORTUNATELY i started
watching that one MAN i was just not feeling it
for this. Week the vibes were a little too serious and,
grim a little too much kidnapping of babies and pouring

(03:36):
rattlesnake blood on. Them it just kind of bummed me,
Out SO i bailed On end Of. Days maybe we'll,
COME i don't. Know maybe if you get past those early,
scenes it gets. Funnier BUT i wasn't feeling it this,
week And i'm GLAD i ended up bailing because the
next MOVIE i checked out was another one said in
nineteen ninety, nine but in in a very different, direction
and that is AS i. Said nineteen ninety Five's, virtuosity

(03:59):
Starring Denzel washington as an ace cop with a with
a tragic, backstory a redemption, arc and a rarely mentioned
bionic arm h and also Starring Russell crowe as a
synthetic computer game villain raised in a sort of digital
nursery with a great teacher to student. Ratio but all

(04:20):
the teachers are serial.

Speaker 2 (04:21):
Killers you, Know i'm just now realizing that this movie
does have something in common With end Of. Days both
of these films are about like a sort of everyman
cop type figure going up against evil incarnate An end
Of days it's evil incarnate because it Is Gabriel byrne
as the devil who in one SCENE i believe peace
fire is peace straight. Fire and in this in this,

(04:43):
movie we have pure evil in the sense that we
have a SUPER ai trained on serial killers and mad
men that will mild spoiler, here it's it's it's in
the trailer will take physical form in the real world
thanks to THREE d printing exactly.

Speaker 3 (05:02):
Right and that actually brings us to one of the
main THINGS i wanted to talk about at the top,
here and that is that virtuosity is like a core
example of a nineteen nineties subgenre THAT i love THAT
i would here like to dub cyberslop movies from the
nineties where somebody gets sucked into a computer where The

(05:25):
internet tries to kill, you where a virtual reality game becomes.
Sentient you, know he's, learning he's evolving at a geometric,
rate and then at the end you've got a hack
into the main frame to kill the. Monster, now it
might take more than one episode for us to like
fully refine our definition of, cyberslop BUT i was just you,

(05:45):
know WHEN i was working on the outline, HERE i
was trying to think of a few things these movies
seem to have in common that make them interesting to.
Me one of the things they have in common is
that they almost always have atrocious EARLY CGI cgi that
was not ready but here it is. Anyway and usually
like at some, point either the villainous entity or the
mcguffin of the movie will be represented as a, floating spinning,

(06:10):
icosahedron and then when it's, destroyed it shatters into a
bunch of. Triangles you know exactly What i'm talking.

Speaker 2 (06:16):
About, yeah kind of a mind's eide death star sort of. Moment,
Yeah and thinking about this made ME i went back
AND i watched a few scenes from the Original tron
BECAUSE i was. Curious it's, like did they have a
moment like this where where the MAIN ai THE, mcp
does it? Explode it doesn't, explode but so maybe there's
another film that really got there first with the exploding digital.

Speaker 3 (06:39):
HEAD i think for, Me tron is not. Cyberslop it
sort of pre dates, it and the cyber slab genre
is derived from movies Like tron and also kind of
Degrades tron's level of, imagination if that makes. Sense.

Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah, Yeah speaking of, THOUGH i was glancing at those
scenes From, tron AND i was really taking back at
how colorful and vivid everything. Is and this is probably
BECAUSE i haven't Watched tron since it was like ON
tv on an old school television back in the. Day
BUT i was, Like, wow maybe we really need to
come back and Watch.

Speaker 3 (07:12):
Tron, Oh i'd definitely be down for doing. IT i
watched that one a lot WHEN i was a. Kid,
okay another thing about cyberslap, MOVIES i feel like they
tend to stylize, technology like the technology of the, setting
in amusing and sometimes even sort of thought provoking. Ways
so if this makes, sense it is not just that

(07:34):
the characters within the cyberslop movie have a particular style
and fashion, choices but it's like the technosphere itself has
chosen a, style a personal. Style so you get movies
where tech is goth or movies where tech Is Miami.
Vice you, know neon colors and the shoulder. Pads sometimes

(07:56):
tech is, preppy and very often tech is pun. Punk.

Speaker 2 (08:00):
Yeah, yeah because of course tech should be, punk because
the whole genre has its roots in, cyberpunk, generally with
very strong connections to the literary work Of William, Gibson
but we could do a deeper dive easily that gets into,
like you, know what are the earliest examples of sci
fi plot lines in which someone is inside of a
simulation or a virtual world and it goes back several.

Speaker 3 (08:21):
Decades, yeah and a lot of these movies are essentially
borrowing From William gibson type, writing but very much dumbing it.
Down another thing THAT i think is interesting about these
movies is not unique to. Them they share this with
a lot of other nineties. Subgenres they feel very much
like they're from the end of. History and one reason

(08:42):
for that is that every piece of actual specific culture
that we get in these movies feels meaningless and, interchangeable
like it could be swapped out with any other piece
of culture from the same object. Class, so you, know
it's just a world where it's like insert work of art,
here insert political issue. Here the cultural objects do not

(09:07):
seem to really mean anything in. Themselves they don't bring
their specific meanings and values from. Reality they're just examples
of a type of. Thing it feels, like you, know
they're selected from a drop down. MENU i really associate
this kind of storytelling with movies from the nineties in,
general but especially These cyberslot movies have.

Speaker 2 (09:28):
THIS i wonder if there's a, case and to be,
clear very broad, case And i'm sure there are plenty
of counter examples, here BUT i wonder how much of
this might have to do with having like a lot
of up and coming filmmakers in the, nineties maybe more
like tech first style first directors and you, know screenwriters as,

(09:52):
well tackling these films informed by the models that they
grew up on from the. Eighties from this AND's especially
that are taking a more like, direct thoughtful approach in
some cases to actual social issues and political, issues and
so there's sort of maybe in some cases at, least you,

(10:15):
know echoing the, form but without really grasping the. Substance.

Speaker 3 (10:19):
Yeah, YEAH i think that may be on to. Something
i'll have to think some more about. That but then,
also this very last POINT i want to make About
cyberslop IS i think the most important, one and that
is that these movies are at the same time both
quaint and uncanny in the way they depict technologies like virtual, REALITY,

(10:41):
ai The, internet and digital. Media and WHAT i mean
by that, is on one, hand it's genuinely so cute
that somebody in the year nineteen ninety three decided to
write a whole screenplay about like The. Internet you, know
it's some kind Of internet, thriller and it obviously has
such a vague understanding of what The internet is and

(11:03):
how it. Works you'll have like characters navigating cyber space
with a, joystick you, know that's how you get through The,
Internet and so it's just. Adorable thinking about that kind
of relationship to technology is like looking at a puppy falling.
Asleep on the other, hand stories like, this with their very,
loose technically, inaccurate overly, concrete overly, personalized almost symbolic depictions

(11:31):
of these, technologies can feel weirdly prescient on the metaphorical,
level usually in their ability to imagine what it feels
like to be acted upon by these technologies in their
maturity in the future we live in. Now, so for,
example imagine a hypothetical cyberslop movie from nineteen ninety six

(11:52):
where somebody hacks The internet so that The net becomes
a self evolving malevolent entity that wants to destroy. You
it's both like dumb in nineteen ninety, six and it
takes a kind of technological ignorance to write, it but
it also captures something very real about what it would
come to feel like to be An internet user in

(12:15):
twenty twenty.

Speaker 2 (12:16):
Five. Yeah, Yeah, PLUS i guess we have to remind
ourselves that a lot of these, films they are exploitive
to a certain. Extent there's some sort of like t exploitation,
film and you, know you're often ex you're exploiting a,
fear and fears are not always completely formed and certainly not.
Rational Like i'm thinking about smart killer smart house movies

(12:37):
from the. NINETIES i remember one in The Sci Fi
channel where there was like a hand that went around
on a little track on the ceiling in the house
and like all, That like that's completely, Ridiculous but, LIKE
i don't doubt for a second that it comes from
a legitimate fear that arises based on just what people were,
saying like the houses of the future are going to be,
Like and that fear maybe is not completely, gone maybe it's,

(13:01):
matured maybe it's changed form a, bit BUT i think
we still have that sort of fear and it still
gets poked and kindled by various news stories about, oh
your toaster is. Watching even, so.

Speaker 3 (13:12):
Forth, yeah, exactly like that vision was overly simplified and overly,
concrete but actually reality did catch up to the feeling
of that plot in a. Way so perhaps we can
explore more about this as we go, On BUT i
really think that irony is the case with. Virtuosity on one,
Hand virtuosity is quite simple minded and literal in its

(13:35):
engagement with the technology, themes but there are some things
in it that feel unsettlingly resonant in twenty twenty, five
especially in the context of a movie that is in
most ways extremely nineteen ninety five's version of nineteen ninety.

Speaker 2 (13:51):
Nine. Yeah, yeah we'll get into this a lot, more
but CERTAINLY i think there are various world building details
and choices And virtuosity that hit with a kind of
almost idiocracy like, accuracy you, know like there's a certain
amount of maybe in a loose black comedy to the, Choice,
yeah you're, like, oh that's a little. Close and then
its main, focus of, course we have an out of

(14:13):
CONTROL ai menace that gets itself THREE d printed so
that it can go on a viral killing, spree and
it really does sweep up various pressing anxieties about The
internet artificial, intelligence and in a limited, way the future
of THREE d printing of inorganic and organic.

Speaker 3 (14:27):
Materials i'd agree with you that the themes hit harder
on like THE ai and digital media front than on
the robotics. Front but STILL i don't. Know maybe one
day we'll catch up to the robotics.

Speaker 2 (14:39):
Element, YEAH i MEAN I at different times when there
have been accelerations in THREE d, printing there have been
moments Where i'm, like, oh this is like The internet
in all its, awfulness can now take physical. Form and
maybe on some LEVEL i was Remembering virtuosity trailers And i'm,
like this is Like. Virtuosity it's like you thought of
it that The, internet and now it's on your. Desk

(15:02):
and granted we've had a little more time to sort
of grow with that. ONE i feel, like though there
are some still dangerous concerns out there in the THREE
d printing, world but for the most, PART i feel
like we've gotten a little more accustomed to what it
can do for us. NOW i also find it interesting
in these various films of this, subgenre ones that often
include like a digital or virtual, character and they really

(15:24):
get to WHAT i will refer to as job. About,
yes referencing Lawnmower man, here which has a very, close
very close kinship with this, film in which you have
a character or AN ai entity that becomes a kind
of god complex black hole of negative personal. Attributes AND
i think this too nicely mirrors fears then as well

(15:46):
as fears and sometimes realities now about the virtual realm
of expression and consumption that we have in the digital
realm that might allow too many barriers of behavior to
erode in the shape of our virtual self than becomes something, grotesque,
dangerous and maybe even.

Speaker 3 (16:04):
Evil, yeah once, again right. On i'm not going to
SAY i Think virtuosity did this on. PURPOSE i think
it may be a kind of accidental stumbling into this.
Theme but you're exactly, right it's there and it hits. Hard. Now,
now another THING i want to mention at the. Top
it is an interesting parallel With end Of days as
the almost choice as the alternate reality of this. Week

(16:27):
what's really exquisite about the pitch For end Of days
is the mismatch between the premise and the. Star, Right
like Whatever Arnold schwarzenegger was made, for it was not
to like march Through cathedrals by Candle light trying to
Stop satan from fathering a child On. Earth that is
a weird, fit and with today's movie there is something

(16:48):
similar going, on a. VIRTUOSITY i looked it. Up it
did have a mid sized. Budget it wasn't huge, budget
but it wasn't small budget. Either it was you, know
mid sized action sci fi kind of you, know in
the realm of what you'd. Expect, yeah, Yeah but it,
is in both content and, execution a, bizarre trashy b.

(17:09):
Movie and yet its two main stars are two of the,
biggest most sought, after most RESPECTED a list, actors certainly
in the two, thousands definitely in the case Of Denzel.
Washington like the last three decades Of, hollywood it's almost
like If Tom hanks was in Lawnmower. Man it's just, like,
oh such a strange thing to. Imagine like When Russell

(17:32):
crowe did this, movie his big period was still ahead of.
Him but When denzel did, this he already had MULTIPLE oscar,
nominations he'd Won Best Supporting actor. Once so it's already
deeply strange and amusing that you've got the top tier
of Future hollywood in this dumb killer computer. Movie but
what's even more odd is that neither of them are

(17:54):
phoning it. In but both of THEM i think are
fantastic in this. Movie they're giving full, efforts really getting
into the. Characters in, FACT i would SAY i have
never seen A Russell crowe performance in which he seems
to be expressing as much joy through acting as he does.
Here this is The. Pinnacle like His oscar nominated roles

(18:16):
are comparatively grim and. Subdued in this. Movie you get
him is a disco, strutting synthetic serial killer and he comes.

Speaker 2 (18:25):
Alive, yeah, YEAH i think you're. RIGHT i think we've
really only seen him get back into broad performances like,
this maybe in the likes of twenty twenty two's thor Leven,
thunder in which he gets to Play zeus with a
Ridiculous greek. Accent i'll come back to that one BECAUSE

(18:46):
i ACTUALLY i actually like that performance quite a.

Speaker 3 (18:48):
Bit, OH i haven't seen. That that makes me want
to see, it, Though BUT.

Speaker 2 (18:53):
I, agree, like, yeah both of these guys are arguably
better than this, movie but both of them really. DELIVER
i would, say In Denzel washington's, case he is almost
too good for this. Movie in the sense that not
that he's not great in, it but a role of
the sort sometimes hits a little better if you have

(19:15):
a less skilled actor or an actor that makes stranger,
choices whereas Like, denzel like all his choices are, Solid
like he's just a complete pro. Here you need somebody
maybe a little, sloppy a little, greener so that they
can shine in a role like. This but that being,
said he's still.

Speaker 3 (19:34):
Terrific they're two very different kinds of performances that are
beyond what is required by. Virtuosity denzel gives a much
more human performance than you would expect his character to,
have And Russell crowe gives a much more just like
scenery ingesting huge improvisational energy kind of. Performance.

Speaker 2 (19:56):
Yeah, YEAH i would say his performance is like a
little Bit, joker a little Bit joe from Lawnmower, man and,
also at least in the visual, sense a little bit
Ninety's Peter. Gabriel, yeah there you.

Speaker 3 (20:08):
Go H, okay are we ready for the elevator? Pitch?
Yeah hit us sid six point seven is a computer.
Program he is a sidistic virtual super criminal designed for
A vr training environment that will be used to test

(20:29):
the cops of the, future but the developers are still
working the kinks, out and in the meantime they are
TESTING sid against players from the prison. Population the only
one who has ever beaten him Is Parker, barnes a
former police officer who is incarcerated after his vendetta killing
of a terrorist who murdered his family and also killing
several other people in the. Process but, when through a

(20:52):
series of implausible, EVENTS sid six point seven gets brought
into our world and turned into a kind of meat
SPACE t one thousand and with blueberry, blood there's only
one man who can stop.

Speaker 2 (21:04):
Him, yep that's right. ON i would also present the
idea of, oops we THREE d printed a mass. Murder,
yeah that's also kind of. It this is the one
thing we didn't want to, happen and here we. Are all,
Right let's go ahead and listen to part of the
teaser trailer because the main, trailer the one most people
have heard it prominently features the beg staying, alive and

(21:26):
we want to stay alive here on the. Show SO
i didn't want to feature that. SONG i love that,
song but you, know this is what we're playing.

Speaker 4 (21:43):
In this high tech crime prevention. Facility one man has
been recruited to play a simulated game the objective to
hunt down The Ultimate Virtual Reality KILLER sid six point.

Speaker 2 (21:57):
Seven there's only one.

Speaker 4 (21:59):
Problem the computer change the. Program now he's in the real.
World he's.

Speaker 2 (22:10):
Interactive he doesn't enjoyed a game unless he's playing against
his favorite.

Speaker 3 (22:15):
Opponent that's me.

Speaker 2 (22:19):
From the director Of Lawnmower.

Speaker 3 (22:21):
Matt he's recreating mass. Murders so what you're saying' sus
a compika since six ten on improving the. ORIGINAL i
Love Denzel. Washington just Because i'm carrying around the joy
of killing your family inside me doesn't mean you can't be.

Speaker 4 (22:33):
Friends virtuosity game.

Speaker 3 (22:36):
Over speaking Of Beg Staying, ALIVE i bet The virtuosity
trailer is HOW i first learned about that. Song, HUH i,
MAY i may not have ever heard it before.

Speaker 2 (22:56):
THAT i, mean somebody needs to be strutting when that
song is, Played and if that song is, playing you
will soon find yourself. Strutting that's just how it.

Speaker 3 (23:04):
Works, oh this may be too embarrassing to say out,
loud BUT i bet as a, kid WHEN i Saw
Russell crowe walking in the blue in the purple Suit
beg's are, PLAYING i probably like strutted around my house
AFTER i saw that no.

Speaker 2 (23:16):
Joke all, right you might be, wondering, well, HEY i
want to See virtuosity as well before listening to the
rest of the, episode OR i want to watch it
later and so. Forth, Well virtuosity was a major, release
so you can find it pretty much wherever you choose
to get your. Movies for physical, media, however there's no
beating the recently Released Vinegar Syndrome ultra, release which gives

(23:37):
us the film newly scanned and restored in FOUR k
from its thirty five millimeter original camera, negative along with
tons of extras like new extras interviews with the director
and other. Folks, it's without a, doubt the finest physical
release this film has ever.

Speaker 3 (23:52):
GOTTEN i can't Believe Vinegar syndrome release Of virtuosity is
as close as we're ever going to get to A
criterion collection disc of Lawnmower.

Speaker 2 (24:00):
Man, Yeah Vinegar syndrome does, great great, work and this
is certainly the case. HERE i rented this From Video
drome here In, atlanta and, yeah it looks. GREAT i,
mean the digital effects are only going to look so,
polished as we'll. Discuss but then, again that only really
potentially hurts the film during the NON vr, segments as we'll,

(24:23):
discuss AND i will say that the goofy android makeup
and other practical effects look really.

Speaker 3 (24:28):
Great oh, YEAH i mean you wouldn't want THE cgi
to look too. GOOD i mean that's part of the.

Speaker 2 (24:32):
Charm, yeah especially in those the simulation. Sequences.

Speaker 3 (24:36):
Yeah, well SO i streamed, it but you, KNOW i
got a feeling this might not be the last TIME
i Watch, virtuosity SO i might have to snag this.

Speaker 2 (24:43):
Disc all, right let's talk about the people who made this,
film starting at the top With Brett leonard born nineteen fifty,
Nine american director of films and music, videos best known
for his pivotal work in nineteen nineties virtual reality inspired,
media as he directed Both Today film and nineteen ninety
Two's the Lawnmower. Man, that of, course is The bonker's

(25:04):
virtual reality, film born out of an original script inspired
by the work Of Jaron lanier and the production company's
desire to keep Adapting Stephen king stories they own the rights,
to basically by slapping the title Lawnmower man onto a
pre existing.

Speaker 3 (25:19):
Script this has nothing to do with The king story
is this one of the ones he sued.

Speaker 2 (25:24):
Over, yes it's my understanding that he successfully got his
name taken off of this, one because, yeah has the
original stories about like a crazy satanic lawnmower man who
eats grass or something to that, effect worships the God,
PAN i. Believe, Yeah, yeah there's Some pan worship in.
There nothing to do with virtual reality. Now Brett leonard's
first directorial credit was nineteen eighty Nine's The Dead. Pit

(25:47):
this is a supernatural horror film with like the features The.
Undead i've never seen, it BUT i am super familiar
with ITS vhs box art because and you probably are
as well if you were of a certain, age because
this was A vhs rental store box that had light
up eyes powered by a little battery pack. Inside it

(26:07):
might have made sound. TOO i don't remember if it made,
sound but they definitely light. Up and this, one i'm to,
understand is very much a collector's item AMONG vhs.

Speaker 3 (26:16):
Enthusiasts rob this we may have even mentioned this idea
on the show, before BUT i have thought that at
some point we should do a series of weird house
cinema episodes just focusing on films that had gimmick, packaging
stuff that had light up components or anything on the
box that's different than normal to get people to pick
it up and, say what's.

Speaker 2 (26:36):
This, YEAH vhs shell shaped like a, coffin something like.
That i'm definitely here for.

Speaker 4 (26:44):
It.

Speaker 2 (26:44):
Okay so Lawnmower man was his follow up To Dead.
Pit and the thing, is we can all laugh about
what did and didn't work about Lawnmower, man but it
made a lot of, money especially given its small. Budget
it connected with A vr curious, audience and along with
this film paved the way for pretty much EVERY vr

(27:05):
film to follow up to and Including The.

Speaker 3 (27:07):
Matrix that's, right, folks without Lawnmower, man No matrix probably.

Speaker 2 (27:12):
Probably there was An Indie wire headline from earlier this,
year an article By jim Hemp hill that covers the
vinegar syndrome re release of the, picture and its title
Is virtuosity walked so The matrix could. Run so this
seems to be the opinion of various, folks and it's
discussed a bit in some of the extras on The

(27:34):
virtuosity DISC i buy. It So leonard did not come
back for the Lawnmower man, sequel which is also pretty,
bonkers But hollywood did say, yes more of this. Please
so nineteen ninety five saw the release of the psychic
serial killer Film, hideaway based on The Dean koontz novel
and Starring Jeff. Goldbloom and Then. Virtuosity, so like we said,

(27:56):
Earlier Virtuosity Paramount pictures, production bigger. Budget it ultimately did
not have quite the cultural or commercial impact that everyone
was banking, on but it received a fair amount of
reevaluation in recent, years especially with That Vinegar Syndrome Blu ray.
Release as we'll discuss the, film sci fi commentary hits
home in various ways given where we are now, politically,

(28:19):
socially and above all. Technologically and, YEAH i think a
strong case could be made that this helped pave the
road for things like The, matrix and then once The matrix,
explodes like how many folks are running around with machine,
guns sunglasses and some sort of like black latex garb
shooting in slow motion and going in and out of.

Speaker 3 (28:39):
Cyberspace though it's funny because the black latex look you
only see from secondary characters in this. FILM i can't
emphasize enough the weird fashion sensibility Of Russell crowe in this,
movie he wears like brightly colored big, suits like, loose,
baggy double breasted suits of either the green, Set latin

(29:00):
or purple.

Speaker 2 (29:01):
Variety, yes, well he likes. Attention he wants an attention grabbing.
Outfit in the, extras particularly interview With, leonard he points
out That russell crow is essentially an influencer like he.
Is he's going after that influencer. Space he wants eyes
on what he is, doing like that is his prime,
Drive like not merely to do awful, things but to

(29:24):
be seen doing awful things and to get those hits
and get those subscribers.

Speaker 3 (29:28):
Up oh my, God i've got too many deep thoughts
comments about this later on in the. Outline but, yes, yes,
yes that's what's going on here before that thing even,
existed all.

Speaker 2 (29:38):
Right so virtuosity hits post. Virtuosity leonard directed AN imax,
film T Rex back to The. CRETACEOUS i might have
seen this one at this. Point there have been so
MANY imax and THREE d dinosaur, films especially as a,
parent That i've seen THAT i don't know where one
ends and the other one. BEGINS i always enjoy. Them
this one is apparently actually a huge hit for An imax.

Speaker 3 (29:58):
Film at the, time WHEN i as a, TEENAGER i
worked selling tickets to tourist, attractions and one of the
PLACES i worked was An imax. THEATER i don't recall
if they ever had this, one BUT i remember a
general awareness of. It all, right.

Speaker 2 (30:12):
There's a chance it. Happened. Now later, On leonard. Directed
he directed a pair of two thousand and five films
that seemed very. Skippable one Is Man. Thing this was
an Early marvel entertainment film that missed the mark for various.
Reasons i've read, that like it was one of those
cases where the production was just too far away And
marvel wasn't able to like really have their hands in

(30:34):
it as much as they. Wanted and then he also
did a movie Called, feed which seems like one of
the many bad taste horror films to spring up in
the wake of ninety five to. Seven it also looks very.
Skippable then he directed two thousand and Sevens highlander The.
Source this was the final trickle of cinematic juice thus
far squeezed from the husk of The highlander.

Speaker 3 (30:54):
FRANCHISE i assume No Christoph limbert.

Speaker 2 (30:57):
No he's in.

Speaker 3 (30:57):
It oh he.

Speaker 2 (30:58):
Is, yeah this. Kid this is the period of films
where they had combined the movies and THE tv show
and like they were literally just throwing everything in and
just squeezing as much as they could out of. It
and maybe they'll relaunch it here in the next year
or two and we'll have so much more juice to.
Squeeze but this was like the last. Trickle but, hey

(31:21):
somebody had to direct these. Movies might as well have
Been Leonard. Okay, Now more, recently he directed the twenty
twenty one Drama, triumph and seems to be returning to
his roots with an upcoming project Called Dark, star not
not related To John Carpenter's Dark, star in which quote
a trio Of Astral warriors battle And ai. Threat it's
in pre production as of this, recording So i'm. Interested

(31:44):
it would be interesting to see what the director Of
lon More man In virtuosity would have for us in
like twenty twenty five or twenty twenty. SIX i am mighty.

Speaker 3 (31:52):
Curious. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (31:54):
Now his music video filmography Includes Peter Gabriel's Kissed That
frog from ninety. Three this was off of a terrific
album THAT i totally wore out in the. Nineties the
video is notable for its use OF cgi and A cgi.
Frog it was actually the first ALL cgi music. Video
apparently the cgi frog has really really red. Lips it's

(32:17):
like lipstick. Lips this was obviously a pioneering music, video
which is to say it doesn't look that great by today's,
standard not like a lot of Other Peter gabriel videos Like,
sledgehammer you, know which has all this great stop motion
and you, know totally stands the test of.

Speaker 3 (32:33):
Time, no But Peter gabriel has a presence on the
soundtrack of this movie as. Well Guess I'm Your Party, Man.

Speaker 2 (32:40):
That's, right a track co written By Tory. Amos. Wow,
Yeah SO i look forward to talking about the music
as we proceed.

Speaker 3 (32:47):
Here, Okay, okay don't want to get ahead of, you.

Speaker 2 (32:49):
But to finish With, leonard it is notable that he's
not just a nineteen nineties popularizer OF, vr sci fi and.
Tear he also co founded two different companies involved in
the use OF vr is the term he prefers as
virtual experiences for therapeutic. Purposes so There's Virtual, Psychedelics. Inc
And UBIQUITY.

Speaker 3 (33:08):
Vx, okay no offense To Brett leonard at all about,
this but it is kind of an odd choice to
like the stories you have created and sent into the
world ABOUT, vr all about murder and about LIKE VR vr,
psychos you, know taking control and unleashing havoc on the,
world but then also like literally being involved and actually

(33:31):
USING vr for allegedly good. Purposes And i'm not trying
to impune what he's, doing.

Speaker 2 (33:35):
No, no, NO i mean he based on the interview
THAT i watched on that, disk he does seem to
recognize the irony of, this and he's frames it is
sort of Like i'm giving back having having first helped
to create these visions of. Paranoia, yeah so fair, enough all.
Right moving on to the. Screenplay it is By Eric,
burnt screenwriter perhaps best known for his work on this,

(33:57):
film but his first credit to his screenplay was nineteen twenty
Four surviving The, game directed By ERNEST. R. Dickerson we've
talked about this before because we've talked About ERNEST Ar dickerson,
Before but this is the most dangerous game but with Iced,
tea hunted By, Rugger, Howard Gary, BUSEY F Murray, abraham
And JOHN. C.

Speaker 3 (34:15):
McGinley, yeah Was, dickerson the director of The tales from
The crypt Movie Demon.

Speaker 2 (34:20):
Knight he, Was, yes we talked about before on the.
Show he also wrote the screenplay for two Thousand's Romeo
Must die and has a story credit on two Thousands
Highlander End.

Speaker 3 (34:29):
Game all, Right highlander connections from different. Directions, yeah there
was a lot of Work highlander. World you, know so
you got paid where you could get. Paid, OKAY i
think it's time to talk about our IMPLAUSIBLE a list actors.

Speaker 2 (34:42):
Here, yes Playing Lieutenant Parker. Barnes you know his name
Is parker because it's set a bazillion times in this.

Speaker 3 (34:49):
Picture, Hey, corker this one's for.

Speaker 2 (34:52):
You. Yeah this, is of Course Denzel washington born nineteen fifty.
Four this is one of those moments where it's, LIKE
i don't have to tell anyone out there Who Denzel washington,
is BUT i will say it's just so easy to
take a talent like him for, granted because for people
around my, age it feels like he's always been. There you,
know he's always been there at the top of his.

(35:13):
Game he's always been. Established he's stuck near the top
of The hollywood. Pantheon for decades and just continues to
bust out, powerful often award winning performances in, big big budget.
Films all, told he's currently a nine Time Academy award
nominee and two time. Winner at this point in his,
career as we already pointed, out he'd been nominated three
times and won. Once so you, know DARE i say

(35:36):
he's coming into this one, hot having been nominated for
nineteen eighty Eight's Cry, freedom in nineteen ninety Three's MALCOLM,
x and having won again for nineteen Nineties. Glory subsequent
nominations would include two thousands Of The, hurricane twenty Thirteen's,
flight twenty Seventeens, fences twenty Eighteen's Roman Jay Israel, esquire
and twenty twenty Two's The tragedy Of. Macbeth to, date

(36:00):
only other Oscar win Was Best actor for his excellent
performance as the dirty Cop Alonzo harris in two thousand
and One's Training. DAY i keep getting a wild hair
to rewatch that, one because that's a film that when
it came OUT i was really captivated. By it was
just like really, intense had some excellent twists and in
just a phenomenal sense of danger as well, as of

(36:21):
course at a terrific i'll, say villain, performance but it's
a little more complicated than, that you, know it's almost
like A shakespearean villain, performance which of course brings us
to The tragedy Of. Macbeth, that of course Is Joel
cohen's adaptation of The scottish play that also co Stars francis,
McDormand and it is also awesome and of course features

(36:42):
an amazing supporting cast that features a Few Cohen brothers
regulars as well As Brian. Thompson you might Remember Brian
thompson from such films as the Second Moral kombat, movie
in which you Played Shao, khan and loads of like
ACTION b. Movies you, know he was often an action.
Star but he shows up in THE a is one
of the murderers and is. Terrific, oh in The tragedy Of.

(37:04):
Macbeth not In, Virtuosity, no not in. VIRTUALLY i would
be ashamed.

Speaker 3 (37:08):
IF i had missed him In Virtuosity.

Speaker 2 (37:10):
Somewhere, Yeah Brian thompson was also one of the punks
that gets beat up and or killed by the.

Speaker 3 (37:15):
Terminator yeah that sounds. Right, Yeah, well AS i said,
Earlier Denzel washington is so much better than this movie calls.
For he's giving the more subdued and humanistic performance and
Allowing Russell crowe the space to just be. Wacky but
it's both funny and genuinely like a pleasure to see

(37:35):
him in this. Role.

Speaker 2 (37:37):
Yeah, leonard in the interview On The Blu ray commented
That denzel was pretty much at the top of his game,
here you, know requiring only mild suggestions here and, there
and otherwise you just, like you just let him run with,
it and he nails it right out of the, gate
possessing what he described as an almost like superhuman ability
to know exactly where his face is in a given
shot and just maximize his, expression.

Speaker 3 (37:58):
Which is interesting because that's a a very film specific.
Talent AND i, Know i've read That Denzel washington very
much thinks of himself as like a stage. Performer. FIRST i, mean,
obviously you, know more people know him from his, movies
but he you, know he's a very like stage and
theater focused actor in a.

Speaker 2 (38:16):
Way. Yeah, Yeah, yeah he's back on the stage currently
as we're recording this as. Well but as far as
sci fi movies, goes it. Goes it's actually. Interesting this
is only one of three sci fi movies That denzel
has ever appeared, IN i, believe alongside two thousand and
six Is Deja vus and twenty Ten's The book Of.
Eli and of course he's still going strong. Today just

(38:36):
came off of a key role In Ridley Scott's gladiator,
too which is fitting given who our next star.

Speaker 3 (38:42):
Is that's all, Right rachel AND i were just talking
about this that it's got two Different gladiator actors at
the top, here and of, course, yeah of course that
brings us To Russell crowe AS sid six point.

Speaker 2 (38:53):
Seven that's. Right do you think it.

Speaker 3 (38:55):
Would have been different actors in the role of PREVIOUS sid,
releases like WAS sid three point Nine michael dudikof and
then by the time he get to six point, seven
That's Russell.

Speaker 2 (39:06):
Crowe that that would be. Interesting that would if they
do A VIRTUOSITY tv, series you, know they could do different,
sids different. Actors it could be a sit of the weak.
Situation So Russell crowe born nineteen sixty, Four New zealand
born actor Of welsh And malory. Ancestry as With, DENZEL
i really don't need to tell you Who Russell crowe
is very famous, actor but with a DECIDEDLY i would,

(39:29):
say wilder reputation in a. Filmography to fit that, reputation
crow starred started off in music and, theater Including i'm
delighted to say Playing eddie in A New zealand production
Of The Rocky Horror Picture.

Speaker 3 (39:42):
Show oh that's surprising.

Speaker 2 (39:44):
But also kind of. Perfect you, KNOW i think he
was in he was like in a band at one,
point very, early you, know before he really got into.
Acting SO i can definitely See Russell crowe As. Eddie
he has Meat, yeah, Yeah eddie was by Meat loaf
in The Rocky Art Picture show for anyone who's trying
to remember the. Casting, Now crowe broke Into australian cinema after.

(40:09):
THIS a couple of big hits here were ninety ninety
One's proof and nineteen ninety Two's Romper stomper rather famous
role in which he plays A melbourne, skinhead and these
films helped to springboard him Into american pictures and that's
really where virtuosity. Comes in the same, year he also
appeared in The Sam raimi Western The quick and The.

Speaker 3 (40:28):
Dead Never seen that one is that one that also
Has Sharon. Stone, YEAH i believe she's the lead in.

Speaker 2 (40:34):
It, yeah so. Yeah leonard also talked about about working
With Russell crowe and Said Russell crowe is also a
situation where you turn him loose and you just follow
him and, maybe you, know give him a few few
directions here and. There but he Described crowe as being
kind of like a bundle of improvisational, energy and so

(40:54):
a lot of his lines here that we, get some
of the great, ones our improvisations that he brought to the,
script that he brought to the.

Speaker 3 (41:01):
SCENES i think you can detect that without even knowing.
It it just comes through in the. Movie there's this
might sound like a wild, comparison but there is almost
A Jim carrey quality to him in.

Speaker 2 (41:14):
This, yes, yes absolutely, yeah that kind of Like, Batman,
Joker riddler kind of energy where it's just you, know
laughing and. Goofy like our man here is doing backflips
into THE ufc octagon and landing on his head seemingly on.
PURPOSE i, mean he's completely. Unhinged. Yeah So Russell crowe

(41:35):
followed all this with well received performances in such hits
As La confidential in ninety, Seven The insider in ninety.
Nine he got An oscar nomination for that, one before
his award winning star performance In Ridley Scott's gladiator in
two thousand and. One he was nominated the following year
FOR A Beautiful. Mind subsequent films of note include the

(41:55):
likes of two thousand and, Threes Mastering, Commander The Far
side of The world and One's American gangster With Denzel,
washington And Ridley Scott's Robin hood in twenty. Ten now
around twenty, Ten i'd say to credits start getting a little,
weirder and it feels like he gets he's getting to
flex his muscles and supporting roles half the, time and
even some villain work, again appearing in the likes of

(42:16):
twenty Twelve's The man with The Iron, fists twenty Thirteen's
man Of, steel twenty Fourteen's, noah twenty Seventeens The, mummy
twenty twenty Two's love And, thunder which again this is
where he Plays zeus and he gets to just be
over the top and, comedic but also has at least
one key scene that he's just oozing with villainous. Energy

(42:38):
so it's very fun to watch a lot of people
did not Like love And Thunder all that. MUCH i
didn't like it as much the first TIME i watched,
it BUT i really came around to it the second.
Time if nothing, else it's a wacky film with some
incredibly talented actors in. It you could See Christian bale
play a mad god killing, alien so you know it's
worth the. Ticket, Okay but then he's Lately crow has

(43:02):
been playing a lot of. Exorcists twenty twenty three Is
The Pope's exorcist and twenty twenty Four's The. Exorcist these
are apparently not related to each. OTHER i haven't seen,
them SO i can't fully. Comment BUT i don't know
he's just saying yes to exorcist.

Speaker 3 (43:17):
PICTURES i haven't Seen The Pope's. Exorcist in, FACT i
don't know what it's about other than what one might
surmise from the. Title but it like pops up on streaming,
services and so in our house we keep making The
Pope's exorcist.

Speaker 2 (43:29):
Jokes is he an exorcist working for The pope or
is he exercising the?

Speaker 3 (43:34):
Pope many good? Questions is The pope possessed by a
devil and he has to exercise, it or do people
get possessed by the spirit of The pope and he
has to go exercise The pope from?

Speaker 2 (43:43):
PEOPLE i don't. Know we're going to have to await
listeners to tell us how this all plays.

Speaker 3 (43:51):
Out CAN i read a quote from The Janet Maslin
New York times review Of virtuosity when it came? Out oh,
yes please don't fully agree with Everything maslin says, here
but just for how it was received at the, Time she,
writes Mister washington is usually an actor audiences will follow
into any, dimension but here his role is, limited too,

(44:12):
often leaving him to play second fiddle to the film's
weirdly hypnotic special. Effects Mister, crowe as a psychotic yuppie
type bearing a disconcerting resemblance to the Writer Brett Easton,
ellis does a memorable job making himself frightening until the
film becomes numbingly frantic in the manner of many video.
Games while it excoriates the vicious sid as the techno

(44:35):
spawn of monsters Like Adolf hitler And John Wayne, Gacy
virtuosity also revels in his exploits with more enthusiasm than
is really. Necessary you, Know i'm gonna agree with the
later part of. That one of the downsides of the
film is like it's like mostly, silly but then sometimes
the violent scenes just get a little too. Real it's,

(44:56):
like oh, man that went harder than it needed. To
but the other thing, IS i like the characterization Of
Russell crowe here is as a psychotic yuppie type because
that captures something about the role THAT i didn't quite
put together WHEN i was just reacting to it. Myself but,
yeah there is a kind of urbanity to, him do
you know WHAT i? Mean like he's kind of he's

(45:17):
kind of suave and sophisticated at the same time that
he is supposed to be an, uncontrollable, manic psycho, killer
and that is clearly it's part of what the appeal
of the character. Is but it also, FEELS i don't,
know it's like a very unfocused. Characterization this character is
just a lot of things thrown at the, wall you

(45:39):
know WHAT i.

Speaker 2 (45:39):
Mean, yeah but of course that also is exactly what he. Is, Like,
yeah there's like a multiple personality situation going. On but,
yeah then also as it's you, know it's brought to
life on the, screen you can see so many different influences,
there all, right getting into the rest of the, cast

(46:02):
AND i should say the rest of the cast is
very much the rest of the cast. Here, yeah you,
know they're all supporting what our two stars are. Doing
but we Have Kelly lynch playing the Character Madison carter
born nineteen fifty Nine american, actress best known for performances
in nineteen eighty Nine's Drugstore, cowboy as well As roadhouse
from the same. Year she's continued to work steadily in

(46:22):
film AND, tv appearing in such series As THE L,
Word Magic, City Mister, mercedes And.

Speaker 3 (46:27):
Physical you know how whenever a copy gets thrown off
the force is brought back for one last. Job he
always has to get a new. Partner here's your new partner.

Speaker 2 (46:36):
Exactly and so it is very much a supporting role
in the most limited sense of the. Word like everything
she's doing is here to support the characterization Of Denzel
washington's character and have her kid.

Speaker 3 (46:48):
Kidnapped we'll. Discuss she does get to shoot the human
bad guy at the.

Speaker 2 (46:53):
End that's. True that's. True. Oh in speaking of human bad, guy,
yep it Is Lynden, meyer played By Steven. Spinella for
nineteen fifty. Six this was only his third film. Appearance but,
man this guy has tremendous weird energy because he's the
creator OF sid six point. Seven but also it's clear

(47:13):
that he's now completely enraptured by his creation and is
worshiping his creation and wants to do anything he. Can
he has a true love for this awful thing that he's.
Made he's. Continued spinell has continued to milk his weird
energy and some other great weird productions over the. Years
nineteen ninety Nine's. Ravenous another film THAT i think would

(47:34):
be interesting to revisit in twenty twenty, five twenty Ten's,
rubber and that's one that's been recommended to us. Before
and then Also Steven Soderberg's The, nick WHICH i am
struggling to remember who he. Played there were a lot
of actors coming in and out of that shows what
two season. Run But i'm a big fan Of The.
Nick all. Right we also Have William forsyth Playing William.

(47:59):
Cochrane this is this character is the what he's the police, chief.
Right he's, Like you're the best COP i ever worked,
With you're the absolute. Best i'm the in as well
as he's, Like i'm gonna get you out of prison
and get you back on the, force that sort of.

Speaker 3 (48:13):
Thing there's only one man who can stop this, thread
and that's the protagonist of this.

Speaker 2 (48:17):
Film that's. Right SO i don't know how we've avoided
watching A William forth wife movie up until now because
his tons of. Credits The american character actor who's made
a career out of playing mostly heavies and, cops exactly
like his role in this. Film but he also played
the escape Convict evil in nineteen eighty Seven's Raising. Arizona
you know is that great line he's, Like, hi you're,

(48:39):
young and you got your. Health what you want with the.

Speaker 3 (48:41):
Job he has the great scene where he holds up
the general store to steal diapers AND i think he
steals balloons and he says these blow up into funny
shapes and the guy, says not unless round is. Funny.

Speaker 2 (48:53):
Yeah so he's great in, that and that role like
definitely stands apart from most of what he's known. For
other films of note include he played the mutant Gangster
Flat top in nineteen Nineties Dick tracy And Pops up
in three different Rob zombie, projects his Two halloween, Movies
The Devil's, rejects and also the episode OF Csi miami

(49:13):
That Robs zombie.

Speaker 3 (49:14):
Directed it's hard for me to recommend any of Those
Rob zombie. Movies Devil's rejects is a little, rough BUT
i Remember William forsyth being pretty great in.

Speaker 2 (49:23):
It. Yeah, Yeah like he gets in there and he
does his, thing very. Dependable, oh we have Another oscar winner.
Here we Have Louise fletcher playing the Character Elizabeth. Dean
SHE'S i guess what she's, like A ceo or something
of the company.

Speaker 3 (49:38):
That she's the police, commissioner a police.

Speaker 2 (49:40):
Commissioner, okay, YEAH.

Speaker 3 (49:41):
I feel Like Louise fletcher is a great, actress absolutely wasted.
Here it's like the character has nothing to. Do she
just stands around being the authority figure in several. Scenes.

Speaker 2 (49:51):
Yep she lived nineteen thirty four through twenty twenty, two
best known for a role in nineteen seventy Five's One
Flew over The Cuckoo's, nest for which she won A
Best Supporting Actress Academy. Award also known for nineteen eighty
Seven's flowers in The attic and episodes of SUCH tv
shows AS D space nine And. Shameless All, right we
also Have William fitchner Playing wallace in this born nineteen fifty.

(50:12):
Six Another william character. Actor this one best known for
playing kind of a mix authority figures and also slimy suit.
Types his credits include nineteen ninety Eight's, armageddon two thousand
and Four's, crash and twenty Fourteen's Teenage Mutant Ninja, turtles
in which he plays a version of The.

Speaker 3 (50:29):
Shredder that's weird. Casting, yeah once, again nothing Against William.
Fitchner he's doing what he. Can BUT i don't even
know why this character. Exists does this character have any
distinct role to play in the. Story?

Speaker 2 (50:43):
Yeah does this character do anything that could not have
been combined into another? Character?

Speaker 3 (50:48):
YEAH i don't think.

Speaker 2 (50:49):
So oh, Man but we also have this, Character Clyde.
Riley you mentioned that the developers of the, technology THE vr,
technology were working out some of the. Kinks this guy
was definitely working out some kinks with the. Technology played
by the Excellent KEVIN. J O'Connor born nineteen sixty, three
great creep character actor who of course plays a creep

(51:11):
in this.

Speaker 3 (51:11):
FILM i feel like he was on a role in
the nineties of playing various kinds of, squirming pathetic.

Speaker 2 (51:19):
Dweeves, yes frequently cast By Stephen sommers and such films
as nineteen ninety eight S Deep, rising nineteen ninety Nine's The,
mummy and then later on two thousand and Four's Van.
Helsing but he's also worked steadily in a lot of
high quality mainstream, productions like the likes Of Paul Thomas
Anderson's There Will Be blood in two thousand and, Seven
The master in twenty. Twelve you also might recognize him

(51:42):
from another nineteen ninety five, Film Clive Barker's lord Of,
illusions in which he plays the Magician Philip. Swan what
was his role In The. MUMMY i haven't Seen The
mummy in so.

Speaker 3 (51:52):
Long, oh He's benny in The. Mummy he's the. Guy
so this Is The mummy With Brendan fraser And Rachel,
weiss also the year nineteen ninety. Nine but his thing
in the movie is that he like he's a. Coward he's,
like while everybody else is being dashing and rushing into,
danger he's always running away from danger and trying to
save his. Skin so he is a comic relief coward.

(52:16):
CHARACTER i remember, thinking AFTER i Watched The mummy one
time we were joking in my. HOUSE i thought a
good photoshop job would be to do A People Magazine
Sexiest Man alive cover from like nineteen ninety, nine two,
thousand the millennial. Style but it's just O'Connor in character
from The, mummy and it Says. BENNY i mean no

(52:37):
offense To Kevin connor. Personally it's just like he plays
these pathetic dweeb characters very, well and in The mummy
his vices cowardice in virtuosity and, jeez it's Lust.

Speaker 2 (52:48):
Yep, yeah we'll come back to, him all. Right we
have this, Character John, donovan who's not in it for very,
long played By Costas mandelar born nineteen. Six i'm only
mentioning him because Apparently mandela would going to play a
pivotal role in the Later saw. SEQUELS i had asked
my Friend David streepy about this because he's he's really

(53:10):
up on The saw, movies the soap, opera noess of,
them not so much the murder of. Them but he, says,
quote the back half of the franchise can't happen without
him so fair.

Speaker 3 (53:20):
Enough he's a load bearing element.

Speaker 2 (53:22):
Exactly, oh and then we Have Kaylee quoco playing the
Character Karen, carter a little girl in this born nineteen eighty.
Five this little girl would go on to Become penny
On The Big Bang.

Speaker 3 (53:36):
Theory i'm not A Big Bang theory, watcher SO i
don't know the, character but when she shows up as
the child in this, movie you just like instantly are,
like oh, no the conversation with this child is going
on too, long and that means definitely the child will
be in peril in the third.

Speaker 2 (53:51):
Act where you're gonna get into A Gene siskal situation
with this.

Speaker 3 (53:54):
Character Yeahs Russell crowe is going to kidnap her and
tire to a bomb like we saw on The. Flat
it's very. Predictable.

Speaker 2 (54:02):
Yeah quoco has been in a bunch of interesting projects
Post Big Bang, theory INCLUDING TVs The Flight, attendant WHICH
i did. WATCH i thought she was very good in.
That she also Voices Harley quinn on the Current Harley
quinn animated.

Speaker 3 (54:13):
Series oh, Cool.

Speaker 2 (54:15):
Oh Tracy lords is. Back we talked about her In.
Blade she's one of the Vampire hinchmen In. Blade here
she Plays Media zone. Singer SO i think she's sort
of playing herself. Here this is another film where we
have some major nineties rave, energy AND i think that's
like where she was at this point with Her, like you,

(54:36):
Know reinvention is a musical, act and so she kind
of plays herself here performing the Track Fallen, angel which
is also on the. SOUNDTRACK i was.

Speaker 3 (54:45):
Going to talk about this, later but you kind of
can't have a really, complete Coherent cyberslot movie without a
techno club. Scene you always have to have. One not
all the movies have, one but when you don't have,
one you feel it's. Apt it's like the movie is,
impure it is.

Speaker 2 (55:02):
Incomplete, Yeah like people Watch The matrix and they're, like
where's the club? Scene and everyone was, like, well we
got to do that in the sequel and they.

Speaker 3 (55:09):
Did, no there is a club scene In The. Matrix,
well it's only very. Brief it's at the beginning in
the real, world when they're, like, okay they like some
friends coming To Keanu reeves's apartment and they take him
out to a club AND i think he Meets trinity.
There it's only. Good it goes by in a few.

Speaker 2 (55:22):
Seconds, okay it's been a while Since I'm i'm the
cusp of rewatching the, matrix AND i mainly remember there's
definitely like a real world rave scene in the, sequel
or maybe the third. ONE i can't remember one of
the two sequels where they're, like, hey it's the eve
of The Big, battle let's have a, rager and they.

Speaker 3 (55:40):
DO i still haven't seen the.

Speaker 2 (55:41):
Sequels oh, WHAT i Guess i'm on the cusp of
rewatching the sequels as, well So i'll report.

Speaker 3 (55:47):
Back, okay all.

Speaker 2 (55:49):
Right, finally the composer here Is Christopher young born nineteen fifty,
eight and Essentially young built an electronic orchestral score here
around the movie's needle drop score of mostly electronic dance
music with some rock and even A Peter gabriel track thrown,
in AND i would SAY i Think young does a

(56:10):
pretty seamless job. Here the soundtrack features music by the
likes Of Live, Black, Grape Juno, Reactor Tricky, William, Orbit London,
Beat lords Of, Acid Tracy, Lords Debbie, Harry The, beg's
and again That Party man track From Peter gabriel co
written By Tory.

Speaker 3 (56:26):
Amos The Party man track is surprisingly emotionally gripping like you, know,
oh you really feel the strain in his. Voice it's
a weird thing to hear right after you just saw
them like DESTROY sid six point seven's personality module by
having it run over by a track after you, know
they had to like shoot a computer. Programmer Guess i'm

(56:50):
your party.

Speaker 2 (56:52):
Man, YEAH i. Believe it's a track that The gabriel
And company did for this, production was later collected on
an album that collected different songs that he did for
different film, productions.

Speaker 3 (57:04):
And has the same title as a song from The
Prince batman. Soundtrack, yes it seems to refer To Jack Nicholson's,
joker but it's not the same SONG i. Checked all,
right let's dive into the plot of. Virtuosity so the

(57:26):
opening titles are made of pixels that slither in and
out of. Form the opening, track by the, way Is
it's A Big day in The north by The english
Band Black, grape which is a powerfully nostalgic sound ROB
i don't know if you felt the same WAY i,
did but hearing, this it's like a Nineties English you
might call this jazz pop or maybe pop, funk that

(57:48):
sort of. Sound it's got something in, it like electronic.
SAXOPHONE i mainly encountered this type of music through movie,
soundtracks SO i associate it with seeing movies in the
theaters in the. Nineties, yep, Absolutely, sorry we just had
an extended a side Off mike where we're talking about
what genre of music this, is and we did not

(58:09):
come to a. Conclusion so maybe we'll revisit that in the,
future maybe for listener. Mail but, Anyway, so what's actually
happening in the opening Scene when the credits are, Done
we pop up in a, sleek futuristic train station full
of polished steel and sterile white, lighting and it's filled
with people dressed almost. Identically everybody. Is it's like men

(58:31):
in gray suits with black ties carrying. Briefcases they're walking
around synchronized in, pairs and the only people who don't
match are two men in blue full body leather police
uniforms wearing wearing black, caps, boots and. Gloves so we
watched these two policemen step cautiously off of an elevated

(58:52):
train onto the. Platform they're looking, around and one of
the men Is Denzel. Washington this is our, Hero Parker. Barnes,
now while both men look. Vigilant we quickly realize That
barnes is the more assured of the. Two he's being
cautious and, observant and the other guy seems a little more.
Afraid and the other guy, goes, MAN i can't get

(59:13):
over how different we, look And barnes, says maybe it's the.
Uniforms SO i think this opening is supposed to be
a bit of a fake, out like you're supposed to
wonder what they're talking about, here why everything looks a little.
Odd but, THIS i think really does not work because
it's obvious they're in a virtual reality. World you can
guess this if you've seen the. Trailer and it's even

(59:35):
more obvious because you keep seeing people like glitching and
turning into pixels and. Stuff, yeah so they did not
have me going here. Anyway they start running around looking for,
somebody and eventually they end up in this business district
plaza where there is a, green floating cgi head made
out of polygons giving a news report about a bunch

(59:56):
of gruesome. Crimes i'm pretty sure it's Actually Russ crows
doing doing the voice of this, thing but in a
kind of tight Newscaster cadence and he, says the three
adjectives which best describe this killer are, sidistic, intelligent and.
Dangerous what does that spell spell?

Speaker 2 (01:00:15):
SID i thought we were going to say, stink, stank,
stunk but that that would have been great.

Speaker 3 (01:00:20):
Too this is six point. Seven So denzel eventually traces
their quarry to A japanese. Restaurant he knows to look
there because he looks over the restaurant entrance on the
building and sees a an emoticon smiley face like the
colon parentheses smiley face over the. Entrance it's a, joke

(01:00:40):
And sid six point seven likes. Jokes and when we
first Find, sid he is repeatedly eating a piece of
sushi that regenerates every time he picks it up off
the plate and eats. It SO i think it suggests,
that you, know here in this, world no matter how
how much he, eats he never gets. Full it's like
he's unsatisfied with the tangible pleasures of the fake.

Speaker 2 (01:01:01):
WORLD i like. THIS i also like how the NPCs
are like glitching as they eat their. Sushi they're just
kind of like sushi floating into their. Mouth so this
is definitely the section of the section of the picture
one of the sections of the picture in the digital
world where the roughness of the digital effects is one
of the charms and absolutely. Works doesn't feel dated at

(01:01:22):
all because, like this is exactly the look they were going.

Speaker 3 (01:01:25):
For, Yeah and so this of course turns into a
big gunfight. Scene both the cops AND sid just start
blasting everywhere with machine, guns and the NPCs eating in
the restaurant mostly appear to not notice this and they
just keep sitting at their. Tables so in this, world
by nineteen ninety, nine virtual reality has nearly one hundred

(01:01:46):
percent immersion and totally realistic graphical, fidelity BUT npc behavior
has like not quite reached the level of the Mid
Grand theft auto, games where people at least like scream
and run away when something.

Speaker 2 (01:01:59):
Explodes but you, know this is how the Mid Grand
theft auto games. Felt when the Mid Grand theft atto
games felt out like they felt like this level of,
immersion LIKE i actually live In miami in the nineteen it's,
like you, know, yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:02:15):
Yeah so, anyway this fight goes, On sid and the
cops keep shooting at each. Other at one point it
is revealed That Russell crowe has like caught and electrocuted
the other. COP i think you see him on ice
and like a sushi. Tray and at one point they
borrow a page From, speed And barnes gets the upper
hand by shooting a digital. Hostage he will later. Explain

(01:02:38):
they later are, Like, barnes why did you shoot the?
Hostage that doesn't make any, Sense but then he has
a clever. Answer he's, like the hostage wasn't. Real didn't
think of, That.

Speaker 2 (01:02:48):
Sid, Yeah because what we're going to learn shortly is
this is a training simulation for police. Officers BUT i
really have to, add like clearly for cinematic police, officer
there's nothing in this training that indicates any kind of
like actual police, training any. Procedure, yeah it's just like

(01:03:08):
what if you had a Big hollywood action scene with
a super criminal.

Speaker 3 (01:03:12):
Exactly. Yeah so at the end of This sid gets
the upper hand in the fight and he starts choking
Out barnes Until barnes like glitches, out which looks super,
funny and then he sort of fades out of existence
like he's being sucked out of THE vr, world and
we're treated to a shot of A cgi bullet wound

(01:03:34):
On sid's. Body rapidly healing with classic electrical zap z app.
Fully but then our human characters come out of THE.
Vr so we zoom out into a room in the
real world in meat, space where we See sid standing
there in his green suit on a GIANT tv, Screen
so like in the virtual reality, studio there's a huge,

(01:03:56):
screen it's like fifteen feet, tall where we see what's
happening in the virtual, world and we immediately hear the
sounds of like men groaning in, agony and we see
them writhing in THEIR vr, seats and an automated voice
is saying warning subjects exceeding the maximum dose of neural. Information,
now maybe we should briefly hear comment on what it

(01:04:18):
looks like when you see the people in the physical
space in THE vr. RIGS i thought this was also
quite funny because they're like jiggling around and miming the
motions they do in the virtual. World like there's a
part later where we See denzel running in the rig
ye and he's like pumping his arms and legs but
not going, anywhere and it's hilarious.

Speaker 2 (01:04:38):
That, yeah it really looks hilarious later when they're running yes,
here you, know they're just squirming in. Pain so, yeah but,
yeah it looks a bit goofy later.

Speaker 3 (01:04:47):
On, yeah so they're strapped into these dangling like combine
dentist chairs WEARING vr. Advisors they're not going. Anywhere and
then also you see a little computer read out that
shows a THREE d representation of the player's heads and
there are like these red and yellow explosions inside the. Skulls,
fortunately it Seems denzel gets out just in. Time he's like,

(01:05:09):
rattled but he's. Okay but the other, guy, oh the
other guys having violent. Seizures he gets pulled off onto
a hospital gurney and you see them like doing a
defibrillator on, him and you learn he.

Speaker 2 (01:05:20):
Dies, yeah they try really hard for darn near ten
seconds to save, him but in la up roll him,
out he's done.

Speaker 3 (01:05:27):
For also in the, scene we meet basically all of
the film's major. CHARACTERS i don't think there's anybody major
we have to meet. Later we already talked about them.
Earlier all of the various, functionaries commissioners and company. Guys
i'm not gonna dwell on, them but they're all standing around.
Watching you can kind of group them as like who's
good and who's bad based on their. Reaction you've got

(01:05:49):
the good guys like the police chief And Kelly lynch's,
character Doctor Madison. Carter they're concerned about the test. Subjects they're, like,
oh get those men out of. There he's going into.
Shock and then we've got the kind of middle to bad,
guys like the indifferent. Characters That's William fitchner And Louise.
Fletcher they're just kind of standing there watching. Coldly and

(01:06:11):
at some, Point dean, said there's like some very klutzy
exposition dialogue Where Louise fletcher's character says virtual reality was
supposed to be a safe place to train my law enforcement,
officers and one of The williams is, like that's why
we were using convicts to ferret out any glitches in the.
System and they have this exchange as they're driving away
in a golf cart by the, way and then finally

(01:06:34):
we meet this the obvious bad, Guy Darryl lindenmeyer that
again is played By Steven, spinella who looks confusingly similar
To William, fitchener like they look alike and dress the.

Speaker 2 (01:06:44):
Same it's almost like they accidentally cast both actors as
the same, character and they're, like, well, crap we've got
to pick one and just make a role for the other.

Speaker 3 (01:06:52):
Guy yeah, yeah yeah. Yeah William fitchener also could have
played this other. Guy yeah. Yeah but he's like the
creator of THE vr system and they're sort of grilling
him about the fail. Safes he seems squirrely and. Untrustworthy
but we get some backstory in the scene as. Well
The chief Tells Parker, barnes you, know he acknowledges that

(01:07:13):
they're old, friends and he, says it was good to
see you in uniform, again even if it was only virtual. Reality,
Meanwhile barnes is he's got. Insights he's LIKE sid six point.
Seven he's. Cheating AND i know he's cheating BECAUSE i
hacked the main frame before we went, in and he's
not allowed to use electricity as a, weapon but he did,

(01:07:34):
anyway and he goes and he like tries to show the,
chief But, lindenmeyer whose first name Is darryl by the,
Way Darryl, Lindenmeyer he's, like, no get away from, there
and so obviously that's setting up a.

Speaker 2 (01:07:47):
CONFLICT i want to mention that at this point in
the real, World Denzel washington's, Character Parker, barnes has great.
Hair he has like really, cool like futuristic feeling. Hair
he's not going to get to keep his hair for
the rest of the, picture AND i was a little
disappointed by.

Speaker 3 (01:08:03):
That, yeah they give him a haircut before they send
him out on a mission.

Speaker 2 (01:08:06):
Later why is his hair super cool and cultivated in?
Prison but then once he's, free it's. CUT i don't,
KNOW i don't, KNOW i don't.

Speaker 3 (01:08:14):
Know but, Anyway, okay so they send him back to.
Prison there's one brief thing here where they, show, oh
he's got a metallic. Limb he like goes through a
scanner and it's, like remember, that. Folks it doesn't look it
just looks like a normal arm from the, outside but
they show you'll scan as he's going through and it's
apparently a metal. Arm When barnes is sent back to,

(01:08:35):
prison he randomly has to fight a Neo. NAZI i
did not understand why this occurred WHEN i first watched.
It it was almost like suggesting this fight was arranged
by the powers that, be like they were trying to
silence him about THE vr program or. Something BUT i
don't think there's any follow through to confirm, That SO
i don't know why this.

Speaker 2 (01:08:55):
Happened it's also very, stylistic so you could almost think
we're back, simulation just because it does not look like
you're it's a future, PRISON i, guess. Yeah and you
don't see any of the inmates. Directly they're all behind
like some sort of a like a some sort of
a glass or a, screen so you just see their.

Speaker 3 (01:09:13):
Silhouettes, yes, Yes So denzel goes into this big. Hall
there's nobody else in. It all these silhouettes of prisoners
lined up like an audience mocking and jeering at. Him
you only see them behind these silk. Screens and then
from the opposite end of the, hall this gross guy
with a white power tattoo and an improvised stabbing weapon comes,

(01:09:35):
out and then they, fight and Then barnes defeats him
with superior training and, tactics as well as at least
one brutal uppercut to the, groin and then a bunch
of guards rush in and beat Up, Barns AND i
don't understand why this.

Speaker 2 (01:09:48):
Happened, yeah it's so stylistic THAT i was expecting him
to beat The nazi to death with an Apple, macintosh
but it is HOW i went. Down.

Speaker 3 (01:09:58):
Okay then we go on to another scene with our bad.
Guys this is the let me tell you a secret,
scene which is pretty pretty. Solid so Remember Daryl lindenmeyer
the computer Company. Creep he's in THE vr space and
he walks up to THE sid screen where the screen
is on And sid is in there playing a piano
in a green satin suit in a beyond The MIND'S

(01:10:21):
I done sea, landscape And darryl tells, him you know, What, Sorry,
Sid i'm gonna have to deactivate. You he, SAYS i
know it was you who increased the neural sensitivity. Calibrations
you murdered that. Prisoner and Then sid, SAYS i can't
change WHAT i, Am. Darryl i'm a fifty terabyte self
evolving neural network double backflip off the high. Platform i'm

(01:10:43):
not a swan. Dive AND i have to tell you
killing for. Real it was a real. RUSH i always love.
These see a lot Of cyberslot movies have a monologue like,
this LIKE i am a masterpiece of. Evil. Evil i'm
pretty Sure job and Lawnmower man has a speech a
lot like. This this one is relatively. Short, also when

(01:11:05):
he lands after doing his, backflips he explodes into a
bunch of, bats and you know, what beyond the, MINDS
i had a bat. SWARM i think that must have
been part of a STANDARD cg package in the, nineties
Because sid is not really associated with. Bats it's not,
like you, know what else does he have to do with?
Bats it seems out of. Nowhere but, anyway after he,

(01:11:26):
says you, KNOW i love killing for, real it was really.
Good Lynden meyer, goes oh My, god and then the monologue.
Continues it's quite. Good sid, says What god would that?
Be the one who created you or the one who created.
Me you, see in your, world The lord giveth and
The lord taketh, Away but in my, world the one
who gave me life doesn't have any. Balls you are

(01:11:46):
frightfully inadequate for a, Deity darryl AND i will not
be shut. Down, okay so that's, corny but for what
it is that slaps.

Speaker 2 (01:11:55):
Yeah, Yeah AND i should add this whole sequence is
just very well. Shot it's the great integration between the
live action performance and the use of the, screens which
Was i'm to understand all the screens in the film
were in. Camera i'm assuming at least some of it
was not live to. Screen leonard points out that a
lot of skill went into making sure all these screens

(01:12:17):
were set upright and you could be seen on camera
in the optimal. Way.

Speaker 3 (01:12:21):
Yeah i'm impressedly achieved. That but, anyway so in the,
Scene darryl, says you, Know, sid you cannot exist without
the approval of the. Authorities you are software and you
need hardware to run. On So sid comes up with a.
Plan what is that? Plan he, says sacrifice your. Queen,
ooh cryptic, meaning and then the camera kind of creeps.

(01:12:41):
IN i like, this there's this slow creep in and he,
says let me tell you a.

Speaker 2 (01:12:44):
Secret. Yeah. Yeah the scene lands in an excellent place.
Here at that being, Said i'm not exactly sure where
the secret. WAS i, MEAN i don't need to, know
because the scene still connected on an emotional level and
certainly established our villain and some semblance of his plot
with his creator turned. Worshiper BUT i have some guesses

(01:13:10):
what the secret might, be but it's not really.

Speaker 3 (01:13:13):
Clear maybe we can come back to, that all, Right
so we also get the scene Where barnes meets with
Doctor Madison Carter Kelly. Lynch she comes. In they have
an interview in the. Prison she introduces. Herself she's a
criminal psychologist And William forsyth asked her to do a
profile On barnes that may be useful in reducing his.
Sentence so they. Talk she asks him about the. Fight

(01:13:35):
he says he was defending. Himself she asks him about
whether he was attracted to violence as a. Child he's, like,
yeah three, Stooges Wiley coyote was. Great nice. Answer and
as they keep, talking it starts to seem like what
she's really interested in Is Russell. CROWE i, mean what's
everybody interested? IN i think she wants to write a
book on the criminal genius Of sid six point. Seven

(01:13:57):
so she starts kind of Quizzing denzel about his virtual.
Me he's, like how did you know he'd be in
The japanese? Restaurant And barnes explains what an emoticon.

Speaker 2 (01:14:04):
Is.

Speaker 3 (01:14:05):
Yeah we also here get the first hints Of barnes's tragic,
backstory which gets revealed in a trickle throughout the. MOVIE
i Think i'm gonna cut to the chase and just
summarize the whole thing, here so we don't trickle it.
In so the deal Is barnes was some kind of
elite detective on the case of a man Named Matthew,

(01:14:26):
grimes which they Call they say he was a quote political,
terrorist AND i like how they specify a political terrorist
to make it clear he's not like a culinary. Terrorist
but if he's a political, terrorist what were his? Politics
that is not really. Clear at one point we see
him speaking to the media about the haves and have,

(01:14:47):
nots but mostly THAT i don't. Know that's back to
the THING i said at the beginning about like cultural
objects just feeling like they're meaningless in, Themselves like he
could have inserted any kind of of political rhetoric there
and it would be the same.

Speaker 2 (01:15:02):
Thing, yeah this this particular detail of his, backstory like
the basic shape of. It, okay some some sort of
a killer took out his. Family, yeah you, know obviously
that's a necessary part of what they're building. Here but
all the details about this guy, JUST i don't, know
they're not very. Convincing, like, yeah like we could have
we should have known less about, it because what we

(01:15:23):
do learn is not convincing or certainly doesn't have as
much of an emotional.

Speaker 3 (01:15:28):
Impact it has a real anti verisimilitude about his political.
Terroristiness it suggests more that he just like simply loved
crime and. Murder, yeah and so, anyway but they tell
the story of how this guy Kidnapped barnes's wife and.
Child he put them in a booby trapped room so
that When barnes came to rescue, them it would trigger a,

(01:15:48):
bomb and the bomb killed his. Family and it's also
the Reason barnes now has the bionic. Arm. Uh and
So carter is like asking him questions about like his
backstory in the, scene and we we get to learn
that we see that he is a, haunted broken.

Speaker 2 (01:16:02):
Man all.

Speaker 3 (01:16:03):
Right, now from here we move on to The sheila.
Scene so we're back in THE cid, warehouse you, know
where THE vr world is projected on the big. Screen
and currently the person in here is a geeky roboticist Named.
Clyde Here's KEVIN. J, O'Connor and he's playing would you
call this sexy? Chess, Yes like like they're playing a chess,

(01:16:23):
game moving around these GIANT cgi pieces on a. Board
but he's playing against this blonde seductress character Named. Sheila
three point two and she's like stretching out on the
chase long in her silk. Pajamas so while like the
big chess pieces zoom around and she's, Like, Oh, clyde you,
KNOW i really would like you to come visit me
in THE vr. World there are so many games we could.

(01:16:45):
Play And clyde is basically drooling at the. Screen, meanwhile
the creepy computer Guy daryl comes up behind him and he's,
like you, Know, clyde she's very interactive. Here they sort
of imply that THE vr chairs that are being used
in the police training simulator earlier that day have some

(01:17:05):
kind of sexual. Interface we never see specifics on what
these peripherals would look. Like i'm really curious how this
was going to be used for training. Purposes and by the,
way once, again no offense To kevin j, O'Connor BUT
i feel like they really go out of their way
to make him, gross like come off as. Gross he's

(01:17:26):
filmed slightly from below while he's leering at the, screen
so we're like looking a bit up his nose and
seeing his wet front. Teeth they're like wet with spit
and shining in the light and he's just gazing like
he's in a trance at the. Screen and Then clyde is, like, oh, Yeah,
DARRYL i need to use your, gear But darryl tells, him, no, no,

(01:17:46):
No i've got a better. Idea you are a nano,
roboticist AND i know that you have created the technology
to THREE d print a nanotech android out of blue.
Goop why don't you use your Blue goop machine to
Make sheila three point two THE vr model into a

(01:18:06):
full THREE d robot in the real, World and THEN
i guess y'all can get. MARRIED i don't.

Speaker 2 (01:18:12):
Know so this is so. Ridiculous, obviously it's like you're
storing the technology to print bodies for digital beings right
next to the place where you store your digital mass murderer. Beings,
Yes but then also it's like he's putting, This darrel's
putting this together For. Clyde Like clyde was, like you,

(01:18:34):
KNOW i could bend out a woman for all of
my creepy. Lusts i'd never thought about that. Before this
is my life's, work BUT i never put this.

Speaker 3 (01:18:44):
Together you're exactly, RIGHT i mean once like and also
this character is depicted as he has no attributes other
than dozen nanotechnology robots and experiences. Lust, yeah so you
might think those would connect his, mind because that is
all his mind is as a. Character but, yeah, Anyway

(01:19:05):
clyde agrees and then walks off looking a kind of
grimly determined in a very funny. Way and So daryl
hangs back to Grab sheila's quote module from the computer.
Bank this is an important mcguffin in the. Movie EVERY
vr character has a little like plastic polyhedron that's got
their brain inside. It but uh, Oh darryl pulls a

(01:19:25):
switcheroo and instead of Taking sheila's, module he TAKES sid
six point, seven.

Speaker 2 (01:19:31):
And then he just Kicked sheila underneath the you, know some,
furniture which, YEAH i thought was very disappointing because first of,
ALL i kind of Wanted sheila to have a chance
to be born to the real. World, yeah but also,
imagine like the The cringey comedy that could have resulted
if we have like a stinger at the end where

(01:19:52):
police are going into train and they're going up Against
sheila instead of a super.

Speaker 3 (01:19:56):
Criminal, oh that would be funny. TOO i thought maybe
you were gonna, say like what If sheila was, created
but instead of just becoming a sex, robot she's the
one who has to hunt Down sid six point. Seven, yeah,
yeah all. Right, anyway we move on to the nano robotics.

(01:20:17):
Lab clyde shows off a robot, snake which you think
is a real snake at, first like he shoves it
in Linden meyer's, face but then he cuts it in
half with some shears and reveals it is made of
blue Goop and, then critically for the, plot we learn
that if you cut part of it, off since it's
made out of, silicon it can regenerate itself by absorbing

(01:20:38):
glass it finds in the. Environment so the snake like
rebuilds its severed tail by reaching out these blue tendrils
that suck up glass from a. Beaker and, honestly this
premise sets up several of the best moments in the
movie Where sid will get injured and then later he'll
start like sucking glass out of windows while he's got

(01:20:58):
like the goop arm and the window and he's making
this rage, face or at one point he's literally like
eating fistfuls of glass in the middle of a car.
Chase in the, Scene clyde also explains. Quote if you
separate the character module from the polymer, matrix you get nano.

Speaker 2 (01:21:17):
Death.

Speaker 3 (01:21:18):
Yeah so, anyway they start growing the robot inside of a,
pod which is a good set.

Speaker 2 (01:21:23):
Piece oh, YES i love all this stuff because then practical.
Effects it's this blue like it it's, inorganic but it
has this kind of organic nature to. It it's like
this like weird blue alien egg that this being is growing.
Inside and then when it finally opens and there's like blue.

(01:21:45):
Goo of, course what rises up initially is just this
kind of like neutral blue. Humanoid, oh has kind of
like a, OH i don't, know almost like a crash
test dummy kind of vibe to, it like it's not
completely finished, yet to the point that our creep researcher
here is like, like, oh it's. You i'm ready to.
Party but then it finishes its. Form it like everything

(01:22:09):
smooths out digitally and it becomes Not sheila But sid
six point seven naked terminator style.

Speaker 3 (01:22:17):
Who immediately Kills clyde like it like chokes.

Speaker 2 (01:22:20):
Him.

Speaker 3 (01:22:21):
Yeah the, pod by the, way it looks like a
cross between a venus fly trap and a pool. Float and,
yeah the being is the freakiest looking thing in the
movie is when sid comes out not fully. Finished, yeah but.

Speaker 2 (01:22:33):
That's why if you look through the credits for this,
film you'll see somebody like credit with like creature effects
because it is essentially like it's somewhere blurring the line
between creature and.

Speaker 3 (01:22:43):
Technology, yeah and by the, way and the Scene Russell
crowe is really stretching his ham, legs just goofing it up,
stupendously you. Know clyde says he's Like, sheila but it's
Obviously Russell, crowe and he Instead russell crow says, No
I'm oedipus and then chokes. Him and then meanwhile the

(01:23:05):
Daar old character is watching seemingly in horror and then
runs away and. Hides but why is he? Horrified didn't
he do this on?

Speaker 2 (01:23:11):
Purpose, yeah this is exactly what you wanted to. Do
what did you think was gonna happen?

Speaker 3 (01:23:15):
Here so we get to see Naked Russell crowe having
fun feeling gravity for the first. Time he like kind
of shifts, Around he's, like ooh. Gravity he also picks
up a random knife and starts doing naked tai chi
with a knife in his. Hand then he recreationally cuts
off his own finger and then licks the blue goop and, says,
huh that was a good. Year like it's like it's a.

(01:23:37):
Wine that's the, joke but you know, what It's Russell
crowe kind of sells. It even the bad jokes sort of.

Speaker 2 (01:23:43):
Land. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:23:45):
Oh and then also in the scene we get a
LINE i think it was obviously meant for the. Trailer
it's sort of AN i got to get me one
of those moments Where sid looks directly into the camera and,
SAYS i Think i'm gonna like it, here.

Speaker 2 (01:23:58):
And he does like it. Here that's that's pretty much
what happens for the next like forty minutes or.

Speaker 3 (01:24:03):
So SO i have a question about the. Plot maybe
you knew something about this Rob is there? Something it
felt like something was missing in the subplot of the.
Villains here they would explain why the computer company guy
Wanted sid six point seven unleashed into the. World there
are some scenes that kind of imply a, conspiracy like

(01:24:24):
motivated by. Business there are OTHER i, mean but only very.
Vaguely there are other scenes that to me implied the
computer guy is like a psychotic acolyte of the religion
Of sid six point, Seven like AM i remembering right
that one time later he's shown in a motel room
decorated like A Charles manson murder. Scene yeah, Yeah and

(01:24:46):
it's not like a crime, scene it's like his own motel.
Room and it implied just he just decorated it that
way because he likes. It like just major confusion on
what is the motivation of the non virtual meat human,
villain what was their, goal and who's in on.

Speaker 2 (01:25:01):
IT i, mean it seems like his direct creator here
just comes to worship his, creation but we don't really
get enough details on how this comes to, pass you,
know we're just sort of left to assume that's the.
Case this is an example WHERE i probably need WELL
i don't need. TO i would probably get some answers
IF i read the novelization for the, movie which was

(01:25:24):
By Terry, bisson who has come up on the show
before because we've had a couple of people right in
about his. Work he won A Hugo award and A
Nebula award for the short Story They're made out Of.
Meat i'm, assuming as is typical with, novelizations he probably
had to fill in the gaps here and create some

(01:25:46):
connective tissue for these. Characters but, yeah back to your,
point why is any of this? Happening, yeah, like why
really did you orchestrate the escape of this? Being why
did you help it print itself in in physical form
so it can run on Rampage like you, clean you
seem to like him and you're into what he's doing

(01:26:07):
but also scared by, him but also scared by. Him,
yeah it's like it seems like we needed him to
be killed by the creator here as, well if he
because it's not like he's he's sort Of frankenstein's here
where he's, like, Ah i've gone too far and runs,
away but then he continues to worship his. Creation so either.

Speaker 3 (01:26:25):
Yeah, Anyway so at this point in the, movie the
premise has been. Delivered you, KNOW sid six point seven
is unleashed in physical form upon our, world the world
of nineteen ninety. Nine in the words Of William forsyth,
quote SOMEHOW sid six point seven got himself out of
the computer and at this point only one man can stop,

(01:26:45):
him because Again barnes is the only prisoner who ever
BEATS sid in THE vr. Training So barnes has granted
conditional early release from prison so he can find and STOP.
Sid now at this, point what is a renegade cop
who gets results always need a new, Partner so he's
getting paired up With Madison, carter the criminal. Psychologist so

(01:27:06):
a few scenes to talk about from the middle portion
of the, movie a lot of chasing around an investigation
in that there's sort of a detective portion Where barnes
And carter investigates some crime scenes where LIKE sid has
done random murders and one of them is staged as
a copycat of The Tate lobbianca. Murders but they end
up At Darryl lindenmeyer's, house the guy who PROGRAMMED, sid

(01:27:28):
in a scene THAT i found extremely funny because so
they learn HOW sid six point seven was. Created they
go Into lindenmeyer's computer and they're like looking at the
PREVIOUS sid, models and these heads just start popping up
on the computer. Screen and the first one we see
is A hitler head that's like a THREE d sort
of polygon model of, it so it's got like a

(01:27:49):
little like, mustache but it's a little. Polygon and then
they're showing serial killers and, stuff And carter, says, quote
this is using some kind of genetic Algorithms sid's too
complex to. Design lindenmeyer had to grow him up psychologically
like a real person with multiple personality. Disorder the program
learns like a, child but much. Faster it's like he

(01:28:10):
put all these killers In sid's nursery and let him
watch them cannibalize each. Other and Then barnes, says and
only the strong ones. Survive but what does that mean
in this context the strongest serial killers or?

Speaker 2 (01:28:22):
Hitlers so on one, level absolutely this is technobabble that
doesn't literally stand up to close, scrutiny but it also
does kind of neatly forecast of some of the topics
we've been discussing in the past several years ABOUT ai
and about about training on content and how sometimes the

(01:28:42):
content that these models train on are not the best
models of human behavior or human. Expression and so, it's you,
know it's, silly but it also rings a little bit
true in some.

Speaker 3 (01:28:55):
Ways, yeah but this is more, like what if you
limited the reinforcement training, exclusively the training data is only
a pyramid of two HUNDRED cgi serial killer heads and
With hitler in there.

Speaker 2 (01:29:06):
Too, Yeah, WELL i, mean in, retrospect why would we do?
This but now we're kind of, like well that GU
i guess that could, happen you.

Speaker 4 (01:29:12):
Know.

Speaker 3 (01:29:13):
Yeah so also in the, Scene barnes figures out that
one of the heads in there Inside sid belonged to
the guy who murdered his. Family there was a lot
made of, this, like, oh that would be extra, bad you,
know much scarier Than Ted bundy And. Hitler but much
is also discussed, about like whether this personality is dominant

(01:29:33):
Within sid or. NOT i found that a not very fruitful. Subplot.

Speaker 2 (01:29:38):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:29:38):
Same the decor of Lynden meyer's APARTMENT i thought was really.
Funny it's like a cross Between Patrick bateman's apartment and
the house In The. Hunger so there's a lot of
Soulless Wall street furniture and computers and, stuff but also
a single purple rose in a glass bell. Jar now after,
you let's talk about the club, scene, because as we,

(01:29:59):
said every one of these movies has to have a
techno dance club. Scene what would you, so, Like sid
six point seven goes to a, club he fights his way.
In how would you describe this this club?

Speaker 2 (01:30:11):
Rob? Oh, WELL i mean it's just absolute cinematic portrayal
of the nineties rave, situation you, know the, lights the,
outfits the presence Of Tracy. Lord everything is in place
here and we get that great scene where he's like
strong arming his way to the front of the line

(01:30:33):
to get. In it's it's very like futuristic and. Hip
BUT i do generally like the music. Here good.

Speaker 3 (01:30:41):
Track there's live music and they've got like a Star
TREK dj station with these milky white orbs instead of,
turntables so you can see them like doing record scratches
with the.

Speaker 2 (01:30:51):
Orbs, yeah infrared footage of everything's gone to so many, screens.

Speaker 3 (01:30:56):
Yes screens. Everywhere there are people walking around with video
cameras that are projecting a live feed with crazy color
effects onto the huge screens on the. Walls just cables
dangling everywhere and like running to the helmets that are
being warned by the. DJs, also you access this club
through a freight, elevator so it's like a basement club
you have to go down to through the. Elevator one

(01:31:19):
THING i thought is, that, oh you, KNOW i went
to a concert earlier this, week and it's like this
is kind of like going to a concert today because
you see people holding up their devices recording the performers
standing right in front of.

Speaker 2 (01:31:30):
Them, yeah that's a good. Point that's a good. Point
but yeaople do. THAT i mean it only the world
only makes sense if you're viewing, it experiencing it through
the digital through the, technology you. Know but in this, case,
yeah the performer Is Tracy lord's up there with what
one or two DJs on. Hand she's kind of, singing

(01:31:53):
kind of dancing around wearing this kind of like matrixy latex,
attire and then Income sid and we get this one
moment cinematography at its. FINEST i guess they're, like what
if we Shot sid Through Tracy lord's legs from, behind
like through her thighs from, behind and that's the. Shot,

(01:32:14):
Yeah SO i giggled at. THAT i was, like, okay,
yeah a little over the. Top.

Speaker 3 (01:32:19):
Yeah, also the fashion in the scene is, chaotic we,
get but we do get an early glimpse of a
guy in a purple double breasted suit That sid is
going to steal and wear for much of the. Film but,
again coming back to the kind of themes we talked about,
earlier there's something kind of interesting here where in this
scene it becomes apparent That sid loves that people are

(01:32:39):
aiming cameras at him in the club and projecting him
onto the big, screen and he. Smiles he's like overwhelmed with.
JOY i think sincere, Joy like he's not making a,
joke and he, SAYS i am. Beautiful and this is
one of the themes of the movie THAT i thought
was actually kind of accidentally. Interesting there's something about the
information environ in the setting that says there's a. Desire

(01:33:05):
there's like a link between the desire to be famous
and the center of everybody's attention and sadism or. Psychopathy
LIKE i haven't fully fleshed out exactly what this, means
but it's like a latent assumption of the film that
is not just the common assumption that there's something kind
of tacky or shallow or misguided about wanting to be

(01:33:26):
the center of everybody's, attention or especially wanting to be
the center of everybody's attention as mediated through technology like
video and The, internet but actually goes a step farther
and suggests the desire for attention like this is related
to a kind of, dominance, strive a desire to have
power over others and even inflict pain on. Them and

(01:33:48):
that hit home for.

Speaker 2 (01:33:49):
Me.

Speaker 3 (01:33:49):
Somehow, AGAIN i don't want to SUGGEST i think this
was explicitly thought out in the, script but it feels
like a potent theme the movie stumbles into. Here there's
something about this obsession with like being on camera and
having people far away all watching you at the same
time that is like a kind of power and domination and.

Speaker 2 (01:34:10):
Sadism yeah, Yeah and they do come back to it
later on as, well.

Speaker 3 (01:34:14):
Anyway and the Scene sid gets a drink made for
him by A Johnny cab And sid is like to,
think you constitute one of my. Ancestors and then of
course that's.

Speaker 2 (01:34:24):
A lot of a couple of moments in here though
with The, androids WHERE i was, like they're kind of
getting into some of the territory That Ridley scott would
later get into With david and the The alien, prequels
but with less nuance and and more just outright. Meanness that's.

Speaker 3 (01:34:38):
Funny. Yeah. Uh he starts rampaging in the, club of,
course and then this will be a type of scene that.
Recurs he takes everybody, hostage forces the camera to like film. Him.
Uh and then in one.

Speaker 2 (01:34:50):
Funny, Bit Crazy lords gets, away though she does run.
Away the guy behind her gets, shot but she makes it.

Speaker 3 (01:34:56):
And then he. Starts he starts making everybody record screams
that he can play back and remix at THE dj.
Station this scene is really, something And Russell crowe is
just like roaring with improvisational. Energy.

Speaker 2 (01:35:10):
YEAH i mean it's a weird mix, though because on one,
hand like a scene where someone terrorizes a bunch of
people with a, gun, yes it's LIKE i don't like.
It but on the other, hand so many other aspects
of this sequence are so over the top that and
the performance at the center of it is is so
over the top you kind of like it as.

Speaker 3 (01:35:28):
WELL i mentioned this earlier that one of the WAYS
i think this movie kind of really sits weird is
a tonal. MISMATCH i think this is actually true With
barnes's backstory as. Well the thing about like his family being.
Murdered it's a Weird it's weird because The barnes backstory

(01:35:48):
is on one, hand like, hackneyed, obvious overly familiar for
this type of, character you, know the, Copy he's taken
it too, personal and at the same time it is
excessively cruel and horrible for the context of this goofy,
movie AND i felt a similar way about a lot
of these. Scenes like the club scene is at once

(01:36:08):
like goofy but also just a little too. Nasty it's like,
both it's going off in both.

Speaker 2 (01:36:15):
Directions, yeah, yeah SO i THINK i think you're right
there that the tone is off.

Speaker 3 (01:36:20):
Here of, course this all gets interrupted When barnes shows,
up and this leads to a shootout and a car.
Chase i'm not going to narrate all the action, scenes
but a lot of the rest of the movie follows this.
Format sid goes, somewhere he starts. Rampaging he wants to

(01:36:40):
be on. Camera he's killing, people taking. Hostages barnes, arrives
there is a fight and a, chase and Then sid gets.

Speaker 2 (01:36:46):
Away, yeah and then they need to go find, him
and they realize that he is going to go where
the attention. Is he's going to go where the media. Is,
yeah and that's how we end up following, him for,
instance to the to the.

Speaker 3 (01:36:58):
Octagon oh, Boy, okay so, YEAH i think we're near
the end of our plot recap, here but we do
have to talk about THE ufc.

Speaker 2 (01:37:03):
Scene, Yeah SO i was EXPECTED i Had, AGAIN i
hadn't seen virtuosity in its, ENTIRETY i. Think BUT i
was looking over the cast AND i, noticed, oh, Well
ken shamrocks in, this it looks like there's going to
be SOME ufc. Action SO i was prepared for some
potentially HAMMY ufc product. Integration AND i would have to
SAY i was a bit shocked by how negatively the

(01:37:24):
film PORTRAYS mma AND mma, fandom yes.

Speaker 3 (01:37:28):
Virtuosity it depicts THE ufc as like a blood cult
in which the the the audience are fanatical acolytes that
chant in unison for death even as people are like
murdered in the audience around.

Speaker 2 (01:37:41):
Them, yeah it's like they're a bunch of, bloodthirsty half
naked savages who only pause in their chanting to violently
attack or grope each other like. That how that's how
the movie is PRESENTING. Ufc and even action in the
octagon doesn't even resemble an ACTUAL mma. Match it's like
two different fights are going. ON i think there's a
ref in, there but it's just pure.

Speaker 3 (01:38:00):
Chaos it was only their ambitious image of what the
future could.

Speaker 2 (01:38:04):
Hold, yeah and So sid shows up notices that like
a pretty lady is on like the what The Titan
tron or whatever the heck the big screen is. There
he goes up and is creepy towards her and then
like pulls out a, gun does a backflip into the,
octagon intentionally landing like on his head and, back and

(01:38:25):
then gets up and starts intimidating all the dudes in the,
octagon Including Ken. SHAMROCK i was a little disappointed that
The World's Most Dangerous man didn't make a move On,
sid but fair.

Speaker 3 (01:38:35):
ENOUGH i don't know about Most Dangerous man's. STATUS i
only Remember Ken. Shameron wasn't he in THE wwf in the?

Speaker 2 (01:38:41):
Nineties he, Was, yeah, okay that's ALL i. Remember he
had some matches With. Vader so it's, like if he's
going to stand up To, vader you'd think he'd stand
up To. Sid but you, know he's, like it's, LIKE
i see you got blue blood coming out of. You fair,
Enough i'm standing.

Speaker 3 (01:38:53):
Back that's smart, Move. Ken don't be a.

Speaker 2 (01:38:56):
Hero so basically the same thing is going to happen, here, Right,
Yeah parker shows, up runs shoots at, him more blue,
blood more, violence and then he gets. Away.

Speaker 3 (01:39:06):
Yeah and, now AS i, mentioned or MAYBE i didn't
mention this, earlier there's a whole. Thing i'm not gonna bother.
Explaining in the middle of the, Movie barnes gets framed
for a, murder so he gets re arrested and all
this stuff. Happens sid actually sets him free because he
wants to. Play it's like The joker In. Batman it's,
LIKE i need, you you complete. Me the climax of

(01:39:26):
the film takes place in a skyscraper that is the
home of A tv station where there is a televised debate.
Happening that's what Draws sid there because he's, like he
wants attention about a current political controversy over. Immigration this
part kind of came out of nowhere and hit uncomfortably.
Hard but so there's like one guy ON tv saying

(01:39:48):
like immigration breathes life into the, culture and another guy
demagoguing against immigrants and saying we got to close the,
border and Then sid shows up and does the same.
Thing he shoots, people takes hostages and takes over the live.

Speaker 2 (01:40:00):
Broadcast he takes over, it redubs it what MURDER, Tv
MURDER tv or DEATH TV. Tv, yeah and also has
his own like.

Speaker 3 (01:40:10):
Logo yeah he brought a graphics. Package yeah he really.

Speaker 2 (01:40:15):
DID i MEAN i guess he's a virtual reality, thing
so he can do that sort of sort of.

Speaker 3 (01:40:20):
Thing so as he torments and terrorizes the hostages on,
air he's he's still he's like obsessed with checking out his.
Ratings he's, like, look what what Ratings i'm? Getting? Oh,
Yeah the viewers love. This they love the way you're
screaming more tuning in every, minute and once again this
surprisingly interesting theme Linking sid's sadism and cruelty fundamentally with

(01:40:41):
his desire for attention mediated by, technology and in, fact
the good guys sort of defeat him, here at least in,
part distract him by cutting the. Feed they, like turn
off the broadcast and limit his access to his, audience
And zid hates, this and this leads to a final
chain and fight in the network building Between barnes And.

(01:41:02):
Sid of, course as one could have guessed from developments,
Earlier sid has Taken carter's daughter, hostage and they while
they're chasing, around they're, like where's the Girl and there's
a there's a booby trap bomb and all that kind of.
Stuff BUT i don't, Know, rob are there any elements
of the climax you want to?

Speaker 2 (01:41:18):
Hit? YEAH i mean they get. It, Basically parker And
sid get a, big die hard sque battle on top
of the, skyscraper And sid plummets through a whole bunch
of glass panels and is impaled on like a million
pieces of. Glass and Then parker goes down to, like you,
know check, out see if he's. Dead he's not dead.
Yet we get a nice tight scene where he's trying
to Pull parker into the the sharp shards of. Glass

(01:41:40):
he's regenerating off of the, glass because, remember eating glass
and touching wounds to glass is how he. Heals but
there's a lot of repair work that needs to happen,
here and before he can do, It parker reaches in
through the back of his skull and rips out his
little module and seemingly defeats the. Villain but then they're,
like but we don't know where the girl is, hidden
and then we get. IT i thought this was a nice.

(01:42:02):
Twist they like load him back up in the virtual
they replay what just, happened but but they let him
get the upper hands so that he'll spill where the
girl is. Hiding.

Speaker 3 (01:42:13):
RIGHT i thought this was actually a pretty clever twist
where s, yeah that's. Right so they what they need
is information From, sid so they killed. Him they defeated
him too, early so they have to go back into
the virtual world trick him into thinking he's still in
the real world so that he will spill the, beans you,
know really give his villain monologue where he reveals the,
information Which parker AND u and doctor And madison both

(01:42:37):
that they work together to figure that.

Speaker 2 (01:42:39):
Out, yeah so that was, solid and of course we.
Do we also get a scene Where sid realizes he's
been caught and he jokes out real, hard and we
get this scene with like multiple sid, faces digital sid
faces making angry expressions extreme. Jobing, yes, yeah but then
the plot requires us to also just arm of bomby

(01:43:01):
that The Little girl's place of concealment is booby trapped
With and this scene just feels very anticlimactic to. Me it's,
like we just had like a really awesome final. Fight
we had this nice little twist on top of that final,
fight but now we're just doing like a standard you,
know LIKE tv show bomb.

Speaker 3 (01:43:20):
Disartment, yeah which wire is? It and the final solution
to the bomb deactivation Involves barnes using components from his bionic.
Arm did you remember that he had a bionic arm
at this.

Speaker 2 (01:43:31):
POINT i only thought of it when he ripped the
module out of the. HEAD i was, LIKE i guess
because it CLEARLY i felt like we'd sprinkled this detail
enough to where it would have to come back and have,
meaning AND i, thought, WELL i guess that was. It
it was because he used the prosthetic arm to rip
out the, Module so it kind of surprised. Me, Again it's, like, Oh,
okay this is how we're actually going to make use

(01:43:52):
of this.

Speaker 3 (01:43:53):
Detail he like pulls fiber optics out of his forearm
and then like inserts them into the bomb to defuse.
It that's pretty. Good. Yeah also in the, end when
they Defeat barnes DESTROYS sid six point seven's character module,
bite throwing it off the top of the. Skyscraper, MAN
i feel LIKE i would have done something a little more. Certain,

(01:44:13):
yeah we do like follow up and we see it
run over by a, truck so it's all. Good sid's.
Gone but wouldn't you would you want to make sure
it was. Destroyed you don't even know where it.

Speaker 2 (01:44:21):
Lands, yeah what it landed in the back of like
a shipment of? Pillows or something OR i don't. KNOW
i don't. Know there are so many ways that could
have been. Saved or maybe it hits somebody in the
head and gets embedded in their. Brain what happens, THEN
i don't.

Speaker 3 (01:44:36):
Know Guess i'm your party.

Speaker 2 (01:44:38):
Man so that is virtuosity in all its.

Speaker 3 (01:44:41):
GLORY i feel like we still actually didn't hit everything
that's potentially interesting about. It but, YES i will vouch for.
It the viewing. Experience despite some tonal, mismatch some things
that are just just go a little bit harder than
they need to or a little bit nastier than they
need to, be it is still a, pretty uh in,
fact quite, funny nostalgic and enjoyable.

Speaker 2 (01:45:04):
Experience, yeah it is A it's a movie that will
make you laugh and it will make you think there's.
There there are various parts of this film that the
do connect in interesting ways with with where we are, now, technologically, socially,
politically and.

Speaker 3 (01:45:18):
MORE i just want to, say one last, time hats
off To russell And. DENZEL i MEAN i advocate. THIS i,
think like a list actors should take the time to do,
weird trashy little b movies and just and just go
all the, way don't hold, back do give it your.

Speaker 2 (01:45:35):
Best absolutely all, Right we're gonna go and close out
this episode Of Weird House, cinema but we would love
to hear from everyone out. There what do You what
do you think Of? Virtuosity did you see it back
in the nineties when it came out or do you
at least remember the? Trailers have you rediscovered it or
watched it for the first time in recent, Years we
would love to hear your. Thoughts as a, reminder Stuffed

(01:45:57):
Able Your mind is primarily a science and culture podc
asked with core episodes On tuesdays And, thursdays but On
fridays we set aside most serious concerns to just talk
about a weird film On Weird House. Cinema we've been
doing this for one hundred and ninety nine, films and
the next episode we do will be the two Hundredth
Weird House cinema, Selection so check back in and see
what we finally decide on for. That and if you

(01:46:19):
want to stay abreast of all the movies we've covered thus,
far a great way to do it is to head
on over to letterbox dot com our profile there Is
weird house and you can find a nice list of.

Speaker 3 (01:46:29):
Everything do you know what two hundred is when it's
upside down in? Dreams?

Speaker 2 (01:46:34):
Oh what is? It it's double as? Seven is?

Speaker 3 (01:46:36):
IT i don't? Know it's gonna say almost maybe it's ooh, okay,
anyway huge thanks as always to our excellent audio Producer.
Jjposway if you would like to get in touch with
us with feedback on this episode or any, other to
suggest a topic for the, future or just to say,
hello you can email us at contact at stuff To
blow Your mind dot.

Speaker 1 (01:46:56):
Com stuff To Blow Your mind is production Of. iHeartRadio
for more podcasts From, iHeartRadio visit The iHeartRadio, App Apple,
podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite.

Speaker 2 (01:47:11):
Shows