Revenge of the Nerds (1984)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Jeff Kanew

Writers:

Jeff Buhai (writer)
Tim Metcalfe (story)

Release Date:

20 July 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Thriller

Tagline:

It's time for the odd to get even

Plot:

At a big campus, a group of bullied outcasts and misfits resolve to fight back for their peace and self respect.

Plot Keywords:

Breathing Fire | College Student | Pledge | Waterbed | College Campus

Cast

Robert Carradine	...	Louis Skolnick
Anthony Edwards	...	Gilbert Lowell
Timothy Busfield	...	Arnold Poindexter
Andrew Cassese	...	Harold Wormser
Curtis Armstrong	...	Dudley 'Booger' Dawson
Larry B. Scott	...	Lamar Latrell
Brian Tochi	...	Toshiro Takashi
Julia Montgomery	...	Betty Childs (as Julie Montgomery)
Michelle Meyrink	...	Judy
Ted McGinley	...	Stan Gable
Matt Salinger	...	Danny Burke
Donald Gibb	...	Fred "The Ogre" Palowakski, Alpha Beta
James Cromwell	...	Mr. Skolnick (as Jamie Cromwell)
David Wohl	...	Dean Ulich
John Goodman	...	Coach Harris

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) | Iceland:L | UK:15 (video re-rating) (2004) | Canada:14A (Ontario - 2006) | Australia:M | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (original rating) | USA:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity House - 638 E. University Boulevard, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Company:

Interscope Communications

Trivia:

When Jeff Kanew was interviewed by the producers, they asked what kind of movie he thought he could make given the material. He responded, "One I would be embarrassed to have my name on." They hired him immediately.

Goofs:

Continuity: Ogre grabs someone's pie and gets whipped cream on his costume. In the next shot, when he reports back to the other Alpha Betas, the stain disappears.

Quotes:

Judy: Maybe we should eat?
Harold Wormser: Maybe we should watch TV?
Booger: Hey guys...
[opens his leather jacket to reveal some Marijuana cigarettes]
Booger: ... wonder joints.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Bully (2006) (VG)

Soundtrack:

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS

The only worthy successor to Animal House – this is a oasis in a desert of rubbish frat movies

When Louis and Gilbert head to college they think it'll all be different from high school. However they are branded nerds and, when the jocks burn their own dorm down, the nerds find themselves kicked out and forced to sleep in the gym. When the nerds form their own chapter of the Tri-Lam fraternity. When they are bullied continually they decide to take matters into their own hands and fight back with the Jock's own games.

If there's one genre in the world that I hate it's the American college jock/nerd comedy. Whether it be the Animal House or Porky's or more modern ones – I hate almost all of them! So when I watched this I watched it with a certain fear. However the plot makes redresses the balance by having us support the nerds! It's well plotted so that it isn't just them becoming just like the jocks but instead learning their own lessons. Of course it is rude at times and does fall into being just silly and slapstick, but it's mixed nicely with some good sentiment and more gentle laugh.

The cast is great (in retrospect). Anthony Edwards is a real surprise in this post-ER time. Likewise Busfield is strange after 30-something and West Wing. Less so but Moonlighting's Curtis Armstrong is funny to see. And lets not forget James Cromwell (or Jamie as he was called then!), John Goodman and black 1970's star Bernie Casey! The nerds are all good – rising above their caricatures to start to bring out characters.

Overall this is a spin on the frat-comedy so it is a little juvenile and silly but the fact that it is spun towards the nerds makes it that little bit refreshing to watch compared to so many where our `heroes' are arrogant, annoying jock-types who sponge off mummy and daddy just to get drunk at college. Not a great movie but much better than anything else post-Animal House - I'm with the nerds!