IMDb > Real Genius (1985)
Real Genius
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Real Genius (1985) More at IMDbPro »

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Real Genius (1985) -- MyMovieScripts.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
6.8/10   11,643 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 7% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Martha Coolidge
Writers:
Neal Israel (screenplay)
Neal Israel (story)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Real Genius on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
7 August 1985 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy | Romance | Sci-Fi more
Tagline:
Who ELSE can turn lasers into light shows, aircraft into armchairs, and high-tech into hijinks? more
Plot:
Teenage geniuses deal with their abilities while developing a laser. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
2 wins & 2 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(9 articles)
Veteran’s Day: Movies Veterans Love
 (From Screen Rant. 11 November 2009, 3:45 AM, PST)
Villains We Love: William Atherton
 (From Cinematical. 28 October 2009, 11:33 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
One of the all time best 80's college movies more (114 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Val Kilmer ... Chris Knight

Gabriel Jarret ... Mitch Taylor (as Gabe Jarret)
Michelle Meyrink ... Jordan Cochran

William Atherton ... Prof. Jerry Hathaway

Jon Gries ... Lazlo Hollyfeld (as Jonathan Gries)

Patti D'Arbanville ... Sherry Nugil
Stacy Peralta ... Shuttle Pilot
Daniel Ades ... Laser Ray Victim
Andres Aybar ... Bartender
Louis Giambalvo ... Maj. Carnagle
Ed Lauter ... David Decker
Charles Shull ... Air Force General

Beau Billingslea ... George
Charles Parks ... Larry
Sean Frye ... Boy at Science Fair

JoAnn Willette ... Girl at Science Fair
Ina Gould ... Old Lady
Nadine Vix ... Student at Science Fair
Paul Tulley ... Mr. Taylor

Joanne Baron ... Mrs. Taylor
Chip Johnson ... Darlington Recruiter
Monte Landis ... Dr. Dodd

Sandy Martin ... Mrs. Meredith
Severn Darden ... Dr. Meredith

Randy Lowell ... Cornell (as Randolph Dreyfuss)
Robert Prescott ... Kent
John Shepherd Reid ... Carter
Tommy Swerdlow ... Bodie (as Tom Swerdlow)
Mark Kamiyama ... 'Ick' Ikagami
Martin Gundersen ... Math Professor
Brett Miller ... Carpet Man
Dean Devlin ... Milton
Yuji Okumoto ... Fenton
Lynda Wiesmeier ... Chris' Girl at Party
Penny Baker ... Ick's Girl at Party
Marcia Karr ... Cornell's Girl at Party
Isabelle Walker ... Girl at Party
Marii Mak ... Girl at Party
Cheri Wells ... Girl at Party
Catherine MacNamara ... Girl at Party
John Vasily ... Student
Ed Garrabrandt ... TV Makeup Man
Isabel Cooley ... TV Stage Manager
Robin Stober ... Waitress

Deborah Foreman ... Susan Decker
David Marvit ... Student in Hall
Michael Crabtree ... Air Force SP at Gate
Charles Sweigart ... Air Force SP at Gate

Peter Parros ... Air Force SP at Gate
Ronald Taylor ... Computer Technician
James Carrington ... Air Force Major
Michael Backes ... Air Force Controller
Corki Grazer ... Air Force Sergeant
Jeanne Mori ... Laser Technician
David Ursin ... Engineer
Joe Dorsey ... Congressman Dougton
Will Knox ... Laser Specialist
Kevin Hurley ... Air Force Technician
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Helen Kelly ... Party Guest (uncredited)
David Monterosso ... Student In Cafeteria (uncredited)

Joy Michelle Moore ... Party Girl on surfboard (uncredited)
Tom Tangen ... Student on ice skates (uncredited)
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Directed by
Martha Coolidge 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
Neal Israel  screenplay
Neal Israel  story
Pat Proft  screenplay
Pat Proft  story
Peter Torokvei  writer

Produced by
Sam Crespi-Horowitz .... associate producer
Robert Daley .... executive producer
Brian Grazer .... producer
 
Original Music by
Thomas Newman 
 
Cinematography by
Vilmos Zsigmond 
 
Film Editing by
Richard Chew 
 
Casting by
Janet Hirshenson 
Jane Jenkins 
 
Production Design by
Josan F. Russo 
 
Art Direction by
Jack G. Taylor Jr. 
 
Set Decoration by
Phil Abramson  (as Philip Abramson)
 
Costume Design by
Marla Denise Schlom  (as Marla D. Schlom)
 
Makeup Department
Zoltan Elek .... makeup artist (as Zoltan)
Edie Panda .... hair stylist
 
Production Management
Billy Ray Smith .... unit production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stephen McEveety .... first assistant director (as Steve McEveety)
Joseph Paul Moore .... second assistant director (as Joseph P. Moore)
Mike Schilz .... third assistant director (as Michael J Schulz)
 
Art Department
Erin M. Cummins .... set designer
David L. Glazer .... assistant property master
Jim Husbands .... leadman
Steven Wolff .... set designer
 
Sound Department
Anna Boorstin .... sound editor
George Budd .... sound designer
David E. Campbell .... sound re-recording mixer (as Dave Campbell)
Virginia Cook-McGowan .... sound editor (as Virginia A. Cook)
Julia Evershade .... supervising sound editor
Roxanne Jones .... sound editor (as Roxanne R. Jones)
C. Darin Knight .... sound mixer (as Darin Knight)
Carl Lewis .... sound editor
John T. Reitz .... sound re-recording mixer (as John Reitz)
Christy Richmond .... assistant sound editor
John Roesch .... foley artist
Gregg Rudloff .... sound re-recording mixer (as Greg Rudloff)
John Vigran .... sound recording consultant
Paul C. Warschilka .... assistant sound editor
Marshall Winn .... sound editor
 
Special Effects by
Phil Cory .... special effects coordinator (as Philip C. Cory)
Raymond Klein .... special effects crew (as Raymond J. Klein)
Mike Reedy .... special effects technician
Robert Rowan .... special effects crew
Ray Svedin .... special effects crew
Thomas R. Ward .... special effects crew
Jerry D. Williams .... special effects crew
Hans Metz .... special effects assistant (uncredited)
 
Visual Effects by
Richard Bennett .... visual effects supervisor
Ernie Cervantes .... visual effects crew
Syd Dutton .... special visual effects
Dale Fay .... visual effects crew
Michael Karp .... visual effects crew
Marc Kolodziejcyk .... visual effects crew
David Stipes .... visual effects supervisor
Bill Taylor .... special visual effects
 
Stunts
Kenny Alexander .... stunts
Cynthia Lea Clark .... stunt driver
Shane Dixon .... stunts
Kenny Ferrugiaro .... stunts
Linda Lee Franklin .... stunts
Allan Graf .... stunts
David M. Graves .... stunts (as David Michael Graves)
Marian Green .... stunts
Bernie Pock .... stunts (as Bernhard Pock)
Debby Porter .... stunts
Spiro Razatos .... stunts
Edward J. Ulrich .... stunt coordinator (as Ed Ulrich)
Edward J. Ulrich .... stunts (as Ed Ulrich)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Colin J. Campbell .... electrical gaffer (as Colin Campbell)
John J. Connor .... camera operator
Frederick Elmes .... photographer: second unit
Robert Jason .... electrical best boy (as Robert E. Jason)
Ken Nishino .... first assistant camera (as Kenneth Nishino)
Robert Samuels .... second assistant camera (as Robert B. Samuels)
William D. Barber .... assistant camera (uncredited)
Frank Montoya .... grip (uncredited)
Emmanuel Vouniozos .... on-set techician (uncredited)
 
Casting Department
Jill Simpson .... casting assistant
 
Editorial Department
Arthur Coburn .... additional editor
Albert Coleman .... first assistant editor
Alexandra Leviloff .... second assistant film editor
Bill Wilner .... assistant editor
 
Music Department
Becky Mancuso-Winding .... music supervisor (as Becky Mancuso)
Michael Papale .... music supervisor
 
Other crew
Joanie Blum .... script supervisor
Ron Cobb .... laser technology
Brad Dechter .... source arrangements
Joan Eisenberg .... unit publicist
Wayne Fitzgerald .... title designer
Judith Gill .... production coordinator
Jan Walker .... assistant to producer
Robert J. Woodhead .... hacking consultant
Craig Miller .... marketing consultant (uncredited)
 

Production CompaniesDistributorsSpecial Effects
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
108 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Certification:
Argentina:Atp | Iceland:L | Australia:PG | New Zealand:PG | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG
Filming Locations:
Crystal Springs Ranch, Canyon Country, California, USA more
Company:
Delphi III Productions more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
When Hollyfeld sends in a large number of entries to the Frito-Lay contest, he is mirroring the actions of Caltech students Steve Klein, Dave Novikoff and Barry Megdal, who, in 1974, used a similar strategy to win a McDonald's sweepstakes. Their entries came to roughly 1/5th of the total entries and won them a station wagon, $3,000 and $1,500 in food gift certificates. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: After Lazlo tells Chris what the laser's intended use is as they're celebrating in the restaurant, Chris sprints to the lab, and is fumbling with the keys in order to unlock the lab door. Without ever having located the key or entering it into the lock, or without even turning the doorknob, the door "magically" opens itself, even though there is no one inside the lab. more
Quotes:
Chris Knight: Look at it this way. Considering the type of people you are and the environment you're in, you have to admit the strong possibility this may be the only chance you ever have in your entire lives... to have sex. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Holiday (2006) more
Soundtrack:
You Took Advantage of Me more

FAQ

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
25 out of 26 people found the following comment useful.
One of the all time best 80's college movies, 3 November 2001
10/10
Author: thirdi from United States

Val Kilmer is hilarious as a college genius on par with Einstein, but is more interested in partying and chasing girls. A new arrival to the campus, Mitch, is a brilliant 15 year-old whom Val takes under his wing and tries to get to loosen up and have a good time.

There are probably some important themes and ideas to analyze within this movie, but for me it's just an old-school personal favorite that I've seen about 100 times. Great 80's music soundtrack and funny performances. William Atherton is perfect as the self-important, snobby professor, and another highlight is Robert Prescott, who plays his butt-kissing, nerdy assistant "Kent".

A movie that asks the question, isn't life experience just as important for education, as classrooms and books? A very funny, fine film that is up there with "Animal House" in my opinion.

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Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Real Genius (1985)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Favorite Scenes! Madness832
How'd they get Kent's car into his dorm room? petekrug17
About 'launch problem or design problem' jsnchen
Tom Hanks uncredited cameo d2-d4
Sarah Jessica Parker is really Mitch? cdogg2001
Sherry's role in RG? nrgmorris
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