Revenge of the Nerds (1984)

Director:

Jeff Kanew

Writers:

Jeff Buhai (writer)
Tim Metcalfe (story)

Release Date:

20 July 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

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:

Jock | Nerd | Fraternity | College | Sorority

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:

Posters in the Tri-Lambds house include: the Beatles in their early years, Thriller-era Michael Jackson, the Space Shuttle being launched, a 1984 calendar/poster with a topless woman, a Devo poster, featuring the band members in their signature "energy dome" hats, and an Albert Einstein poster.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: In most frames of the Homecoming Carnival skit performed by the Pis, they clearly aren't singing, yet multiple voices are heard singing throughout the song. At one point in, the girls grunt at the same time they are singing.

Quotes:

Danny Burke, Alpha Beta: Well, let's get those nerds!
Stan Gable: [screams] Nerds!
Fred "The Ogre" Palowakski, Alpha Beta: [screaming] Nerds!
Stan Gable: What are we *waiting* for?
[the angry Alpha Beta mob storms out of the locker room towards the Tri-Lams house]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Brotherhood (2001) (V)

Soundtrack:

DON'T TALK

A decent feel-good film with an all-star cast.

Revenge Of The Nerds came out during the 1980-86 R-rated teen flick bonanza that was coming out of Hollywood. While this one is much milder than some of the others, it does have it's moments of raunchiness.

The story is simple: two young men are attending Adams University; but find out quickly that their type (the gawky, glasses wearing, intellectuals) are treated like nobodies. In fact, any male who isn't a jock or a WASP isn't even allowed to live in the dorms. A group of "misfits" including the two main characters Lewis and Gilbert are forced to live in the gym. They do find accommodations but they continue to suffer humiliation and embarrassment from the Alpha Betas. And so, like in the title of the movie, they get REVENGE.

This is a movie that certainly can't be made today. Affirmative Action certainly would be in place to disallow discrimination on college campuses. The "villains" make fun of anyone who isn't like them. Still, when it's all said and done the film sends out a message that you should be proud of yourself and how you look and not let anybody tell you otherwise.

Yes, as an 80's film you'll see every requisite of the decade, but you'll also see something that's a portent of the future. The Nerds raid the women's dorm so they can cause a distraction so others can install cameras in the bedrooms and showers so they can be spied on. That has become very popular on the 'Net.

As for the cast: Oh my! You'll never see this intriguing mix too often. Like in Freaky Friday, you'll see a lot of actors who made it big on T.V.

Ted McGinley - The leader of the Alpha Betas. He's been on a zillion T.V. shows. I always thought he was more of a nerd than jock.

John Goodman - Head coach of the football team. He looked so lean. Along with Roseanne; he's a superb supporting actor in major motion pictures but a weak lead actor.

Anthony Edwards - Gilbert Lowell. Dr. Mark Greene on ER. Considered a heartthrob during those years.

Robert Carradine - Lewis Skolnick. Member of the Carradine acting family.

Timothy Busfield - Poindexter. Elliot Weston on "thitysomething".

Matt Salinger - Danny Burke. The son of "The Catcher In The Rye" writer J.D. Salinger.

Curtis Armstrong - Booger. Remember him from Moonlighting?

Even James Cromwell makes a brief appearance as Lewis' father.

As for the comments of Julie Montgomery's beauty; sure she's beautiful. Especially if you like the Kate Moss, Calista Flockhart, J. Cynthia Brooks, Paris Hilton, Samia Ghattas, etc. skin and bones body. I don't, myself.

All in all, this is still a good film that does its job. Just avoid the sequels. None of them are good and lack the bite of the first film.