Real Genius

Directed by Martha Coolidge and screenplay by Neal Israel, Pat Proft, and Peter Torokvei from a story by Israel and Proft, Real Genius is the story of a high school student who is accepted to a top university where he works with a college senior in creating a laser unaware of the intentions of its professor. The film doesn’t just explore the world of tech universities but also the fallacies of intelligence where a young genius rebels against his intelligence in order to have fun. Starring Val Kilmer, Gabriel Jarret, Michelle Meyrink, Jon Gries, Robert Prescott, Ed Lauter, and William Atherton. Real Genius is a witty and engaging film from Martha Coolidge.

The film plays into a fifteen year old kid who is given the chance to attend a prestigious technical college to work on a laser with a gifted senior as they’re both unaware of what their professor wants to do with the laser. It’s a film that isn’t just an exploration of kids rebelling against their own intelligence and have fun but it’s also a film where a group of kids deal with college life as well as the world they’re about to embark. It plays into the story as a professor named Jerry Hathaway (William Atherton) is asked by the military to build a laser they need for a weapons project that can kill someone from outer space. In return, Hathaway would get some commendation and more publicity as he is also the host of a TV program. Yet, he spends his time grading papers and overseeing the construction of his house which he used the money for the project while letting his students do all the work.

The film’s screenplay plays into a lot of scenarios that does manage to gel once all of the storylines come together as the 15-year old freshman Mitch Taylor (Gabriel Jarret) arrives to the school as a young genius who is smarter than people his age and above. Still, he is treated with some contempt by some of the students including Kent (Robert Prescott) who constantly sucks up to Hathaway and tries to run the laser project whenever Hathaway nor another top student in Chris Knight (Val Kilmer) isn’t around. Mitch is excited at first about having Knight as his roommate but is shocked that the kid who was considered a genius many years before has become a slacker that just parties constantly. After some moments including enduring a humiliating prank by Kent, Mitch wants to leave until Knight tells him that he shouldn’t and learn to have fun while getting back at Kent.

The film also shows some of the flaws of intelligence as it relates to a mysterious student named Lazlo Holyfield (Jon Gries) who keeps coming in and out of Mitch’s closet in doing a secret project as he got paranoid over ideas that he believes the government wants. Eventually, Holyfield’s paranoia would come true once Knight and Mitch realize exactly what Hathaway wants the laser in its third act as they get the help of friend Ick (Mark Kamiyama) and the hyperkinetic student Jordan (Michelle Meyrink). It’s third act isn’t just handled with some suspense but also a sense of morality that isn’t heavy handed as it’s conclusion is a joyful one.

Martha Coolidge’s direction is very simple as she doesn’t aim for something that is very stylistic with the exception of a few scenes that relates to the military project. Much of the film is shot on location at Caltech in California to give the film not just a realistic look into the world of college life but also in how students conduct themselves socially and academically. The latter of which features elements of humor in a scene where Mitch walks into a classroom as he realizes that he’s the only one there and all of chairs are filled by tape recorder recording what the professor is saying on an audio tape. It’s among these offbeat moments in the film that plays into the humor as well as how Knight is introduced as he is seen wearing pajamas, wearing a headband with spring ears, and fluffy bunny shoes.

The film is balanced with some drama since Coolidge is aware that the film does revolve this young kid who is hoping to go into a world where he can meet people who are smart and mature as he is. Instead, he faces some dose of reality where he is forced to grow up as well as loosen up since he has a whole life ahead of him to learn and be smart but also have some fun at the same time. Much of Coolidge’s compositions are straightforward with its close-ups and medium shots while capturing something is very lively. The film’s climax which does involve this big laser project is a very big moment as it’s outcome not only establishes a lot into what Hathaway was trying to do but also into how he managed to screw over a bunch of kids who thought they were doing something good for the world only to get a dose of revenge. Overall, Coolidge creates a very funny and insightful film about a bunch of genius kids who try to find joy without the need to study and do something good for the world.

Cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography as it captures not just the sunny look of the daytime locations but also uses some unique interior lights for some scenes at night including a few party scenes and moments in the classrooms. Editor Richard Chew does nice work with the editing as it‘s quite simple in its approach to comedy while creating a few stylish montages to play into the world of learning. Production designer Josan F. Russo, with set decorator Phil Abramson and art director Jack G. Taylor Jr., does fantastic work with some of the look of the parties and classrooms as well as the home of Hathaway.

Costume designer Marla Denise Schlom does wonderful work with the clothes as it‘s mostly casual as well as playing into the development of some of its characters Mitch starts off wearing a suit and look nerdy and eventually dress more casually. Visual effects supervisors Richard L. Bennett and David Stipes do terrific work with the minimal visual effects as it relates to the laser project from space that Hathaway is involved in. Sound designer George Budd and sound editor Julia Evershade do superb work with the sound to create the way the laser sounds upon its firing as well as the atmosphere in some of the party scenes. The film’s music by Thomas Newman does brilliant work with the film‘s score as it features bits of electronic music as well as a few orchestral pieces while music supervisors Becky Mancuso-Winding and Michael Papale create a great soundtrack that mixes synth-pop, new wave, and hard rock from acts like Tears for Fears, Y&T, Don Henley, Bryan Adams, Tonio K, The Call, The System, The Comsat Angels, and several other obscure acts.

The casting by Janet Hirshenson and Jane Jenkins is amazing as it includes appearances from skateboarding legend Stacy Peralta as a space shuttle pilot in the film’s opening scene, Miss January of 1984 Playmate Penny Baker as a party girl in the pool party, Dean Devlin and Yuji Okumoto as a couple of nerdy students who are reluctant to join the pool party, Severn Darden as the school’s eccentric dean, and Deborah Foreman as the daughter of a government official who asks Knight a very interesting question. Other noteworthy small roles include Patti D’Arbanville as a corporate executive who has a reputation for bedding very smart young men, Louis Giambalvo as an air force major who often asks Hathaway about the project’s progress, and Ed Lauter as a government official who supports the laser project.

Robert Prescott is terrific as the slimy nerd Kent who is a constant ass-kisser to Hathaway as he tries to do whatever it takes to ruin whatever ideas Mitch and Knight have. Mark Kamiyama is excellent as Ick as an Asian student who is a friend of Knight that is just as silly as well as being someone who is very fun. Michelle Meyrink is fantastic as Jordan as a hyperkinetic student who talks very fast as she befriends Mitch and helps him deal with the craziness of college. Jon Gries is amazing as the mysterious Lazlo as a student from the 1970s who was considered a genius until he acts very odd by going in and out of Mitch’s closet due to his own paranoia.

William Atherton is superb as Jerry Hathaway as a revered college professor and TV host who is quite smug at times while being someone who abuses his power as he wants to get credit for contributing something that is immoral. Gabriel Jarret is brilliant as Mitch Taylor as a 15-year old kid who goes to college as he tries to deal with his new surroundings while learning that he just needs to have fun. Finally, there’s Val Kilmer in a remarkable performance as Chris Knight as a college senior who was once revered as a genius who decides to become a slacker while aiding Mitch in this laser project as Kilmer brings a lot of energy and wit to his role.

Real Genius is a phenomenal film from Martha Coolidge that features an incredible breakthrough performance from Val Kilmer. Along with a great supporting cast and a fun soundtrack, it is a film that isn’t just a funny college film but also a film that questions the idea of intelligence and how those who are smart are trying to live normal lives and have fun. In the end, Real Genius is a sensational film from Martha Coolidge.

© thevoid99 2015

Revenge of the Nerds

Directed by Jeff Kanew and screenplay by Jeff Buhai, Miguel Tejada-Flores, and Steve Zacharias from a story by Tim Metcalfe, Revenge of the Nerds is the story about a group of misfit and oddball freshmen who decide to fight back against a jock fraternity with their intelligence in the hope that they can enjoy collegiate life. It’s a film that plays into the world of the underdog mentality as a group of young men deal with not just prejudice for being very different and weird but also realize that they can’t back down for who they are. Starring Robert Carradine, Anthony Edwards, Curtis Armstrong, Timothy Busfield, Larry B. Scott, Andrew Cassese, Michelle Meyrink, Brian Tochi, Ted McGinley, Donald Gibb, Julia Montgomery, David Wohl, Bernie Casey, James Cromwell, and John Goodman. Revenge of the Nerds is a wild and rapturous film from Jeff Kanew.

The film is a simple story about a group of newly-arrived freshmen students who arrive to Adams College as they’re being harassed and ridiculed by a jock fraternity forcing these group of geeky and brainy men to fight back with their intelligence. It’s a film that doesn’t just explore the social politics of college but also how this group of odd and diverse misfits who don’t really fit into any kind of clique come together and stand up for themselves. Along the way, hilarity ensues involving panty raids, a party with an equally-odd band of sorority sisters, and other antics. Especially as they find ways to humiliate the jocks in their own unique way and win over people who have dealt with prejudice or have a hard time with conformity.

The film’s screenplay not only bring in a lot of humor to the film as it plays into many of the antics that occur but also portray many of the characters as real people. Leading the pack are Lewis Skolnick (Robert Carradine) and Gilbert Lowe (Anthony Edwards) who are just a couple of freshmen that want to study computer science and have some fun. Yet, because of the carelessness of the jock fraternity in the Alpha Betas when they burned their house down during a party. The freshmen including Skolnick and Lowe are forced to live in the gym with other outcasts including a near-sighted geek named Poindexter (Timothy Busfield), a Japanese student in Takashi (Brian Tochi), a 12-year old aerodynamics expert named Wormser (Andrew Cassese), the openly-gay Lamar (Larry B. Scott), and a perverted slob named Booger (Curtis Armstrong). There, the band of outcasts eventually find a house to live in and apply into a fraternity where they’re given a tryout by a fraternity president in U.N. Jefferson (Bernie Casey) to be part of his all-black fraternity known as Lambda Lambda Lambda.

The script also plays into this back-and-forth conflict between the nerds and the Alpha Betas as the jock themselves in star quarterback Stan Gable (Ted McGinley), Danny Burke (Matt Salinger), and Ogre (Donald Gibb) try to intimidate them physically and pull off these very mean pranks. At the same time, they would abuse their own power as leaders of the school’s Greek council to get things their way which only drive the nerds to fight back with the aid of the equally-nerdy and oddball sorority in the Omega Mus against the Alpha Betas and the Pi Delta Pi sorority in an annual competition. The script doesn’t just showcase these Nerds trying to prove that anyone can do it by being themselves but also be proud of who they are. Even as they manage to be a threat to the Alpha Betas and their idea of conformity and power.

Jeff Kanew’s direction is very simple as it doesn’t go for anything stylistic as it’s more concerned with creating a film that is consistently funny. Shot on location near Tucson, Arizona, the film plays into the world of college life outside of academics as it focuses on a world that is changing. One of which involves a group of jocks and party animals who often get in their way and not think about what is ahead of them. Then you have the nerds who arrive not only to expand their own intelligence but also find a place where they can have fun and also think of a future for themselves. Kanew’s approach to compositions often involve a lot of medium shots and close-ups as he’s more concerned with maintaining a sense of energy that is happening during the antics that occur such as the panty-raid sequence and the party scene with the Omega Mus where the nerds get very high on marijuana provided by Booger.

The film also features these very offbeat moments in the humor such as some of the scenes at the annual fraternity-sorority competition as it reveals exactly what the nerds would do if they’re forced to take part in physical competitions. There’s also moments where some of the humor is quite crass as it involves some of Booger’s own gross antics where he is able to challenge Ogre into a belching contest. It all plays into the wild world of college as it proves that nerds can party to but also not be afraid to say who they are. Especially in the film’s ending where one of them has finally had enough of the abuse in the hands of the jocks and felt that something needs to be said. Overall, Kanew creates a wild yet enjoyable film about a bunch of nerds taking a stand against a bunch of idiotic jocks.

Cinematographer King Baggot does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography to play into the sunny look of the locations along with some unique lighting schemes for some scenes set at night. Editor Alan Balsam does fantastic work with the editing with its stylish cuts from the sequence of the nerds cleaning up the house they would live in to some slow-motion cuts for some of the competitive moments. Production designer James L. Schoppe and set decorator Frank Lombardo do terrific work with the look of the gym and the home the nerds would live in as well as the hall of the Greek council.

Sound editor Michael O’Corrigan does nice work with some of the sound effects as well as some of the craziness that occurs in some of the parties and collegiate activities. The film’s music by Thomas Newman is brilliant for its mixture electronic-based music with some orchestral elements while music supervisor Martin Schwartz creates a fun soundtrack that features music from Michael Jackson, Queen, Gleaming Spires, Ya Ya, Andrea & Hot Mink, Bone Symphony, The Rubinoos, Jill Michaels and Pat Robinson, and Revenge (not the U.K. 90s group of the same name).

The casting by Susan Arnold and Paula Herold is great as it features some notable small roles from James Cromwell as Lewis’ dad, Alice Hirson as Gilbert’s mother, Matt Salinger as the Alpha Beta Danny Burke, Donald Gibb as the caveman-like Alpha Beta named Ogre, and David Wohl in a terrific performance as the college’s dean who sympathizes with the nerds as he is often bullied by the football coach. John Goodman is fantastic as the college’s football coach Harris who doesn’t like the nerds as he would encourage his players to humiliate them. Ted McGinley is superb as the star quarterback Stan Gable who sees nerds as inferior as he often cares more about himself than his girlfriend. Julia Montgomery is wonderful as Stan’s girlfriend Betty who is often pursued by Lewis as she deals with Stan’s selfishness.

Michelle Meyrink is brilliant as the nerdy Judy who befriends Gilbert as she would help him and the nerds meet her sorority in the Omega Mus who are total party animals. Bernie Casey is phenomenal as Lambda Lambda Lambda leader U.N. Jefferson who is reluctant to have the nerds join his fraternity until he realizes what they’re capable of in being able to stand up for themselves. Brian Tochi and Timothy Busfield are excellent in their respective roles as Takashi and Poindexter as two very different nerds with Tochi as a Japanese exchange student and Busfield as a near-sighted nerd with thick glasses.

Andrew Cassese is amazing as the 12-year old genius Wormser who becomes very interested in women while Larry B. Scott is fabulous as the openly-gay Lamar who is quite smart but also has great fashion sense. Curtis Armstrong is incredible as Booger as a slob who doesn’t fit in anywhere as he parties with the nerds and gets them to have fun. Anthony Edwards is remarkable as Gilbert Lowe as the more sensitive nerd who is able to find a girl but is also the one guy that refuses to be intimidated as he rallies the nerds into standing up for themselves. Finally, there’s Robert Carradine in a marvelous performance as Lewis Skolnick as a nerd with a distinctive laugh that is eager to have a good time and be smart while is also someone that just wants to be accepted.

Revenge of the Nerds is a tremendous film from Jeff Kanew. It’s a film that manages to not only explore the social world of college cliques but also manages to find some heart and laughs into a bunch of people who don’t fit in while being able to be proud of who they are. In the end, Revenge of the Nerds is a spectacular film from Jeff Kanew.

Related: (Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise) - (Revenge of the Nerds III: The Next Generation) - (Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love)

© thevoid99 2015