Revenge of the Nerds (1984) starring Robert Carradine, Anthony Edwards, Timothy Busfield, Andrew Cassese, Curtis Armstrong directed by Jeff Kanew Movie Review

Revenge of the Nerds (1984)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Anthony Edwards and Robert Carradine in Revenge of the Nerds (1984)

Booger Nights

You've gone to college in the hope that you can put behind all the awkwardness and bullying of high school only to find yourself once again picked on by the Jocks and humiliated by the cheerleaders and need to group together with other outcasts to fight back. It seems to me that every generation has a movie which came out in their teens which uses that storyline, for me it was "Revenge of the Nerds" but there have been many since which use the same storyline or occasionally a sly variation such as the geeks threatening the Jocks. As for "Revenge of the Nerds" well it may be coming up to being 30 years old but it is as still as entertaining as ever and whilst dated the old computers and 80s teen comedy adds to its charm.

Best friend Lewis (Robert Carradine - The Long Riders) and Gilbert (Anthony Edwards - Zodiac) are of to Adam's College and whilst Gilbert is a little nervous Lewis believes this will be the turning point for them as they are now college men. Unfortunately it doesn't turn out that way as when the Jocks accidentally burn down their house the freshman find themselves sleeping on cots in the gym as the Beta's take over their dorm. It soon becomes apparent to Lewis & Gilbert as well as the other freshman who can't find places to go that they are going to have to defend for themselves and find their own house. Unfortunately the Jocks of Beta won't let them rest and soon it becomes war during the annual carnival competition.

Curtis Armstrong as Booger in Revenge of the Nerds (1984)

So as already mentioned every generation seems to have one of these college movies and it just so happens I was lucky enough to be a teen around the time of "Revenge of the Nerds". In truth because the storyline of nerds being picked on at college and having to win a competition to survive has been so frequently used I could say that there is nothing special about "Revenge of the Nerds". But then this was a movie which not only gave us some memorable nerd characters as well as their friend Booger but also gave us some typical 80s titillation with female nudity and it is still memorable unlike other similar movies.

Aside from doing an entertaining job of delivering the now very familiar storyline watching "Revenge of the Nerds" now provides an extra layer of entertainment because it is dated. But as I said it is an extra layer of entertainment so seeing Gilbert tap away on an old computer is strangely heart warming, well I remember doing the same thing. And then seeing Ted McGinley with 80s blond hair is also entertaining purely because he looks so different now. It is a side to the movie which probably will only appeal to those who watched it back in the 80s but it makes it even funnier now.

Aside from McGinley playing a sports jock there is of course Curtis Armstrong as Booger whose belches sound like two camels mating! And of course there is Robert Carradine and Anthony Edwards as Lewis and Gilbert, two of the greatest nerds to have appeared in movies especially Carradine as Lewis when he is delusional about what college means to them.

What this all boils down to is that whilst each generation has one of these college movies "Revenge of the Nerds" was mine and it is even more entertaining now than when I first watched it.


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