Some say that the movie Animal House is the best college movie ever made.

Those who do should rewatch Revenge of the Nerds and reconsider they're stand on the issue.

Packed to the gills with fun characters, great scenes and jokes that range from 5th grade locker room humor all the way up to a full blown parody of   college life this movie is by far one of the best comedies I have yet to see.

The above mentioned nerds are Lewis (Robert Carradine) and Gilbert (Anthony Edwards). High school geeks and social outcasts, they enter the dorms of Adam's College ("They have the best computer department in the country.") with high hopes for good things to come.

Those hopes are immediately dashed when the Adam's College football team burns down its own dorm during one of the teams all night parties. Instead of having his 'boys" without a home our up tight coach Harris (John Goodman) gives the freshman dorm to his football players. This causes our motley collection of nerds to be shacked up in the college gym. This is just one in a list of atrocities that our Nerds must indoor. Then, one night, they decide that enough is enough. Its time to fight back, time to live, time to get some revenge. This leads to some of the funniest comedic bits I have yet to see, as the nerds use they're smarts to get back at life through both legitimate and illegitimate means. And seeing this movie makes me remember just how fun panty raids were.*Sigh*.

But college nostalgia aside this movie gives many more reasons to enjoy it. Not the least of which is the acting. Robert Carradine gives a great performance as the co-leader of the nerds. He looks, acts (and laughs) like the stereotypical nerd is suppose to look and act (and laugh). But he manages to give Lewis some humanity.

The other co-leader is Anthony (ER) Edwards as Gilbert. While still young enough to pass for a college student here I can tell you that his acting hasn't degraded one iota since 1984.

But I think my favorite of the bunch is Curtis Armstrong as the nerd who calls himself "Booger". I'm not making this up here. His quite enthusiastic nose picking is evidence of where he got the name. Booger is the comic relief for this movie, he's the one who's never without something cool to say, or with the right drug at the right time.

John Goodman is another one of those actors who has the ability to play any part he's in well. The man acts, damnit. And he plays the part of Coach Harris like a maniacal drill instructor. He's the kind of gym teacher who will make you do pushups until your arms fall off, then pick up your arms and beat you with them. I'm sure everybody has known people like him. I've known lots of them.

We've already had one person who would later star in a T.V series in our cast list, and Ted McGinley is another one. In latter life he would play the dashing, brainless neighbor on one of the funniest shows of my time, Married with Children. His character, Stand Gable, quarterback of the football team is as brainless as Jefferson D'arcy on a bad day, but he's younger and blonder. Like all young blonde jocks he gets to pork the head cheerleader, Betty Childs (Julia Montgomery). And, since Betty is a cheerleader, she has all the brains of a ten pound weight. 

And, as with every great movie, I must give a special congratulatory back slap to the writers. In Revenge of the Nerds Jeff Buhai and Miguel Tejada-Flores have written an uproariously funny spoof of college life. Yes, its simplistic. No, its not true to life. But who cares? This is a farce. Yes, most of the characters described above where stereotypes. But that's the point. This movie treats them like real people and, because of the good actors they become real people. It manages to create well developed, likeable characters from those stereotypes. This is the perfect example of what great writing and great acting can make when put in the same place at the same time.

Alright, I'll be a man and admit this little fact..

Ahem.

Hello, my name is Dr. Psy Chosis and I'm a nerd too. Because of that I might be a bit partial to this movie. But I don't really care that much. Personally, I think we're all nerds in some way. And the nerd in you will defiantly laugh as it sees these nerds fighting back against the oppression of the smart by the strong. And oh, is this revenge sweet.

RATING(OUT OF A POSSIBLE FIVE)

PLUS, THE ELECTRIC VIOLIN HAS TO BE THE BEST INSTRUMENT EVER INVENTED.

HOME  VAULT  RATINGS  MISSION STATEMENT  LINKS

E-MAIL GOES TO dr_psy_chosis@hotmail.com

GODZILLA TRADEMARK 1999 TOHO CO., LTD