Revenge of the Nerds (1984)

Director:

Jeff Kanew

Writers:

Jeff Buhai (writer)
Tim Metcalfe (story)
(more)

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:

Nerd | Jock | 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
Bernie Casey	...	U.N. Jefferson
Alice Hirson	...	Mrs. Florence 'Flo' Lowe
F. William Parker	...	Sergeant
Roger Carter	...	U.N. Assistant
Kres Mersky	...	Mrs. Wormser
Marianne Muellerleile	...	Woman
Lisa Welch	...	Suzy
Suzanne B. Hayes	...	Michelle
Shawn Siqueiros	...	Joanne
Sandra Katzel	...	Connie
Fumio Kodama	...	Japanese Man
Lance Lombardo	...	Lamar's Date
William B. Wilson	...	Tough-Looking Guy
Carl Cherry	...	Tri-Lam
Adam Frank	...	Blond Nerd
Taylor Samuels	...	Plaid Brother
Brad Grunberg	...	Plaid Brother (as Bradley Grunberg)
James Anklam	...	Hooded Alpha Beta
Matthew M. Haugh	...	Hooded Alpha Beta
William C. Horning	...	Hooded Alpha Beta
Angela C. Gardaphe	...	Pi-Delta-Pi
Lisa Kolasa	...	Pi-Delta-Pi
Kristen Kinderman	...	Pi-Delta-Pi
Kay Strunk	...	Pi-Delta-Pi
Gamble Baffert	...	Rho-Rho
Brian Lover	...	Rho-Rho
Jerry Kurinsky	...	Rho-Rho
Tonja Sue Philbee	...	Rho-Rho
Monique Sorenson	...	Rho-Rho
Calon Blackledge	...	Rho-Rho
Scott Bird	...	Nerd
David Moskowitz	...	Nerd
Steven Duran	...	Nerd
Thomas Obeid	...	Nerd
Theodore Kerpez	...	Nerd
Michael Urena	...	Nerd
Vincent Lindsley	...	Nerd
Laura Bell	...	Omega Mu
Linda Felker	...	Omega Mu
Deborah Bernstein	...	Omega Mu
Renee Mintz	...	Omega Mu
Donna Costello	...	Omega Mu
Lillie Nusz	...	Omega Mu
Romy Dushoff	...	Omega Mu
Rhonda Tinsley	...	Omega Mu
Felicia Fagan	...	Omega Mu
Jennifer Wilcox	...	Omega Mu
John Almon	...	Jock
Brian Nelson	...	Jock
Daniel Egan	...	Jock
Thomas Repp	...	Jock
Jay Galland	...	Jock
Jay Halland	...	Jock
Andrew Salan	...	Jock
Dean Heindel	...	Jock
Scott Spangler	...	Jock
Robert Melton	...	Jock
Steve Yeatras	...	Jock
Madaline Blinder	...	Pi-Delta-Pi
Colleen Madden	...	Pi-Delta-Pi
Lucy Craig	...	Pi-Delta-Pi
Susan Myers	...	Pi-Delta-Pi
Jennie Gaio	...	Pi-Delta-Pi
Kristi Nelson	...	Pi-Delta-Pi
Carolyn Hoover	...	Pi-Delta-Pi
Melissa Perlman	...	Pi-Delta-Pi
Karen Knutzen	...	Pi-Delta-Pi
Lori Stock	...	Pi-Delta-Pi
Chris Stravolo	...	Pi-Delta-Pi
Kelly Reed	...	Lap Girl
Malcolm Gregor	...	Mail Slot Man
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Henry Kendrick	...	Trainer
Clint Austin	...	Alpha Beta (uncredited)
Greg Berg	...	Larry Fine robot (voice) (uncredited)
Kris Levario	...	TV Aerobic Instructor (uncredited)
Michael L. White	...	Jock (uncredited)

Directed by
Jeff Kanew

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jeff Buhai		writer
Tim Metcalfe		story
Miguel Tejada-Flores		writer
Steve Zacharias		writer

Produced by
Ted Field	....	producer
Peter Macgregor-Scott	....	co-producer
Peter Samuelson	....	producer

Original Music by
Thomas Newman

Cinematography by
King Baggot

Casting by
Susan Arnold
Paula Herold

Production Design by
James L. Schoppe

Set Decoration by
Frank Lombardo

Makeup Department
Frank Griffin	....	makeup artist
Yolanda Toussieng	....	hair stylist
Mark Wittenberg	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Henry Kline	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Terence A. Donnelly	....	first assistant director (as Terry Donnelly)
James M. Freitag	....	second assistant director
Gary Law	....	additional second assistant director
Byron MacDonald	....	assistant director intern

Art Department
Craig B. Ayers Sr.	....	greens foreman
Jo Brown	....	painter
Michael Casey	....	set dresser
William 'W' Gilpin	....	construction foreman
Art Lipschultz	....	property master
Lance Lombardo	....	lead man
Everett Olson	....	construction coordinator
Michael Friedman	....	assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Mike O. Corrigan	....	supervising sound editor
Bob Daniels	....	adr editor
Pieter Hubbard	....	sound editor
William Jacobs	....	sound editor
John Paul Jones	....	sound editor
Ed Osborne	....	sound editor (as Edward Osborne)
Al Overton Jr.	....	sound mixer
Richard Overton	....	sound re-recording mixer
Theodore Soderberg	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paul Wells	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Joseph A. Unsinn	....	special effects coordinator

Stunts
Edward Adams	....	stunts
Steve Blalock	....	stunts (as Stephen Andrew Blalock)
Bing Blenman	....	stunts
John Cade	....	stunts
Corey Michael Eubanks	....	stunts (as Corey Eubanks)
Joe Gilbride	....	stunts (as Joseph C. Gilbride)
Terry James	....	stunt coordinator
Terry James	....	stunts
Danny Rogers	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Ron Batzdorff	....	still photographer
Stephen E. Bridge	....	camera operator
Joseph Cosko Jr.	....	second assistant camera
Roger Gebhard	....	assistant camera
Marlin Hall	....	key grip
George Holmes	....	chief lighting technician
Louis Niemeyer	....	assistant camera
Dennis Smith	....	camera operator
Ronald Vidor	....	Steadicam operator

Casting Department
Susan Johnson	....	casting intern

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Deborah Hopper	....	costumer: women
Eddie Marks	....	costume supervisor
Radford Polinsky	....	costumer: men

Editorial Department
Amy E. Duddleston	....	post-production assistant
Nancy Forner	....	assistant editor

Music Department
John R. Harris	....	music editor
Martin Schwartz	....	music supervisor
Armin Steiner	....	score mixer

Transportation Department
Michael Connolly	....	transportation coordinator (as Mike Connolly)

Other crew
Brad Dechter	....	source arrangements
Pete Emmet	....	unit publicist
Dorain Grusman	....	choreographer
Kisuna Jacobsen	....	script supervisor
Robert Maharis	....	location manager
Giedra Rackauskas	....	auditor
Pinki Ragan	....	production coordinator
Jay Roberts	....	assistant accountant
Lydia Telo	....	assistant auditor

Production Companies

• Interscope Communications

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment España S.A. (2003) (Spain) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1985) (USA) (video)
• CBS/Fox Video (1986) (Belgium) (video)
• Home Box Office (HBO) (1985) (USA) (TV) (cable television)

Other Companies

• Doster, Keigley & Rhodes  location casting

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:

On the documentary for the Special Edition DVD, it was revealed that many of the actors (including Robert Carradine, Curtis Armstrong, and Timothy Busfield) initially did not want to do the film but gave in because the movie either paid well or it was a chance for some of them, who were struggling actors, to get into a movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: As was listed in another goof, there were some inconsistencies with the scores during the Greek Games portion of the Homecoming Carnival. Part of this is because one of the events, a Chariot Race, was cut from the final version of the movie (the Chariot Race can be seen on the "panty raid edition" DVD under Deleted Scenes.)

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 Slap Her... She's French (2002)

Soundtrack:

RIGHT TIME FOR LOVE

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.