Teen movies in the early ‘80s were ruled by sexually promiscuous teenagers who liked to party. The era of Porky’s and The Last American Virgin often took middle-of-the-road boys out of their comfort zone to win popularity among their peers as well as some action with the ladies. Though there were many low-rent comedies played more for exploitation than executing deep storytelling, Revenge of the Nerdsbrought something different, yet shocking, from the rest of the pack.
The 1984 college-set comedy from editor-turned-director Jeff Kanew features a similar fraternity feud premise as Animal House, with a mix of Risky Business’s concept of turning middle-of-the-road teens into kings of the party scene. Like another surprise hit farce released the same year, Police Academy, Nerds was widely reviled by critics but still managed to do huge numbers at the box office, which in turn spawned multiple sequels. The ensemble of unknowns, including Robert Carradine, Anthony Edwards, Larry B. Scott, and Curtis Armstrong, became instant stars overnight due to their memorable turns as geeky misfits taking a stand for their fellow tribe of brainy students. Despite its popularity at the time, however, the racy comedic aspects of Nerds have not aged well to the extent that even a potential remake had to be shut down.
What Is ‘Revenge of the Nerds’ About?
At fictional Adams College, long-time pals Lewis (Carradine) and Gilbert (Edwards) arrive as computer science majors when they face instant adversity from the school’s jock-ridden fraternity, the Alpha Betas, led by Stan Gable (Ted McGinley). As a result of the jocks destroying their own frat house, they kick Lewis and Gilbert out of their freshman dorms along with new students Poindexter (Timothy Busfield), Lamar (Scott), Takashi (Brian Tochi), and Booger (Armstrong), among others. No other fraternity will take them. So the nerds take refuge in a run-down house on campus.
Soon, a black fraternity brings the nerds into their circle against Stan’s efforts to shut them out. They eventually flip Adams College upside down with marijuana-infused parties and revenge pranks against the Alpha Betas. But to truly end the ongoing struggle on campus, the nerds have to compete in the college’s Greek Games so that Lewis can take over as the Greek Council president, which will give them authority over Stan and the arrogant jocks.
Lewis and his gang of nerd heroes represented a particular rise in computer technology and video games in the early ‘80s, and they are far from the young rebels of similar ‘80s teen comedies. Beyond its crude, low-brow nature, Revenge of the Nerds was a Rocky-esque underdog tale that spoke to young people who felt like outsiders in adjusting to new academic settings. In this case, it’s the classic David vs. Goliath theme with such brainy students as Lewis and Gilbert leading the charge for popularity and acceptance against the jocks in the Alpha Betas. Though actors Carradine and Edwards physically depict Lewis and Gilbert as stereotypical nerds with glasses and pocket protectors, they take a down-to-earth approach to their otherwise square characters that makes them relatable to a male viewer in the ‘80s who might struggle to see themselves as cool as Tom Cruise or Sean Penn.
A ‘Revenge of the Nerds’ Remake Was Scrapped Days Into Production
Rather than go for cheap slapstick humor, Nerds goes for comedic situations that at times reach shock levels to make the heroes look strong, but unsuitable for today’s times. Like other sex romps of the day, the film is not without raunchy behavior, including hidden cameras in a sorority house installed by the nerds to catch the girls undressing, selling nude photos of Stan’s girlfriend, and Booger’s various sexual innuendo jokes. But the biggest laugh in Nerds remains the most talked about for its controversial hook: a masked Lewis in a Darth Vader helmet tricking Stan’s girlfriend into sleeping with him inside a funhouse without consent. Reflecting on the gag in a 2019 retrospective in GQ, director Kanew expressed regret about the scene, stating that “in a way, it’s not excusable. If it were my daughter, I probably wouldn’t like it”.
Moments like the funhouse sequence are the reason why Fox struggled to shoot a remake starring Adam Brody in 2006. Between logistical issues with filming on college campuses, disapproval of the material, as well as early footage reviewed by Fox deeming the project unreleasable, it turns out that Nerds has become harder to bring to the screen today due to the lack of success of comedies in the cinemas. Though Seth MacFarlane announced plans to pick up the ball for a Nerds remake in 2020, that project has yet to get in front of cameras.
There’s another reason why Revenge of the Nerds was a product of its time that could never be replicated: nerds have taken over the world since 1984. Every multi-billionaire, ranging from Bill Gates to Mark Zuckerberg, falls into the geek category, making the jocks envy such success rather than mock it. A new take on the original movie needs to be subversive in what truly defines a nerd in the modern age, versus the ‘80s.
Revenge of the Nerds
- Release Date
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August 10, 1984
- Runtime
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90 Minutes
- Director
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Jeff Kanew
- Writers
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Tim Metcalfe, Miguel Tejada-Flores, Steve Zacharias
