Revenge of the Nerds
retaliation of the Nerdswas a popular movie quadrilogy of the 1980s , and one of the immediate selection considered when people lean their favorite flick from the college brotherhood comedy musical style alongside such classics asAnimal HouseandPorky ’s .
TheRevenge of the Nerdsfranchise is nearly 4 decennium old ; four movies and a profound , indelible cross on fraternity civilisation afterwards , it is time to revisit what had made the original movie such a successful blockbuster at the tip of its popularity , and why it may not have necessarily age as well as some other title in the college movie genre .
The Vilification of Nerds
At the time of the movie ’s release , being labeled a nerd was considered a bad thing ; it was akin to being a social outcast , an Ishmael , and a little less than a freak . That train of thought was challenge and eventually flipped on its head in the 21st century with enceinte head such as Elon Musk and the late Steve Jobs being laudedas respected figuresin mainstream companionship .
This change in culture also coincide with the rise in popularity of such sitcoms asThe Big Bang TheoryandYoung Sheldon , as well as with the 2012 reboot film21 Jump Street .
The Pie Scene
The nerd set up a pop pie stand for patrons in the third act ofRevenge of the Nerds . It is eventually discovered by Stan , the lead jock from Alpha Beta , that the “ pies ” are nothing more than whipped cream in a pie tin can … and a nude photo of his girlfriend taken without her consent from an earlier conniption where camera are installed in the sorority .
This offensive view indorse the practice of retaliation porn ( it was an act of revenge against the local sorority Pi Delta Pi for teaming up with the athletic supporter ’s frat ) and would have no berth in today ’s film .
Poor LGBTQ Representation
Lamar Latrell is the only gay penis of the geek ’s fraternity , Lambda Lambda Lambda ; maybe due to the out-of-date societal social system of the film , this signify he was automatically classified as a nerd for being homosexual . Unlike themore tasteful depiction of LGBTQ representationin recent years , Revenge the Nerdsplays into the stereotype that all jolly people are emasculate , flamboyant , dandyish castaway .
This perception was used in many drollery skit of the time ( " humanity on Film " fromIn Living Colorand Eddie Murphy ’s depiction of jocund the great unwashed in hisstand - up comedy filmDeliriousare two such egregious examples ) , but today they are viewed as narrow-minded - disposed and lazy jokes that harm more than humor .
Nonconsensual Sex Used as a Humor Beat
Staying faithful to the retaliation aspect ofRevenge of the Nerds , one of the main nerds , Lewis , confront the mind sorority daughter of Pi Delta Pi in a dark room and has sexuality with her , even when he knows she is actually mistaking him for her boyfriend .
What makes this scene peculiarly unworthy is that after the act , the victimize Pi is in reality fascinate by Lewis ’ intimate prowess and ends up ditch her jock swain to be with the nerd that essentially train advantage of her . manifestly , a scene like this would no longer fly in today ’s # MeToo polish .
The Franchise
There were in reality fourRevenge of the Nerdsmovies made . While the first one is considered a classic , the other three are n’t as critically well - get , with the final two being made for television . There was really an attempt in 2006 to revive the series in a flash , and even cast the role player who played Pedro fromNapoleon Dynamite .
However , a weak script and rescind involution from the campus that was to be usedled to the downfall of the projectafter only two weeks of cinematography , in effect put an death to any newRevenge of the Nerdsmovies .
The Dead Ant Song
There ’s a abbreviated prospect which takes place in the third act of Revenge of the Nerds , during the natural endowment show competition at Homecoming . Two subpar comedian take the stage and tell two as awful joke , one a riff on the motif birdcall fromThe Pink Panther , the other an off - color joke regardingLeave it to Beaver .
While the jokes may have elicit a few pity chuckles in the 80s , they would in all probability only bring up up blank stare today , as the two references are a bit dated for today ’s motion-picture show - going audiences .
The Nerds’ Talent Show Act
Between the Devo - inspired , techno- and keytar - infuse strain , the robot terpsichore , and one of the nerds busting out a belt , the whole endeavor comes off as cheesier than designate , despite gain ground the nerds the Homecoming games and the chance to save their sodality .
The Depiction of Women
The honest sexual urge is pay a bad tap inRevenge of the Nerds . The Pi Delta Pis are portrayed as vapid , impish light-haired antagonists underworld - bent on seeing the nerds fail . The Omega Mus are a little dependable but are coded as girl dweeb by merit of the group being more diverse , both in physicality and background knowledge ( the only sorority girls of color are part of the Omega Mus ) .
There is also an unhealthy perception that all the fair sex , peculiarly the Pis , are loot to be won and conquered by the Alpha Betas and the Lambda Lambda Lambdas . gratefully modern - day movies paint a less damning depiction of college and sorority life with such film asLegally light-haired , Neighbors 2 , andPitch Perfect .
Depiction of People of Color
WhileRevenge of the Nerds ’ handling of its black characters forget a lot to be desired , it ’s nothing compared to the stereotypical , cringe - worthy depiction of Lambda Lambda Lambda ’s sole Asian appendage , Takashi . Takashi is draw as a lusty , sex - crazed Japanese impersonation with a poor grasp of the English language .
At one point , Booger mocks his orthoepy of the news “ flush ” ; Takashi ’s catchphrase “ Hair Pie ? Sank you ” is also substantially too bad . Hollywood still has a prospicient way to go when it comes to agency of nonage , but at least it has progressed beyond its more offensive one - note characters of the 80s .
College Movie Genre
This was a genre that slowly died out around the time ofOld SchoolandVan Wilder . College fraternity movies overall perpetuate the toxic stereotype that retaliation is an appropriate retaliation tactic , that women are young , well-endowed prizes to be conquered and won by the protagonist , and that the male child will be boy mentality of youthfulness is permitted to carry over into adulthood with cruel trick , hazing , and the objectification of char .
In today ’s # Metoo climate , the college fraternity motion-picture show genre is not very PC at all ; as a solution , it has go through monolithic changes to reflect that the posture and behaviors portray in cinema of the retiring earned run average are not to be glorify at all .
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