Real Genius [HD]

One of the Most Underrated Comedies of All Time
"Real Genius", along with Amy Heckerling's brilliant "Johnny Dangerously", is one of those comedies that never seemed to grasp the audience of other famous '80s flicks like "Caddyshack" or "Back to School". Well, now that it's on DVD, it's a perfect time to see what you've been missing.

"Real Genius" is a simple story really. It's about a 15-year-old whiz named Mitch who goes off to this technology school, where's he's forced to fit in with all of the other brainiacs who spend most of their time simply being smart. While there, he meets up with fellow genius Chris Knight, played with full gusto by Val Kilmer. Chris and Mitch are hand-picked by their professor and head genius, Jerry Hathaway, to lead a team of students that will develop a laser. Seemingly harmless, the team later learns that Hathaway has his own agenda for the laser (actually, the military's agenda), and they attempt to spoil the plot as only really smart kids can.

Mitch and Chris' on-screen chemistry works, simply...

college should be like this
Real Genius is definitely a great film. I don't know that I would say it is Kilmer's best, but it does show off his considerable comic talent, and I consider it one of his best.

It is a delightful college romp with geeks aplenty, and the humor is a lot classier than Animal House, which is another good college flick. It is full of subtle and not so subtle satire on society, such as the botched saying ("like shooting ducks in a barrel") in the slick video boardroom presentation for the weapon concept, and the remark from one general after hearing about having a working weapon system by June - "Don't ask me, I haven't had a working weapon system since Korea."

I can't add anything about the Cal Tech trivia, but it did seem to me that the limo used for the weapon test looked an awful lot like JFK's ill-fated Dallas limo. Veiled commentary about the Military-Industrial Complex?

There is, of course, lots of geek/college humor, but nothing really gross. The sexual humor and references...

Best College Comedy EVER
Maybe it's just that I was in college when this film came out, maybe it's that I'm a big Val Kilmer fan, but whatever the reason, Real Genius is one of the funniest films ever made. It contains what I consider to be the single funniest line ever put on film ("Was it a dream where you see yourself in sort of sun God robes on a pyramid, with a thousand naked women screaming and throwing little pickles at you? Why am I the only person that has that dream?"). The mostly never heard from again cast (aside from Kilmer and Atherton) does a great job, and Martha Coolidge directs her best effort with a perfect contemporary soundtrack (though another reviewer is *definitely* right about the music being mixed far higher than the dialog). All of that said, it is an incredible crime against all people my age (mid to late 30s) that this DVD has **NO** features. An interview or commentary by Kilmer would be a must (not to mention director Coolidge). Kilmer told *great* stories at the time...

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