Over twenty years before the The Big Bang Theory debuted on CBS, Real Genius was the first really good geek comedy.
Sure, sure – arguments for Revenge of the Nerds, Weird Science, and even The Manhattan Project (not so much a comedy, though) could be made. However, none of these had quite the delicious amount of science coupled with 80′s fashion and hair.
The quick synopsis – Val Kilmer plays Chris Knight, a recknowned research university phenom who becomes unwittingly involved in weapons development when his graduation is threatened by his mentor played by the legendary Walter Peck / William Atherton. Gabriel Jarret plays the newest child prodigy that Knight takes under his wing.
The hair, clothes, and music are all 100% hermetically sealed 80′s with one outstanding exception: Chris Knight’s wardrobe. For the most part, you could pluck him out of this movie and drop him into Van Wilder, Superbad, or any other teen movie of this decade. Val Kilmer? Timeless.
Before Leonard, Sheldon, and the rest of the gang were making jokes about Facebook, Twitter, and Zork – Chris and Mitch were firing up 5 megawatt lasers, slicing liquid nitrogen to fake currency for the coffee machine, and embedding wireless tranceivers into braces to impersonate Jesus. Not bad for 1985.
If you haven’t checked this out yet, watch it. I guarantee you’ll enjoy it – especially the last 10 minutes.
Look at the hair!
From the “too much 80′s awesomeness for words” category, it’s been announced that The Greatest American Hero is being made into a movie.
Stephen J. Cannell, creator of the cult ’80s TV series The Greatest American Hero, confirmed to fans that a feature film is in the works.
“We’ve written a screenplay, and we’ve hired a director, and we’re in the midst of putting this together for the future,” Cannell told an audience in Hollywood on Sept. 7 at the Screen Actors Guild’s 25th-anniversary reunion.
This was one of my favorite TV shows growing up, and always thought it would be cool to get a superhero suit from aliens.
But the fact that it would need an instruction book?
Come on… that’s just ludicrous.
(Thanks to I Watch Stuff!)
Special thanks to Goob, who pointed me to this gem of a page with TONS of 80′s music videos. I’m sure there are other resources out there, but this one brought me the pleasure of watching Big Country’s video (I say one because, really, did they have any other hits?) for the first time in over 20 years. Check them out in all their grainy glory… and feel free to share your favorites!
Did everyone in Scotland ride ATVs in the 80′s down to the shore and go scuba diving?
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