Plot: What’s it about?
Lewis (Robert Carradine) and Gilbert (Anthony Edwards) have just arrived at Adams College, prepared to begin a new life, one where they aren’t called nerds and picked on. But as they soon discover, some things never change and a band of boys from Alpha Beta’s fraternity take aim on them. After the Alpha’s burn their own house down in a drunken spell, the freshmen are thrown (literally) out of their dorms to make room for the jocks. So now Lewis, Gilbert, and a host of other rejects are living in the gym, since no frats would take them in. But when they remodel a house into their own and decide to stand up for themselves, it looks as if they might be able to make things work. Even then however, they’re unable to keep the Alphas from tormenting them, since the jocks run the Greek Council. When the underdogs manage to form a fraternity of their own and make a run at control of the council, a showdown between the jocks and nerds will decide who winds up on top.
The Tri-Lams are back and better than ever, as Fox has revisited this campus classic and given it an overhaul, complete with all new supplements. This is the original Revenge of the Nerds, the one that launched a sequel and two television movies, not to mention a failed television series. I think this first film is a classic raunchy comedy, right up there with Animal House and Porky’s. Of course, it supplies a lot of bad language, sexual situations, nudity, and drug use, so those easily offended viewers won’t like this one. I know it seems like the film is predictable and all, but the characters are terrific and it offers loads of laughs, so no harm done in that field. The post panty raid scene is a true classic, as are the events that take place at the Greek Games. With quotable dialogue, memorable characters, and some outlandish situations, Revenge of the Nerds never fails to entertain. Should fans upgrade to this new edition? If you’re a fan of bonus materials, then the answer is yes, as this new Panty Raid Edition boasts a handful of new goodies, so fans will want to pick up this new version.
Video: How does it look?
Revenge of the Nerds is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is the same transfer as before and while it is dated, it still looks passable. As I said, this one shows some signs of age, but still looks cleaner and sharper than ever before. The colors look good and never too faded, while flesh tones seem natural as well. No issues with black levels either, as detail is strong and contrast is well balanced. But the image does come off as dated at times, although not an extreme degree, so all is well enough in the end and the movie looks solid.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio is presented in a serviceable stereo soundtrack, which is more than adequate for this material. This isn’t really a dynamic track, thanks to the original stereo mix, but the track seems solid and never leave the viewer wanting for more. The main presence here comes from the musical soundtrack, which is well presented and makes good use of the speakers. Not much to discuss in terms of sound effects, but what is here sound good, if limited at times. The dialogue takes the spotlight in both tracks and sounds clean, no errors I could find with volume or crispness. This disc also includes French and Spanish language tracks, as well as English and Spanish subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Jeff Kanew provides his director’s commentary here, joined by stars Robert Carradine, Timothy Busfield, and Curtis Armstrong and the quarter offer a talkative session. As you’d expect, this is mostly a collection of memories from the shoot, as opposed to technical insight, but that is just what we want here. You’ll hear how the project began, how it was cast, and of course, numerous behind the scenes anecdotes. Sure to delight fans is the inclusion of the television pilot for Revenge of the Nerds, which isn’t great, but makes a welcome addition. This disc also includes a featurette loaded with cast and crew interviews, some deleted scenes, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
