Cinematic Throwback Thursday – Real Genius
Posted June 12th, 2008 ·Professor Hathaway: What are you looking at? You’re laborers; you should be laboring. That’s what you get for not having an education.
Professor Hathaway personified the typical, asshole professor most were presented in college. A man confronted with a need of tenure and a hopeless need for academic indulgence, plus the wanton of a high-powered laser, but that is beside the point. Whereas Hathaway served as the prototype for the stressed professor, Real Genius portrays the ultimate formulaic eighties plight, performed beautifully.
Our story begins with a young 15 year old Mitch Taylor, a bright pupil thrust into the premature college life of chaotic Pacific Tech, a haven for academic hopefuls and engineering marvels. There, working on Hathaway’s laser project with Chris Knight, his physics idol and roommate, it appears Chris has become a burnout. However, thorugh trials and tribulations, they become fast friends. Whilst this process is underway, they also discover the Professor’s plans to sell the laser technology to the military with the goal to vaporize a human target from space.
Whether Real Genius or Ski Patrol, the formula is achieved:
• New comer
• Seasoned Veteran
• Unassuming Bullies
• Common Enemy
All that is needed is:
• Location – Pacific Tech
• Common Enemy – The government, Dr. Hathaway
• A few good T&A and dick jokes
Add it all up and Real Genius is the perfect eighties film, meeting the requirements, but getting incredibly lucky with it’s casting department.
Reasons To Watch:
- This puppy was written by Neal Israel…ring a bell, HE WROTE EVERY POLICE ACADEMY EVER FILMED.
- To possibly counter the first reason, it was co-written by Pat Proft , who co-wrote the Naked Gun films.
- The soundtrack is pretty sweet, rounded out by the closing theme of Everybody Wants To Rule The World by Tears For Fears,
- Gabriel Jarret, Mitch, is the first person Daniel beats the shit out of in Karate Kid Part 3 undergoing the “Terry Silver” method…the one with the boards and the doll, etc.
