80’s Nerd Comedy Smackdown: Weird Science Vs. Real Genius

This week, we’re celebrating the 30th anniversary of two comedy classics.  Well, that may be overstating things.  Two really good teen movies.  Um, two pretty decent cult movies from the 80’s?  Yeah, that sounds about right.  We’re celebrating the 30th anniversaries of John Hughes’ Weird Science and Martha Coolidge’s Real Genius.  Both movies were released within the first week of August, 1985 and both had at least some nominal connection to science.

Thirty years ago, these nerd comedies battled for supremacy.  Since then,the battle to be the best-loved cult movie for people who were shy kids during the Reagan era has raged on.  Today, after more than three decades of debate, we will pick a winner once and for all.  Or at least until the 40th anniversary.

We actually pitted these two movies against each other earlier this year as part of our 1985 bracket game.  It was a tight race that came down to the wire.  Ultimately, readers picked Weird Science over Real Genius.  But did they make the right call?  Let’s dig in and find out.

Weird Science came from the mind of prolific writer-director and 80’s icon John Hughes.  The creator of Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Vacation and Ferris Bueller ranked out the script for Weird Science in just 48 hours.  Or roughly the time it takes me to find the right pictures for What the Hell Happened to Kelly LeBrock.  The story was loosely adapted from an EC comic book in which a scientist creates the perfect woman.  Since this was a John Hughes movie, the scientist was replaced by two horny teens played by Anthony Michael Hall and Ilan Mitchell-Smith.  Using their computer and ceremonial bras on their heads, they created 80’s supermodel Kelly LeBrock.  Insanity ensues.  I mean it.  The movie is just bonkers.

Real Genius feels like a documentary by comparison.  Gabriel Jarret plays a gifted teen who is enrolled in a college science program at the tender age of fifteen.  At college, he rooms with another prodigy played by Val Kilmer.  But Kilmer’s Chris Knight isn’t what young Mitch was expecting.  Chris has decided to use his genius for fun so he doesn’t crack under the pressure of working on a top secret project for a professor played by perennial bad guy, William Atherton.  Unlike Hughes who just spent a weekend churning out a teen sex comedy, Coolidge actually researched the science behind lasers and the practices of the FBI.

real genius vs weird science

Category One: The Science

Aside from the title, there’s very little science in Weird Science.  The boys dress up a Barbie doll in 80’s clothes and connect her with jumper cables to their computer.  From there, movie magic takes over.  We are shown shots of things going haywire all over Shermer, Illinois.  Back in 1985, no one knew how computers worked.  Well, relatively few people.  There’s going to be at least one reader in the comments section telling me how much she knew about computers in 1985.  But you get the point.  Since most of us didn’t know what computers could and couldn’t do, Hollywood decided computers could do anything.  For example, in Superman III, Richard Pryor used a computer to access a weather satellite and used it to create a hurricane because that’s how weather satellites work.  Using the same logic, the boys use their computer to create a super model with genie-like powers.  Or as LeBrock described her character, “Mary Poppins with boobs.”  Which completely ignores the fact that Mary Poppins had boobs.

The science in Real Genius is a lot more sound because almost anything else would be more sound than the magic computer in Weird Science.  In the movie’s finale (spoiler warnings for a relatively obscure, 30-year-old cult comedy) Kilmer and company use a high tech laser to fill their professor’s house with popcorn.  In an episode of Mythbusters, they actually proved that you can pop popcorn with a laser although probably not enough to fill an entire house.  I don’t believe the Mythbusters guys have tackled using computers and Barbie dolls to create Kelly LeBrock yet.

Winner: Real Genius

Category Two: The Bad Guys

In Weird Science, the boys have to deal with multiple bullies.  First there’s a pair of high school jerks played by Robert Downey Jr and Robert Rusler.  They are the kind of kids who think it’s funny to pour an Icee on you head from the second floor of the mall.  The big threat is Mitchell-Smith’s gun-toting brother, Chet, played by scenery-chewing Bill Paxton.  Chet wakes his brother’s friend with a shotgun.

There’s also two levels of antagonism in Real Genius.  Robert Prescott played Kent, the TA who kisses ass and sabotages his rivals.  Kent believes that there is a hierarchy on campus that goes “God, then Jerry (the professor) then Kent.”  In between Kent and God is Jerry played by Atherton.  I mean, he’s William Atherton!  From Die Hard and Ghostbusters.  If you wanted to cast a dickhead in the 80’s, you called William Atherton.  He doesn’t disappoint here playing an arrogant professor who is secretly building a weapon for the government and diverting some of the budget to remodel his house.

Winner: Real Genius

Category Three: Babes

You can’t make a teen sex comedy, geeky or otherwise, without at least a few babes.  Weird Science had an embarrassment of riches.  Kelly LeBrock was the “Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful” girl for crying out loud!  What William Atherton is to 80’s dicks, LeBrock is to 80’s babes.  But Weird Science doesn’t stop there.  Each of the teens also gets their own age-appropriate babe because it’s not like the movie can end with them sharing an adult woman.  The teen crushes were played by Suzanne Snyder and Judie Aronson.

Shout out to regular reader and Judie Aronson fan, Rock the Casbah!
Shout out to regular reader and Judie Aronson fan, Rock the Casbah!

Real Genius has a hyperactive student played by Michelle Meyrink who adorably knits sweaters in her spare time and walks into bathrooms without knocking.  There’s also Valley Girl star Deborah Foreman playing a genius groupie, but she’s barely in the movie.  Val Kilmer does invite a bunch of babes from the nearby beauty school over for a party.  But they are basically background babes.  Arguably, the biggest babe in Real Genius is this guy:

Val Kilmer - Real Genius - 1985
Val Kilmer – Real Genius – 1985

Winner: Weird Science

Category 4: Revenge

In Real Genius, the guys turn Kent’s braces into a radio transceiver to convince him that Jesus is speaking to him.  He then becomes their unwitting dupe in the aforementioned “fill a house with popcorn” scheme.  It should be noted that William Atherton’s character has spent the entire movie taking care of his beloved house and stressing that he really doesn’t like popcorn.  So filling his house with popcorn is pretty high up there on the revenge scale.

You know what tops it though?  Having your magical supermodel use her genie powers to turn your bully older brother into a talking shit monster.

Winner: Weird Science

Category 5: Overall

Thirty years ago, neither of these movies were runaway hits.  Critics preferred Real Genius over Weird Science, but not by a wide margin.  And neither movie was a hit at the box office.  Weird Science was the 38th biggest movie of the year which was actually a disappointment for Hughes.  The Breakfast Club which also came out in 1985 placed 16th for the year.  But Real Genius placed all the way down at the 66th spot.  When it opened, Real Genius debuted in seventh place just behind Weird Science which was already sliding out of the top ten spot.

Both movies could have easily been forgotten.  But thirty years later they are remembered by those who found them on cable and home video.  Fans of Weird Science and Real Genius have watched them over and over again and can quote them verbatim.  But after thirty years, which one comes out on top?

At the end of the day, I have to give the nod to the comedy that makes me laugh more.  For me, it’s Real Genius.  Real Genius is just a smarter comedy than Weird Science.  Weird Science is fun and all, but it’s mostly just weird.  Real Genius, on the other hand, is actually a pretty insightful look at what college life is like.  Or what it would be like if you were the kind of student who made lasers for the government.

Winner: Real Genius

It’s time for a revote.  Which movie will come out on top on this 30th anniversary smackdown?

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RB
RB
8 years ago

Have to confess to not having seen either movie, but also will contend that neither film would have been made were it not for “War Games” two years prior. If my recollection is accurate, WG wasn’t actually expected to be as much of a hit as it was. Coinciding nicely with the advent of PC availability, young WTHH subject Matthew Broderick costarred with former Brat Packer Ally Sheedy, with Dabney Coleman and English actor John Wood in key roles. MB played a young hacker/programmer (at the time, computer hacking was seen more of a creative achievement, today of course it’s… Read more »

RB
RB
8 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

I’m sure your assessment is more accurate, my recollections are not always so. Heck, I was even thinking that WarGames was a John Hughes project, which it most definitely was not. However, this much I’m sticking with: There was a prevailing sentiment at the time that WG was groundbreaking and following its release the idea of modems for home use started to gain traction. I got my first modem 7 or 8 years after the movie was in theatres…. never stopped thinking about the concept. Plus there was a lot of chatter to the effect that WG inspired a lot… Read more »

Carl
Carl
8 years ago

Even if Weird Science wasn’t a huge hit, it certainly is much more of an 80s mainstay than Real Genius. I never even heard of Real Genius until the last few years while everyone I knew was a fan of Weird Science back in the 80s.

admin
Admin
admin
8 years ago

I’d always vote for “Real Genius”; I definitely think it’s the more put together of the two films, though I’ve had fun with “Weird Science” (the title song is on a YouTube playlist of mine, although the comments section for the video devolved into something I didn’t like for a while there).
I like “WarGames” as well, and its concept was really ahead of its time.

Jestak
Editor
8 years ago

I first saw Real Genius sometime in the 1980s–I don’t think it was at the initial release, but after it came out on video–and have loved it ever since. Terrific casting–Kilmer, Meyrink, Atherton and Prescott were great, Gabe Jarret was very believable as the not-old-enough-to-drive teen genius college student, and don’t forget Jon Gries as Lazlo. I was in grad school when I first saw it and I could definitely relate to it. The characters were exaggerated a little for comedy, but definitely felt real. The professor who puts up an affable front but at heart doesn’t give a shit… Read more »

David
8 years ago

For me there has never been a doubt. Weird science is much more entertaining, with Vilmer perfectly cast. And you can’t beat that ending! You cover all the bases really well. Just a fun post.

jeffthewildman
8 years ago

Real Genius has definitely aged better. I re-watched it not too long ago and after noting a certain level of timelessness bought the DVD, Weird Science, while fun, is definitely of it’s time. “It should be noted that William Atherton’s character has spent the entire movie taking care of his beloved house and stressing that he really doesn’t like popcorn. So filling his house with popcorn is pretty high up there on the revenge scale. You know what tops it though? Having your magical supermodel use her genie powers to turn your bully older brother into a talking shit monster.”… Read more »

brokencandy
brokencandy
8 years ago

I prefer Real Genius because it’s the less sexist film. Weird Science is a fun movie, but c’mon, Lisa is an almost literal sex object. It’s a film that only speaks to the fantasies of boys, though Kelly LeBrock did manage to make Lisa edgy and likable and even a little threatening, kudos on that at least. I liked that Real Genius had a hot guy and a nerdy girl, that was a nice change of pace. Besides, I like Val Kilmer. That’s right, I said it. I like Val Kilmer. Come at me, bro!

daffystardust
Editor
8 years ago
Reply to  brokencandy

We pretty much all like Val in these parts. He’s a very talented actor who never fully delivered on what should have been an even more impressive career. Some of that is his own fault, with some bad decisions, some poor behavior, and some unwise weight gain. Despite all of this, we too like Val Kilmer.

admin
Admin
admin
8 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

Yeah, that article made me like the guy. He seems self-aware and has an interesting personality.

brokencandy
brokencandy
8 years ago
Reply to  daffystardust

I have a soft spot for ‘Top Secret!’, though I may be the only one.

brokencandy
brokencandy
8 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

“The Saint” had comic elements even though it was not a comedy. It was not, however, a very good film. Not terrible, just forgettable.

Jestak
Editor
8 years ago
Reply to  brokencandy

You are not the only one; I really enjoy it too.
And Kilmer’s talent for comedy was not completely abandoned; his Doc Holliday has some wickedly funny moments.

Jay
Jay
8 years ago

Thank you for your report, sir. That really helps narrow things down!! If I’m on my death bed and only have time for one, I’ll know which one will do the trick.

Rock the Casbah
Rock the Casbah
8 years ago

Wow Lebeau! A belated Thx for the shout out. Sorry I’ve been out of the comment stream lately. The pesky real world distracts me sometimes from much more pleasant endeavors such as Leblog. But I still check in sporadically (I know NOT nearly the frequency that Leblog warrants). Loving your new and revisited WTHH articles (I’ll definitely have to join the in on the fun on those sometime). But for now, I’ll weight in briefly here. I’ve never actually seen Real Genius so I’ll have to check it out. So I can’t really fairly compare the two films. Most commenting… Read more »

admin
Admin
admin
8 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

I’m with Rock the Casbah on Judie Aronson for sure; I mentioned her in my comment of the YouTube video for “Weird Science”; all went well until someone mentioned that unlike Judie Aronson, Kelly LeBrock’s looks have gone sideways, then things got ugly (it was right before, then during, your Kelly LeBrock article, so I got to mention that a recent write up on her was on this site; maybe some traffic happened). I still get a kick of one person telling me that they’re my huckleberry on that comment thread. Man, I’m glad that’s over:-)

admin
Admin
admin
8 years ago
Reply to  lebeau

I think it was a classy read. For what it’s worth, those couple guys on You Tube were just voicing their opinion that Kelly LeBrock has lost her looks since the “Weird Science” days. My thing (which I wrote a comment on) is that she was a model, and that type of career is predicated on judging one’s appearance, so more than a tradition stage or film performer, I feel it’s fair for an individual to comment in that fashion. Yep, and that all started because I commented on Judie Aronson, it wasn’t initially anything to do with Kelly LeBrock!:-)

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