Chris is the top brain who just wants to party, Mitch is the 15-year-old college wiz kid. Supposedly hard at work on a lab project with a mysterious deadline, they still find time to use their genius to discover new ways to have fun.

Credits: TheMovieDb.

Film Cast:

• Chris Knight: Val Kilmer
• Mitch Taylor: Gabriel Jarret
• Jordan: Michelle Meyrink
• Professor Hathaway: William Atherton
• Kent: Robert Prescott
• Major Carnagle: Louis Giambalvo
• Lazlo Hollyfeld: Jon Gries
• CIA Man Decker: Ed Lauter
• Shuttle Pilot: Stacy Peralta
• Laser Ray Victim: Daniel Ades
• Bartender: Andres Aybar
• Air Force General: Charles Shull
• George: Beau Billingslea
• Larry: Charles Parks
• Boy at Science Fair: Sean Frye
• Girl at Science Fair: JoAnn Willette
• Old Lady: Ina Gould
• Student at Science Fair: Nadine Vix
• Mr. Taylor: Paul Tulley
• Mrs. Taylor: Joanne Baron
• Darlington Recruiter: Harry Johnson
• Sherry Nugil: Patti D’Arbanville
• Dr. Dodd: Monte Landis
• Mrs. Meredith: Sandy Martin
• Dr. Meredith: Severn Darden
• Cornell: Randy Lowell
• Carter: John Shepherd Reid
• Bodie: Tommy Swerdlow
• ‘Ick’ Ikagami: Mark Kamiyama
• Math Professor: Martin Gundersen
• Carpet Man: Brett Miller
• Milton: Dean Devlin
• Fenton: Yuji Okumoto
• Chris’ Girl at Party: Lynda Wiesmeier
• Ick’s Girl at Party: Penny Baker
• Cornell’s Girl at Party: Marcia Karr
• Girl at Party: Isabelle Walker
• Girl at Party: Marii Mak
• Girl at Party: Cheri Wells
• Girl at Party: Catherine MacNamara
• Student: Johnny Vasily
• TV Makeup Man: Ed Garrabrandt
• TV Stage Manager: Isabel Cooley
• Waitress: Robin Stober
• Susan: Deborah Foreman
• Student in Hall: David Marvit
• Air Force Gate Guard: Michael Crabtree
• Air Force Gate Guard: Charles Sweigart
• Air Force Gate Guard: Peter Parros
• Computer Technician: Ronald Taylor
• Air Force Major: James Carrington
• Air Force Controller: Michael Backes
• Air Force Sergeant: Corki Grazer
• Laser Technician: Jeanne Mori
• Engineer: David Ursin
• Congressman: Joe Dorsey
• Laser Specialist: Will Knox
• Air Force Technician: Kevin Hurley
• Girl in Popcorn (uncredited): Kimberly Spak

Film Crew:

• Director: Martha Coolidge
• Set Decoration: Phil Abramson
• Camera Operator: John J. Connor
• Producer: Brian Grazer
• Casting: Jane Jenkins
• Production Design: Josan F. Russo
• Hairstylist: Edie Panda
• Visual Effects Supervisor: Richard L. Bennett
• Casting: Janet Hirshenson
• Screenplay: Neal Israel
• Screenplay: Pat Proft
• Editor: Richard Chew
• Makeup Artist: Zoltan Elek
• Original Music Composer: Thomas Newman
• Art Direction: Jack G. Taylor Jr.
• Special Effects Coordinator: Phil Cory
• Executive Producer: Robert Daley
• Director of Photography: Vilmos Zsigmond
• Screenplay: PJ Torokvei
• Associate Producer: Sam Crespi-Horowitz
• Music Supervisor: Becky Mancuso-Winding
• Music Supervisor: Michael Papale
• Supervising Sound Editor: Julia Evershade
• Sound Designer: George Budd
• Music Editor: Ted Whitfield
• Costume Supervisor: Marla Denise Schlom
• Costumer: Joseph Roveto
• Costumer: Michael F. Hamer
• Visual Effects Supervisor: David Stipes
• Stunts: Kenny Alexander
• Stunts: Shane Dixon
• Stunts: Kenny Ferrugiaro
• Stunts: Linda Lee Franklin
• Stunts: Allan Graf
• Stunts: Marian Green
• Stunts: Debby Porter
• Stunts: Bernie Pock
• Stunts: Spiro Razatos
• Stunts: Edward J. Ulrich
• Stunts: David M. Graves
• Unit Production Manager: Billy Ray Smith
• First Assistant Director: Stephen McEveety
• Second Assistant Director: Joseph P. Moore
• Set Designer: Erin M. Cummings
• Set Designer: Steven Wolff
• Other: Alex Tavoularis
• First Assistant Camera: Ken Nishino
• Second Assistant Camera: Robert Samuels
• Second Unit Director of Photography: Frederick Elmes
• Key Grip: Richard W. Deats
• Grip: Jerry D. Deats
• Best Boy Electric: Robert Jason
• Additional Editing: Arthur Coburn
• First Assistant Editor: Albert Coleman
• Other: Alexandra Leviloff
• Other: Deborah Cichocki
• Other: Bill Wilner
• Sound Editor: Anna Boorstin
• Sound Editor: Virginia Cook-McGowan
• Sound Editor: Cari Lewis
• Sound Editor: Marshall Winn
• Sound Editor: Roxanne Jones McCarthy
• Supervising ADR Editor: Beth Bergeron
• ADR Editor: Lauren Palmer
• Assistant Sound Editor: Paul C. Warschilka
• Assistant Sound Editor: Christy Richmond
• Sound Effects: John P. Fasal
• Sound Effects: Doug Hemphill
• Other: Carlton Kaller
• Foley Artist: John Roesch
• Foley Artist: Ellen Heuer
• Foley Artist: Gary A. Hecker
• Sound Re-Recording Mixer: John T. Reitz
• ADR Voice Casting: Barbara Harris
• Sound Re-Recording Mixer: David E. Campbell
• Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Gregg Rudloff
• Sound Mixer: C. Darin Knight
• Music Coordinator: Elliot Lurie
• Music Consultant: John Vigran
• Boom Operator: Donald L. Bolger
• Cableman: Charles J. Bond
• Property Master: Terry E. Lewis
• Assistant Property Master: Sandra Renfroe
• Assistant Property Master: David L. Glazer
• Leadman: James Husbands
• Set Dresser: Mark S. Taylor
• Script Supervisor: Joanie Blum
• Second Second Assistant Director: Mike Schilz
• Still Photographer: Marcia Reed
• Producer’s Assistant: Jan Walker

Movie Reviews:

• Wuchak: The Big Bang guys when they were in college (not really, but sort of)
• RELEASED IN 1985 and directed by Martha Coolidge, “Real Genius” is a college dramedy about a 15 year-old genius in laser technology (Gabe Jarret) who’s recruited by physics Professor Jerry Hathaway (William Atherton), who has ulterior motives for having the kid work in his personal lab. The newbie’s roommate turns out to be the most brilliant freshman in history, who’s now a senior and seemingly clouded by college-age mischief (Val Kilmer). Michelle Meyrink plays a kinetic student interested in Mitch (Jarret) while Jonathan Gries appears as a curious wraith-like individual. Robert Prescott is on hand as a brown-nosing foil.
• To give you an idea of the filmmaking style, the director also made 1983’s “Valley Girl.” “Real Genius” is generally on par with that more popular movie, but different due to the setting being college rather than high school, not to mention that it involves genius types. I found the witty nonchalance of Kilmer’s character to be trying after a while and there’s a pervading sense of un-reality about the proceedings with the peripheral characters unconvincingly over-the-top, like during the pool party or at the restaurant/bar. The ice playground at the frat house is another good example. Why sure!
• Still, there’s enough good here if you like 80’s youth dramedies. I like the way the characters are unique rather than tried-and-true stereotypes of the genre, like jock types, hot bimbos or John Belushi’s character in “Animal House” (1978).
• THE MOVIE RUNS 1 hour 48 minutes and was shot in S. Cal. (Claremont, San Diego, Los Angeles and Canyon Country). WRITERS: Neal Israel, Pat Proft and Pj Torokvei.
• GRADE: B-/C+
• Filipe Manuel Neto: **After all, it is possible to make a film for teenagers without barracks humor or sexual obsessions.**
• During the 80s, there was an explosion of films aimed at young audiences, and this is, perhaps, one of the most interesting, although it is as forgettable as almost all of them. Of course, it fits into the young thinking of the time: rebellion, revolt against institutions and parents, incapable of understanding their children, but it combines humor, youthful boldness and a certain education that does not give space to slang or obscene situations. After all, it is possible to make a funny youth film without barracks or sorority jokes, and without a permanent obsession about sex.
• The story is set in a university (or pre-university) institute, where young people with great mental capacity and ingenuity are recruited for advanced scientific projects. It turns out that one of them is, actually, a secret super weapon that the US Army plans to have, something that not even these teens know about. In the midst of that, the usual conflicts and friendly interactions between them, the rebellion of one of them towards the institution itself and its rules, clandestine parties and other jokes and mischiefs.
• The script is quite creative and the technical conception of the film deserves praise, thanks to the good sets, special effects, editing and cinematography. However, what supports the film is the unpretentious and witty work of Val Kilmer, who shows us that he was really talented when he didn’t have movie star tics or try to be the heartthrob, as in later films. Gabriel Jarret, who I’ve never heard of, does a good job in the lead role. It’s a shame it didn’t evolve. William Atherton also manages himself well, in a character that had to be unpleasant.