Revenge of the Nerds was by far the most significant cinematic experience of my adolescent years, featuring as it did not only a rousing manifesto on behalf of all social outcasts, but also full frontal female nudity. But unlike Porky’s, which captures the adolescent male mentality a little too accurately for comfort, or Animal House, which looks like it was directed by a blind person, Nerds stands the test of time with its genuinely likeable characters and old-school Hollywood filmmaking style. To be sure, the sexual and racial politics of the movie are at times cringingly retrograde, but its heart is fundamentally in the right place.

The new “Panty Raid Edition” of Nerds is surprisingly its first legit DVD appearance (leaving aside a cheapo edition of the film and its sequel with no goodies). It features a great making-of with director Jeff Kanew and much of the cast, including Robert Carradine (Louis), Timothy Busfield (Poindexter) and Curtis Armstrong (Booger)—sadly, no Anthony Edwards. All discuss how they were reluctantly dragged into the project, against their best instincts but needing the cash, then ended up having a great time and unexpectedly creating a cult classic. The Nerds sitcom pilot isn’t really worth anyone’s time, but the documentary and commentary will only elevate a fan’s appreciation of this iconic, unjustly maligned, undeniably juvenile yet surprisingly touching ’80s gem

by MALCOLM FRASER