Back when I was probably 16, so '86, I came across Robert Woodhead, probably on Usenet, probably with some mention that he worked on the movie. So I sent him an e-mail and told him how much I loved the movie. He wrote back and told me a little about the computer graphics that he did for the movie. So every time I see some of the graphics scenes, I think of him.

A few days ago I was watching a Youtube video "10 things you didn't know about Real Genius", and it showed those computer graphics.

And I thought "I wonder what he's up to." Turns out he's done some kind of interesting things, has a github, etc. So, I fired off another e-mail to him ("I'm sure you don't remember, but back in '86 you graciously replied to an e-mail I sent you and I've often thought of that kindness.") He happens to live where I visit typically a couple times a year, so we've set up going out to coffee.

2 e-mails, 40 years apart, and then this. Coincidences, man.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo0SWoqQ44w

Question authority, and question your own role in the power structure. It's a moral imperative.

No one bullies harder than the nerds around here. Such a hateful bunch of ignorant fools.

Of course, that doesn't apply to everyone here, for sure -- some people are absolutely lovely, like DonHopkins -- but perhaps 90%.

But that's always the problem with majorities, they follow the lead of their leader, and damn their conscience and other points of view, wielding their power like a cudgel. They tend to bully minorities of every kind, especially ideological minorities.

"There is nothing more important than compassion, and only the truth is its equal."

From the perspective of conspiratorial thinking, fringe “I’m special because I see the surprising, simple real key to everything” economic schools, and anti-enlightenment politics :-(

"Why do you wear that toy on your head?" "Because if I wear it anywhere else, it...chafes"

"What's that?" "A laser beam, bozo!" "What are we supposed to do?" "Follow it!"

"Your stutter has improved" "I've been giving myself shock treatment" "...Up the voltage"

"You're laborers, you're supposed to be laboring. That's what you get for not having an education!"

"It's a coherent beam of light" "So that means it talks?"

Of course, the non-quote where one of the kids at the study table stands up, screams repeatedly, and leaves, and with no reaction one of the kids at the periphery of the room moves to sit in his place.

And of course: "If there's ever anything I can do for you, or, more to the point, to you..." "Can you hammer a six inch spike through a board with your penis?" "Well, not right now..."

Real Genius had a significant impact on me...

"OK Mitch, I'm gonna make it up to you. Let's just pause...take a step back. No, I was wrong, I'm sorry: take a step forward. Now, take a step back...and now we're cha cha-ing!"

I still use this when pair debugging.

Also the part where they are gassing Kent in his dorm room, and another student passes them by with just a "hey" and keeps walking while they are wearing gas masks and clearly Up To No Good.

A classic "show, don't tell" example as you have all the information you need to know about the sort of place this school is from that scene.

Heh when Mitch goes to her dorm in the middle of the night and she’s using one of those giant floor sanders to refinish her dorm room floor is pretty effing funny.

Mitch: "..um, I can't start." Jordan: "Weird."

"Would you classify that as a launch problem, or a design problem?"

"They're beauticians?!" "Not yet"

"These military types are so untrusting"

I still watch this movie and encourage my son to watch it with me.

Thank you and rest in peace, Mr. Kilmer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajLjmtyx0_o&list=PL0r_mFZtkX...

Tombstone and Saint were such nice movies too. Underrated, with a distinct comedic touch. A talent gone before his time.

This remains my favorite movie and the inspiration for me to go into STEM when I saw it as a 10-year-old.

Kilmer was a rare, if difficult, talent, and I'm so sorry we lost him so early.

The article is from 2015, but Kilmer died yesterday (April 1, 2025).

I thought "Real Genius" and "Film Nerd" was referring to "Val Kilmer", like it was saying "RIP Val Kilmer, a real genius and film nerd that culture deserves" instead of "RIP Val Kilmer, who worked at Real Genius, the film that nerd culture deserves".

I must say that I never heard about this movie and I'm happy that this is a recommendation of a 80s movie

RIP Val Kilmer

My sophomore year, when getting a ride from my state champion teammate, I don't know what I said, but he just turned to me and said,

"McCall, you're a neeeerrrrrd."

It wasn't bullying, because I've never been bullied, but I was -- and am -- a nerd.

And, yeah, "Real Genius" got a lot of play on HBO back then. I especially loved the Lazlo storyline, and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is such a GREAT song.

A film that started a life long love affair of phones with keyboards (hacking scenes with one of the original Nokia 9000 phones, which I have owned the 9290 and e90). It featured some of the same smirking jokey presence that Kilmer was known for, but with more action and political intrigue.

Goodbye Doc Holliday.

I recommended them to see "Top Secret" when I was in 9th Grade. My Catholic parents!

They came home and my mother said, "We are never listening to a movie recommendation from you ever again."

I will get Deja Vu.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001534/?ref_=ttfc_cst_29

One guy gets up and starts screaming in frustration at the book and then the room and finally runs out.

Everyone looks up briefly like nothing happened and then somebody gets up and takes his seat, like "oh look, a more comfortable study chair."

Now, where can one find the review the film deserves? This is definitely not it.

Looks like I'm the first. Panned by the critics, but excellent movie about the craze of the 60s leaving a purely countercultural vision slightly aside (already thoroughly documented) but showing how it damaged one of its major stars.

Student beauticians

I found this site years (decades!) ago, and was happy to discover it's still there:

https://monkeybagel.com/culture/movies.html

The blurb there for _Real Genius_:

"The most accurate portrayal of geeks in the wild I've ever seen. The geeks in Real Genius LOOK, ACT and TALK like geeks. And Jordan gave me hope that I'd someday -- just maybe -- kiss a girl on the lips."

I remember a discussion of this film on a long-running private listserv back in the late 90s or early 00s about possible real-world antecedents for some of the characters, including and especially Jordan. A proto-web site existed for this person where she elaborated on her connection to the writers of the film, and more or less confirmed that she was "Jordan", or at least the inspo for it, but of course I can find no trace of this now.

Anyway, between TOP SECRET, REAL GENIUS, WILLOW, TOMBSTONE, HEAT, and TOP GUN, he's about as inconic as an actor can get. For a dose of maybe less blockbustery work, seek out 2002's THE SALTON SEA where Kilmer is joined by Adam Goldberg, Luis Guzman, Anthony LaPaglia, Peter Sarsgaarad, BD Wong, R. Lee Ermey (!) and in a spectacular turn Vincent D'Onofrio.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43554329

there are already a couple of posts on val kilmers death

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoT28BPzVcI

If anything I wish it had not been a comedy but rather a more serious film with the same cast. They only touched on but could have done more with the psychology of these young, awkward, hormone-fueled "geniuses" falling in among some of the most awkward and smartest other young people in the world. Those who have always been the smartest in school now finding themselves ranking maybe somewhere in the middle among their new cohorts. And of course all the heightened awkwardness of being away from your parents for the first time in co-ed living arrangements....