Real Genius: The Last Happy Ending

In late summer of 1985, REAL GENIUS, WEIRD SCIENCE and MY SCIENCE PROJECT all were released within a week of each other.  With similar titles, and overlapping subject matter, it would have been easy to mix up all three movies.  Yet, REAL GENIUS continues to stand out as a work of remarkable heart and wit.  Director MARTHA COOLIDGE hit her stride with this film which provides a level of nuance and respect for its characters without sacrificing any of the momentum of the whirlwind one liners and gags.

In this class we’ll explore the pop cultural landscape surrounding the release of this film and discuss how, amongst increasingly pervasive pro-war sentiments, REAL GENIUS manages to stand in effortless defiance, which results in a fun-loving and genuinely optimistic film.  We’ll celebrate the 40th anniversary of the film and the work of late/great star, Val Kilmer.

This class will be taught by writer/actor/critic and former host of the Adjust Your Tracking podcast Joe von Appen.

Enrollment is limited to 18 students.

Questions? Email us at education@moviemadness.org