Clap Your Hands Everybody
So many movies of the 80s had the same great theme: the underdog faces adversity and trials, but ultimately comes out the winner in the end. Think of Lucas, Can’t Buy Me Love, The Karate Kid, and Sixteen Candles. And, many 80s movies also offered another related theme—“nerds” who were bullied by popular kids at school. I mean, just think of Lucas, Can’t Buy Me Love, The Karate Kid or Sixteen Candles. When you think about 80s movies featuring lovable nerds that triumph in the end, though, this movie is the penultimate example, am I right?
Revenge of the Nerds is a 1984 comedy starring Anthony Edwards as Gilbert and Robert Carradine as Lewis, who go off to Adams University for their freshman year of college and discover that unfortunately, campus life isn’t so easy for two nice, brainy guys.
Gilbert and Lewis are tormented by other students, mainly the jocks of the fraternity Alpha Beta –they’re kicked out of their dorm room when Alpha Beta burns down their own frat house and take over their digs.
The two team up with other nerds including Poindexter, Toshiro, Lamar and everyone’s favorite – Booger – they renovate a house (also in typical 80s movie fashion) and move in together. The jocks from Alpha Beta won’t let up though and break a window of their house with a rock, a note attached saying “NERDS GET OUT.”
When Gilbert, Lewis and the others go before the Greek Council to get this matter resolved, they’re told they need to join a fraternity.
So . . .
After 20 rejections they are finally accepted on a trial basis by Lambda Lambda Lambda and the head of the Tri-Lams, U.N. Jefferson agrees to attend a house party at the nerd’s frat house.
At the party, a visit from the Omega Mu sorority sisters, Booger’s never ending supply of marijuana and Michael Jackson’s Thriller on the stereo make for a smash hit until the end of the night when they are once again tormented by the guys of Alpha Beta.
Revenge of the Nerds Tri-Lam Costume How-To
If you think you’re cool enough to be a Lewis or a Gilbert, or any of the other Tri-Lams this Halloween, here’s the official Lambda Lambda Lambda sweater for you:
Buy the Tri-Lam cardigan sweater from 80sTees.com
This would make for an easy/fun costume – pair it with a button up shirt and a tie (a bow tie would be perfection) and any pair of jeans or khaki pants will do.
Accessories can include glasses (naturally) and a pocket protector.
Photo Credit: Instructables
As mentioned above, the underdog rises from the ashes at the end of the film — Lewis wins the cute/popular girl, and the Tri-Lams win the Greek games at the end of the movie, wowing everyone with a techno musical number led by Poindexter on a mean violin solo, Booger dressed in Elvis on guitar and my favorite nerd, Lamar Latrell rapping and breakdancing his little heart out.
So clap your hands everybody . . . and everybody clap your hands!
Grab your favorite girl from the Omega Mu’s and put some Thriller on the turntable. Be prepared to win the big belching contest – it’s party time – Tri-Lam style.
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