Killer Nerd

Last updated
Killer Nerd
Killer Nerd.jpg
Directed byMark Steven Bosko
Wayne Alan Harold
Written byMark Steven Bosko
Wayne Alan Harold
Produced byLurid Entertainment
Starring Toby Radloff
Production
company
Riot
Distributed by Troma Entertainment
Release date
  • 1991 (1991)
Running time
90 min
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$12,000

Killer Nerd is a 1991 comedy horror film. It was directed by Mark Steven Bosko and Wayne Alan Harold and stars Toby Radloff in his first film.

Contents

The film's protagonist is a lonely nerd who has an unrequited love for a female co-worker. Within a few days, he is rejected by his love interest, he gets bullied by both a male co-worker and two acquaintances who work as drug dealers, he is fooled by two new female acquaintances, and he is re-acquainted with his abusive mother. The nerd eventually snaps and goes on a killing spree, targeting all his enemies.

Plot

The film opens with a dream sequence of Harold Kunkle (Toby Radloff) in which a Dream Girl (Mimsel Dendak) dances around. Harold wakes up and it is shown that he is a lonely, socially awkward nerd. He goes to work and on the way there is harassed by TJ (Niko DePofi) and Leelee (Tony Zanoni), two punk drug dealers.

Harold has a crush on Sally (Heidi Lohr), a co-worker of his, and when he asks her out on a date, she makes up an excuse not to go. Harold is also harassed by another co-worker, Jeff (Richard Zaynor), who is shown to be a love interest of Sally. Harold visits his overbearing mother, Helen, toward whom he clearly harbors resentment.

Harold sees an ad on TV for a tape collection on how to be cool and orders it. When it arrives, he follows the steps and then goes to a salon for a makeover. He gets a new hairdo and then buys flowers to win over Sally, but when he arrives at her house, he sees her in bed with Jeff. He gives up on Sally and goes to a nightclub where he meets Jenny (Lori Scarlett) and Lilac (Elizabeth Quinn), two punks who dance with him. They behave kindly towards him and take him with them to buy marijuana from their friends. They go to an abandoned factory, and it is revealed that the friends are TJ and Leelee, the punks who bullied Harold before. The two tell him they are taking him with them to go on a beer run, but then beat him up.

Sad and angry, Harold goes home and snaps. He then creates a plan and sets out to get revenge on his bullies. First, he goes back to Sally's house, where he pretends to be a cat to lure Jeff outside. When Jeff gets outside, Harold cuts his head off. He goes inside to Sally and throws Jeff's severed head on her bed before throwing acid in her face. Next, he goes to his mother's house. There he ties her up and it is revealed that she let Harold's stepfather beat him. He makes her drink bleach and chops her head with a cleaver.

Finally, Harold returns to the factory to kill the punks and begins to pick them off one by one. He stabs Lilac to death, then knocks Jenny out and slices her stomach open. He knocks both TJ and Leelee unconscious. TJ and Leelee wake up tied up in an abandoned infirmary with dynamite strapped to their heads. Harold comes out and makes TJ say he is a "sissy boy" just as he and Leelee had done to him before. Then, he blows up TJ and Leelee's heads. Having gotten his revenge, Harold leaves. The film ends with a shot of the dream girl from the beginning lying dead on the floor.

Production

The film was produced with $12,000 and was frequently rented in major film rental stores. Troma Entertainment bought the rights to the film. [1] It was filmed in Ravenna, Ohio, with a prosumer grade camcorder. [2] [3]

Sequel

A sequel titled Bride of Killer Nerd was released in 1992. [4]

Reception

A TV Guide review said, "The story is so empty that it doesn't really end; it just runs out of people to kill". [5] Bill Gibron, writing for DVD Verdict, said that the film "is a certifiable classic, a perfectly executed premise of such outrageous originality that it's amazing no one had thought of doing it before". [4] Ian Jane, of DVD Talk, said that this film and its sequel are "typical bad horror-comedy hybrids" which are "quite dull", but went on to say that "while the movies are pretty much bottom of the barrel entertainment, they do have their own special kind of retarded charm". [6] A review of Bride of Killer Nerd in VideoHound's Cult Flicks & Trash Pics said that, along with Killer Nerd, the film "deserves your neglect". [7]

Home media

The movie was released on VHS in the early 90's and was very popular in video rental stores.

The film was released on DVD in 2004, in a double feature with its sequel on one disc. The special features are two commentaries, an interview, four trailers, promo videos, and a music video. [4] [6]

A Blu-Ray recently got released.

Related Research Articles

A nerd is a person seen as overly intellectual, obsessive, introverted, or lacking social skills. Such a person may spend inordinate amounts of time on unpopular, little known, or non-mainstream activities, which are generally either highly technical, abstract, or relating to niche topics such as science fiction or fantasy, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities. Additionally, many so-called nerds are described as being shy, quirky, pedantic, and unattractive.

<i>All Dogs Go to Heaven</i> 1989 animated film directed by Don Bluth

All Dogs Go to Heaven is a 1989 animated musical fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Don Bluth and co-directed by Gary Goldman and Dan Kuenster. Set in New Orleans in 1939, it tells the story of Charlie B. Barkin, a German Shepherd that is murdered by his former friend, Carface Carruthers. Charlie escapes from Heaven to return to Earth where his best friend, Itchy Itchiford, still lives, in order to take revenge on Carface. Instead, he ends up befriending a young orphan girl named Anne-Marie. In the process, Charlie learns an important lesson about kindness, friendship and love.

<i>Childs Play 2</i> 1990 film by John Lafia

Child's Play 2 is a 1990 American supernatural slasher film and the direct sequel to Child's Play, written by Don Mancini and directed by John Lafia, one of the co-writers of the first film. It is the second installment in the Child's Play franchise and set two years after the first film; the plot follows Charles Lee Ray continuing his pursuit for Andy Barclay, who was placed in foster care, and transferring his soul into him after being resurrected. Alex Vincent and Brad Dourif reprised their roles while Christine Elise, Jenny Agutter, Gerrit Graham and Grace Zabriskie joined the cast.

<i>Pumpkinhead</i> (film) 1988 film by Stan Winston

Pumpkinhead is a 1988 American supernatural horror film. It was the directorial debut of special effects artist Stan Winston. The film has built up a cult following since its release. The first in the Pumpkinhead franchise, it was followed by a direct-to-video sequel, two TV film sequels, and a comic book series. The film was originally called Vengeance: The Demon and it was inspired by a poem written by poet Ed Justin. The film inspired a video game called Bloodwings: Pumpkinhead's Revenge.

<i>Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle</i> 2004 film by Danny Leiner

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle is a 2004 American buddy stoner comedy film directed by Danny Leiner, written by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, and starring John Cho, Kal Penn, and Neil Patrick Harris. The first installment in the Harold & Kumar franchise, the film follows Harold Lee (Cho) and Kumar Patel (Penn) on their adventure to a White Castle restaurant after smoking marijuana.

<i>Revenge of the Nerds III: The Next Generation</i> 1992 film by Roland Mesa

Revenge of the Nerds III: The Next Generation is a 1992 American made-for-television comedy film and a sequel to the 1984 hit comedy film Revenge of the Nerds, produced by Robert Engelman, directed by Roland Mesa, that stars Robert Carradine, Curtis Armstrong, Ted McGinley, Julia Montgomery, and Morton Downey Jr. It is the third installment in the Revenge of the Nerds series. The subtitle is a reference to the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation, which was then at the height of its popularity.

<i>Maniac Cop</i> 1988 American slasher film

Maniac Cop is a 1988 American action slasher film directed by William Lustig, written by Larry Cohen, and starring Tom Atkins, Bruce Campbell, Laurene Landon, Richard Roundtree, William Smith, Robert Z'Dar, and Sheree North. Z'Dar plays the title character, a murderous ex-police officer returned from the dead, and seeks revenge on the people who wronged him. It is the first installment in the Maniac Cop film series. Maniac Cop was released on May 13, 1988 and grossed $671,382 worldwide on a budget of $1.1 million. The film was followed by two sequels, Maniac Cop 2 (1990) and Maniac Cop III: Badge of Silence (1993).

<i>The Benchwarmers</i> 2006 American film

The Benchwarmers is a 2006 American sports-comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, written by Allen Covert and Nick Swardson, produced by Adam Sandler and Jack Giarraputo. Starring Rob Schneider, David Spade, Jon Heder, Jon Lovitz, Craig Kilborn, Molly Sims, and Tim Meadows with supporting roles by Nick Swardson, Erinn Bartlett, Amaury Nolasco, Bill Romanowski, Sean Salisbury, Matt Weinberg, John Farley, Reggie Jackson, and Joe Gnoffo, it tells the story of three nerds and a billionaire forming the titular baseball team to take on the little league baseball teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toby Radloff</span> American actor

Toby Radloff is a former file clerk and actor who became a minor celebrity owing to his appearances in Cleveland writer Harvey Pekar's autobiographical comic book series American Splendor. Radloff has a distinctive manner of speech and quirky mannerisms. He is a self-proclaimed "Genuine Nerd".

"The Last Temptation of Homer" is the ninth episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 9, 1993. In the episode, an attractive female employee named Mindy is hired at the nuclear power plant. Homer and Mindy find themselves attracted to each other after bonding over their shared interests of beer, donuts and television. Although Homer is tempted to sleep with Mindy, he remains faithful to his wife Marge. Meanwhile, Bart becomes an outcast after medical treatments make him look like a nerd.

<i>Jack Frost</i> (1997 film) American film by Michael Cooney

Jack Frost is a 1997 American direct-to-video black comedy slasher film written and directed by Michael Cooney. It stars Scott MacDonald and Christopher Allport.

<i>Slumber Party Massacre II</i> 1987 film

Slumber Party Massacre II is a 1987 American black comedy slasher film written and directed by Deborah Brock, and produced by Roger Corman. It is the second installment in the original Slumber Party Massacre trilogy, and stars Crystal Bernard. The film follows Courtney, a character introduced in the previous film, as she and her friends are attacked by a supernatural killer with a power-drill guitar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slappy the Dummy</span> Villain in the Goosebumps book series

Slappy the Dummy is a fictional character and a major antagonist in the Goosebumps children's series by R. L. Stine. He is the main antagonist of the Night of the Living Dummy saga and one of the series' most popular villains, as well as its mascot. He is also the main antagonist of the franchise's film adaptation and its sequel, described by their interpretation of Stine as having a "serious Napoleonic complex" in the former. He comes alive when the words, "Karru Marri Odonna Loma Molonu Karrano," which roughly translates to "You and I are one now" and can be found on a sheet of paper in the coat pocket of Slappy's jacket, are read aloud. After being brought to life, Slappy will try to make the person who did so serve him as a slave, to the point of framing them for his evil deeds.

Wayne Alan Harold is an American independent editor, publisher and filmmaker who lives in Kent, Ohio. During his career he has formed lasting creative relationships with both Toby Radloff and P. Craig Russell.

<i>The Hamiltons</i> 2006 American film

The Hamiltons is an independent 2006 horror film directed by the Butcher Brothers. Cory Knauf stars as a teenager who must decide whether to help the victims that his older siblings have kidnapped.

<i>Drive-Thru</i> (film) 2007 American film by Brendan Cowles and Shane Kuhn

Drive-Thru is a 2007 American dark comedy slasher film directed and written by Brendan Cowles and Shane Kuhn, starring Leighton Meester and Nicholas D'Agosto. It is set in Orange County, California and involves an evil clown as a serial killer. The film was released direct-to-video on May 29, 2007.

<i>Snuff 102</i> 2007 horror film by Mariano Peralta

Snuff 102 is a 2007 horror film written and directed by Mariano Peralta.

Harold & Kumar is the name of a series of American films created by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg. Beginning with Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004), and followed by Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008) and A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (2011), the films star John Cho, Kal Penn, and Neil Patrick Harris.

"Wide Open" is the ninth episode of the first season of the American crime-thriller television series Millennium. It premiered on Fox on January 3, 1997. The episode was written by Charles D. Holland and directed by Jim Charleston. "Wide Open" featured guest appearances by Glynn Turman and Roger Cross.

<i>Criminally Insane 2</i> 1987 film by Nick Millard

Criminally Insane 2 is a 1987 horror film written and directed by Nick Millard. It is the sequel to the 1975 film Criminally Insane.

References

  1. ↑ Steven Bosko, Mark (2003). The Complete Independent Movie Marketing Handbook . Michael Wiese Productions. p.  363. ISBN   9781615930487 . Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  2. ↑ Weldon, Michael (1996). The Psychotronic Video Guide To Film. Macmillan. p. 313. ISBN   9780312131494 . Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Films For a Fraction, Part II How to Post and Distribute a "Micro-Budget," Shot-On-Video Feature Film". Creative Planet Network. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 Gibron, Bill (June 8, 2004). "Killer Nerd / Bride Of Killer Nerd". DVD Verdict. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Killer Nerd: Review". TV Guide. Retrieved August 13, 2013.[ permanent dead link ]
  6. 1 2 Jane, Ian (June 4, 2004). "Killer Nerd/Bride of Killer Nerd". DVD Talk. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
  7. ↑ Schwartz, Carol; Olenski, Jim (2002). VideoHound's Cult Flicks & Trash Pics. Visible Ink Press. p. 279. ISBN   1-57859-113-9.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.