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Soundtrack Saturday: “Real Genius”

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Well, hello, Popdose! My name’s Kelly and I’m the new kid on the block. A few of you might know me as the writer of the almost-defunct blog Looking at Them. I’m very excited to bring my favorite feature from my blog, Soundtrack Saturday, to Popdose. With Soundtrack Saturday, I plan to bring you rare, obscure, out-of-print, never-in-print, and just plain fun soundtracks from some of my favorite movies. I’ll be starting out with some of the soundtracks that were most popular with Looking at Them’s readers. Then I’ll be moving on to new territory. I hope you enjoy!

I’ve decided to kick things off with the soundtrack that I’ve gotten the most requests for and e-mails about: Real Genius. This 1985 film stars Val Kilmer as Chris Knight, a brilliant but not quite serious student at a Cal Tech-type university. His new roommate is 15-year-old Mitch Taylor, one of the youngest students ever accepted to the university, played by Gabe Jarret. They’re assigned to work on developing a powerful laser for their demanding professor, Dr. Hathaway (William Atherton), who has made a deal to give the laser to the government for military uses. Between dealing with obnoxious kiss-ass Kent (Robert Prescott), getting to know the brilliant man who lives in their closet, and handling their grueling studies, Chris and Mitch form a unique friendship. The chemistry amongst the cast, which also includes Jon Gries, Michelle Meyrink, and Patti D’Arbanville, is outstanding, and the film is well executed by director Martha Coolidge. In my opinon, this is one of Val Kilmer’s best movies.

One big problem, though, is that there’s no official soundtrack. I think this is a shame, because there are some great songs featured in Real Genius. I’ve been able to find all of them except one, “The Tuff Do What?,” by Tonio K. According to various sources on the Interwebs, the song has never been released, but if anyone does have it and wants to share, I won’t stop you.

Carmen McRae – You Took Advantage of Me
The Comsat Angels – I’m Fallin’
Chaz Jankel – Number One
Don Henley – All She Wants to Do Is Dance
Bryan Adams – One Night Love Affair
The Call – The Walls Came Down
The System – Pleasure Seekers
The Textones – Standing in the Line
Y&T – Summertime Girls
Paul Hyde & the Payolas – You’re the Only Love
Tears for Fears – Everybody Wants to Rule the World

Kelly Stitzel

After shutting down her own blog, Looking at Them, in mid-2008, Kelly migrated over to Popdose, bringing with her Soundtrack Saturday, the most popular column from her old site. In addition to Soundtrack Saturday, which is on an indefinite hiatus, Kelly also contributes reviews and musings on music, film and a variety of other topics. She also writes the semi-regular Filminism column, in which she discusses her favorite female characters in film. Kelly is also an aspiring comedy writer who is just beginning an adventure in stand-up comedy and as a student at the Second City in Chicago.

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  • D Ragland

    Welcome, Kelly! I collect 80s soundtracks, and I don't have this one, so thanks! Awesome way to start off my Saturday!

  • Neil

    Chris Knight: So, if there's anything I can do for you, or, more to the point, to you, you just let me know.
    Susan: Can you hammer a six-inch spike through a board with your penis?
    Chris Knight: Not right now.
    Susan: A girl's gotta have her standards.

    I love that line!

  • http://www.popdose.com DwDunphy

    Hey Kelly, welcome to the funhouse!

    Real Genius was one of those movies that blew out of the theater real fast. There were three “science” themed films that summer and only Weird Science had decent legs among them. However, because this was a time when almost everyone finally had a VCR, it was easy to revisit these 'bombs'.

    That's where I subsequently saw it, and while I can't say it's a masterpiece or anything close, it's darn fun.

    Thanks for reminding me!

  • didyouevernotice

    Kelly,
    I was a big fan of Looking At Them. Glad you showed up here.
    JPL

  • BenW

    Ah, Comsat Angels foray into the American market. Great band. How many great British bands only got their feet wet in American 80's film soundtracks? The Bolshoi, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, Chameleons, even The Damned.

  • http://retro-kino.blogspot.com/ urban gypsy

    Hey Kelly! Glad to stumble upon you here! Used to be a loyal reader of your SS feature, with my only complaint being that it was far to infrequent! I appreciate how hard it is to track down and assemble these soundtracks. Good to see you back and thank you!

  • Diallo

    @ DW Dunphy

    I have to disagree and say this movie is an absolute classic.

    If for no other reason the personal affect it had on my life. As an “inner city kid” (black) in the 80s who was always being made fun of for being quite nerdy, I really remember this movie because it made smart kids seem cool.

    I can remember being singing to myself Chaz Jankel's “I'd give my all, just to be number one…” bridge/breakdown on my way to Chess Club Competitions.

    Nowadays, I feel like nerdy kids are more easily seen as cool, even at public schools, for being “good with computers.” But back when I was in elementary, it was a very hard line to toe.

    But I ended up at Harvard. And I thank Real Genius (and the Pet Shop Boys). Goes to show art DOES have an affect on people's lives.

  • Diallo

    Oh, and yes. Great blog, Kelly!

    The art of “soundtrack compiling” is vanishing and we need a site like this.

    Bookmarked.

  • Cary

    I was a big fan of your other blog. Great stuff! Maybe you could post the soundtrack for the Wild Life. I am also looking for the song Hot Stuff by Jerry Reed from the movie of the same name.

  • Jeff

    I constantly quote this movie with my work-mates. So many great lines. Thanks for putting this together!

    It was hot, and I was hungry!

  • Jude

    hey, neil:

    Chris Knight: I'm sorry, but have you ever seen a body like this before in your life?
    David Decker: She happens to be my daughter.
    Chris Knight: Oh. Then I guess you have.

    …we could go on forever with this, couldn't we??

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  • Jenny

    I have been looking for several of these to download. Can you tell me where you found these so I can do so?

  • Mike

    What song is played when Mitch, Chris and Company dissasemble Kent's Citroen and reassemble it in his dorm room? I can't seem to match that one up with the ones in your list. It's the same one played during the final exam and when the kids are building the popcorn bowl in Jerry's house.

    “My condolences on your meltdown Knight”
    “What meldown, Kent”?

    You have done a great job here!
    Many thanks.

  • Mike

    Great story, DW. Congratulations on Harvard.

    This is one of my oldest son's favorites too. Maybe because it was one of mine, or because he saw similarities in his life experience. He is himself, brilliant, and a Lehigh grad. I watched it whenever it was on-I would even skip the news for it if I knew it was on HBO. The young man would always join me to watch it. The soundtrack Kelly has put together for us here is great, yes? (Thanks again, Kelly)!

    You are right, the movie is a classic, but I think it's more of a cult-classic than the mainstream movies. This one played to a niche of people, and some just couldn't understand or appreciate what life in the bright lane is like. It didn't last very long in the theatres.

  • Mike

    Great story, DW. Congratulations on Harvard.

    This is one of my oldest son's favorites too. Maybe because it was one of mine, or because he saw similarities in his life experience. He is himself, brilliant, and a Lehigh grad. I watched it whenever it was on-I would even skip the news for it if I knew it was on HBO. The young man would always join me to watch it. The soundtrack Kelly has put together for us here is great, yes? (Thanks again, Kelly)!

    You are right, the movie is a classic, but I think it's more of a cult-classic than the mainstream movies. This one played to a niche of people, and some just couldn't understand or appreciate what life in the bright lane is like. It didn't last very long in the theatres.

  • Mike

    What song is played when Mitch, Chris and Company dissasemble Kent's Citroen and reassemble it in his dorm room? I can't seem to match that one up with the ones in your list. It's the same one played during the final exam and when the kids are building the popcorn bowl in Jerry's house.

    “My condolences on your meltdown Knight”
    “What meldown, Kent”?

    You have done a great job here!
    Many thanks.

  • Mike

    Great story, DW. Congratulations on Harvard.

    This is one of my oldest son's favorites too. Maybe because it was one of mine, or because he saw similarities in his life experience. He is himself, brilliant, and a Lehigh grad. I watched it whenever it was on-I would even skip the news for it if I knew it was on HBO. The young man would always join me to watch it. The soundtrack Kelly has put together for us here is great, yes? (Thanks again, Kelly)!

    You are right, the movie is a classic, but I think it's more of a cult-classic than the mainstream movies. This one played to a niche of people, and some just couldn't understand or appreciate what life in the bright lane is like. It didn't last very long in the theatres.

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