Revenge of the Nerds (1984)
Revenge of the Nerds, released in the past, presents itself as a lighthearted tale of nerds triumphing over their jock adversaries. However, upon closer examination, the film contains several problematic and misogynistic elements that would undoubtedly be removed in a modern remake. These include scenes where the nerds secretly photograph a rival sorority in compromising positions without their consent and then distribute the pictures. Even more disturbing is a scene that involves “rape by deception,” where a character pretends to be someone else to engage in sexual activity with a female character. In 2019, writer Jeff Kanew, who worked on the film, expressed regret and acknowledged that the scene was inexcusable, stating that if it were his daughter, he would not approve of it. In light of the progress made in understanding consent and respect, such content would not be acceptable in a film produced today.