A seemingly lightweight comedy, 1984's REVENGE OF THE NERDS is in fact rife with folkloric significance and is a blueprint for the spectrum of human archetypes.

After the expository journey from home to the college, the roles are laid out fairly quickly within the group of protagonists known as the "nerds". In the "gymnasium" scene, there is a roll call that reads like a veritable Who's Who of societal personalities.

There are the two "leaders", Lewis and Gilbert, who although shunned from "normal" society, find acceptance and even positions of authority within the microcosm that makes up the subculture of "nerds".

There is the savant man-child, Wormser, who seems like a mere toddler but is in reality a brilliant aerodynamic engineer and computer scientist.

The character of "Poindexter" is a classic example of the "mute shaman" archetype. While hardly uttering a word, his intellectual and musical pursuits are magical skills. In fact, his violin playing contributes to the triumphant talent show win that brings about the "nerds" greatest victory.

Lamar Latrell is the age-old representation of the dual nature of human sexuality. Neither man nor woman, Lamar's sum total is far greater.

The character "Takashi" is the eternal outsider in a group of outsiders. His Asian origins emphasize the mystic and ancient wisdom he possesses. The Far East has always held a special mystique and Takashi is a veritable poster boy for this age-old legacy of stoic knowledge.

Finally, there is Dudley "Booger" Dawson. An unkempt, slovenly miscreant; he is a textbook example of the "brute" in mythology. Like the character Gargantua in Francois Rabelais' classic surrealist novel of the same name, "Booger" simultaneously repulses and fascinates the viewer. In many ways, "Booger" is the most complex character while seeming the most one-dimensional.

These characters set the stage for a complex and rich tale of triumph and tragedy, oppression and liberation, betrayal and redemption that will be viewed by future generations in much the same way that we read classics like The Odyssey and The New Testament.

NEXT TIME: the fraternity as the oppressive ruling class.