On this day April 1 1983 the teen sex comedy Screwballs premiered in theaters. Directed by Rafal Zielinski the film followed five mischievous high school boys who team up with one goal, getting revenge on the school’s most uptight and popular girl by catching her in a compromising moment.
Starring Peter Keleghan Lynda Speciale and Linda Shayne Screwballs was very much in the spirit of Porky’s and other raunchy comedies of the early 80s. Despite its low $800,000 budget the film managed to earn $2 million at the box office and found a fan base on home video. It embraced every over the top trope of the genre and became a cult favorite for fans of classic 80s teen comedies.
80s insight: Screwballs was so successful on VHS that it spawned several sequels including Loose Screws and Screwball Hotel.