Revenge of the Cheerleaders” is a 1976 comedy
Revenge of the cheerleaders was directed by Richard Lerner. The film flips gender roles on their heads when a group of high school cheerleaders decides to try and beat the boys at their own game, making a football team of girls.
The female cast was relatively uncommon in the 70s when the damsel in distress was more typical of Hollywood productions. The cheerleaders portrayed as strong and independent women, were more than capable of taking on the local football team and their chauvinistic attitudes. The message of female empowerment was seen as a feminist anthem. But unfortunately, this low-budget production was cliche, lacking depth of characters.
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An independent film, “Revenge of the Cheerleaders” was shot in 1974, but took two years to hit the theaters. Ahead of its time, it has become somewhat of a cult classic for paving the way for other all-female comedies, such as “Legally Blonde” and “Bring It On.” And while it helped increase visibility for women in the film industry, it is also credited as giving us 70/ 80s heart-throb David Hasslehoff’s first film appearance.
What really makes Revenge of the Cheerleaders stand out is that it was made at a time when competition and sexuality were mainstream. Today, female sexuality is cloistered to the adult industry and has a price tag attached to it, with a big chunk of that going to the corporate controllers of big-tech. In the 70s, female sexuality was equated to empowerment and could be either given away with a carefree spirit or used as a weapon to entrap a foe. But most of all, it was within the control of the woman wielding it.
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Furthermore, aside from the entertainment factor of professional sports, today competition is both discouraged and vilified. The very nature of female sports which were only just beginning to become widespread in the 70s have almost been annihilated in a few short years recently. So “Revenge of the Cheerleaders” is a nostalgic quirky film appealing to fans of cheerleading and sports comedies. While not the most original or well-crafted film, it still manages to entertain and inspire, acquiring a position in the pantheon of classic cheerleading movies.
