Better Off Dead... (1985)

Director:

Savage Steve Holland

Writer:

Savage Steve Holland (writer)

Release Date:

11 October 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

You've blown up your neighbor's mom. Your seven-year-old brother has better luck with women than you do. Your girlfriend has a new boyfriend. Relax, you're never...

Plot:

A teenager has to deal with his girlfriend dumping him among family crises, homicidal paper boys, and a rival skier.

Plot Keywords:

Skiing On One Ski | Christmas | Clay Animation | High School | Black Comedy

Cast

John Cusack	...	Lane Meyer
David Ogden Stiers	...	Al Meyer
Kim Darby	...	Jenny Meyer
Demian Slade	...	Johnny Gasparini
Scooter Stevens	...	Badger Meyer
Diane Franklin	...	Monique Junot
Laura Waterbury	...	Mrs. Smith
Dan Schneider	...	Ricky Smith (as Daniel Schneider)
Yuji Okumoto	...	Yee Sook Ree
Brian Imada	...	Chen Ree
Chuck Mitchell	...	Rocko
Amanda Wyss	...	Beth Truss
Curtis Armstrong	...	Charles De Mar
Aaron Dozier	...	Roy Stalin
Frank Burt Avalon	...	Roy's Ski Buddy #1
J. Warren David	...	Roy's Ski Buddy #2
Peter Ellenstein	...	Roy's Ski Buddy #3
Vincent Schiavelli	...	Mr. Kerber
Edward Mehler	...	Buster
Thomas Rollerson	...	Roller Skater
Toby Iland	...	Nerd #1
Jonathan Charles Fox	...	Nerd #2 (as Jonathon Charles Fox)
Darren Harris	...	Nerd #3
Randy Stoklos	...	Jock #1
Sam High	...	Jock #2
David Vaughn	...	Jock #3
Tina Littlewood	...	Chris Cummins
Steven Williams	...	Tree Trimmer
Stuart K. Robinson	...	Tree Trimmer's Helper
Taylor Negron	...	Mailman
Rima Delane	...	Joanne Greenwald
Elizabeth Daily	...	Herself
Ron Anello	...	The Band
Dominick Certo	...	The Band
Jude Cole	...	The Band
Robert Gianette	...	The Band
Angie Rubin	...	Backup Singer
Yano Anaya	...	Paperboy
Joey Tushnet	...	Paperboy
Sebastian Dungan	...	Paperboy
Rick Rosenthal	...	Smitty
Rich Little	...	Additional Voices (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stevie Mack	...	Student (uncredited)

Directed by
Savage Steve Holland

Writing credits
Savage Steve Holland		(writer)

Produced by
Gil Friesen	....	executive producer
Michael Jaffe	....	producer
Andrew Meyer	....	executive producer
William Strom	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Rupert Hine

Cinematography by
Isidore Mankofsky

Production Design by
Herman F. Zimmerman

Set Decoration by
Gary Moreno

Costume Design by
Brad R. Loman		(as Brad Loman)
David Roester

Makeup Department
James R. Scribner	....	makeup artist (as Jim Scribner)
Georgina Williams	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Jack Clements	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Yudi Bennett	....	first assistant director
Jann Dutmer	....	second assistant director
Fred Lerner	....	second unit director
Scott Printz	....	dga trainee

Art Department
Rich Cline	....	swing gang (as Richard Cline)
Tom J. Furginson	....	swing gang (as Thomas Furginson)
Art Lipschultz	....	property master
Bill McLaughlin	....	leadman (as Bill McLaughlin Jr.)
Bud Peifer Jr.	....	assistant property master

Sound Department
Bud Alper	....	sound mixer
Gene Ashbrook	....	boom operator
Kevin Durst	....	sound effects editor
William Hooper	....	supervising sound editor (as Bill Hooper)
Don MacDougall	....	sound re-recording mixer
John L. Mack	....	sound re-recording mixer
Richard Tyler	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dick Vandenberg	....	sound effects editor
Earl Watson	....	sound effects editor
Cary Weitz	....	cable operator
Bill Young	....	sound effects editor
Bill Henderson	....	sound re-recording engineer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Roy L. Downey	....	special effects (as Roy Downey)

Visual Effects by
Hoyt Yeatman	....	special optical effects: DQI (uncredited)

Stunts
Frank Beddor	....	stunts
Sandy Berumen	....	stunts
Cheré Bryson	....	stunts
Hank Calia	....	stunts
Jean Coulter	....	stunts (as Jeannie Coulter)
Greg Wayne Elam	....	stunts
George Fisher	....	stunts
Bill Hart	....	stunts
Keith Harvey	....	stunts
Kent Hays	....	stunts
John Hock	....	stunts
Jeff Jensen	....	stunts
Wayne King	....	stunts
A. Michael Lerner	....	stunts (as Allen Michael Lerner)
Fred Lerner	....	stunt coordinator
Bill McIntosh	....	stunts
Faith Minton	....	stunts
Tom Morga	....	stunts
Harvey Parry	....	stunts
Wally Rose	....	stunts
Debby Lynn Ross	....	stunts
Tanya Russell	....	stunts
Sharon Schaffer	....	stunts
Rick Seaman	....	stunts
Peter Stader	....	stunts
Neil Summers	....	stunts
Dick Warlock	....	stunts
Mark Yerkes	....	stunts
Jim Dunn	....	ski double: John Cusack (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Malcolm Brown	....	first assistant camera (as Malcom Brown)
Jim Dunford	....	dolly grip
Albert Fitch	....	electrician
Jan Gould	....	grip
Frederick Hamm	....	second assistant camera
Frank M. Holgate	....	photographer: second unit (as Frank Holgate)
David Jarrell	....	best boy
Jake Jarrell	....	gaffer
Tom Kessenich	....	key grip
Greg Langham	....	electrician
Rick Neff	....	camera operator
Fred Sabine	....	still photographer
Mark Stanley	....	second key grip
Russell Wooley	....	best boy

Animation Department
Bill Kopp	....	animator: title animation
Jimmy Picker	....	animator: "Burger & Fries" animation

Casting Department
Robert Lansing Parker	....	extras casting: Los Angeles (as Lansing Parker)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marcy Lavender	....	costume supervisor
David Roesler	....	costumer

Editorial Department
William Fletcher	....	apprentice editor
Nancy Forner	....	associate editor
Susanne Gervay	....	negative cutter
Patrick Magee	....	assistant editor (as Patrick W. Magee)

Music Department
David Anderle	....	music supervisor
Rupert Hine	....	music producer
Ted Roberts	....	music editor
Stan Jones	....	assistant music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Robert Elsey	....	transportation captain
Donald Haflich	....	transportation captain
David Jernigan	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Kristin Bundesen	....	production assistant
Kristin Burleson	....	production assistant
John Byl	....	craft service
Maria Cady	....	script supervisor
Stan Cohen	....	caterer (as Stanley Cohen)
Curtis Collins	....	production assistant (as Curt Collins)
Huw Davies	....	location manager
Merle L. Jackson	....	production coordinator (as Merle Jackson)
Audrey Kennedy	....	assistant to producer
Shelley Kirkwood	....	unit publicist
Mike Marvin	....	producer: skiing sequences
Dona Williams	....	production accountant
Isabell Yale	....	first aid
David E. Van Houten	....	publicity designer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• A&M Films
• CBS Entertainment Production

Distributors

• Abril Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Adams Filmi (1987) (Finland) (theatrical)
• CBS/Fox Video (1987) (Belgium) (video)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (laserdisc)
• Fox Video (video)
• Key Video (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (DVD)
• Showtime (1989) (Finland) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Special Effects

• Consolidated Film Industries (CFI) (titles and opticals)
• Dream Quest Images (special optical effects)

Other Companies

• A&M Records  soundtrack
• Atmosphere Agency, The  extras casting: Los Angeles
• Consolidated Film Industries (CFI)  titles and opticals
• Dream Quest Images  optical effects
• Gomillion Studios  post-production sound
• I.C.P.R.  public relations
• The Motionpicker Studios  animation: "Burger & Fries"

Also Known As:

Better Off Dead (USA)
One Way Love (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo | Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | Norway:12 | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Finland:K-12 | USA:PG | Singapore:PG | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

1636 Virginia Avenue, Glendale, California, USA

Company:

A&M Films

Trivia:

During the Christmas presents scene at Lane's house we see a large toy robot. It is Twiki from the TV show "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" (1979).

Goofs:

Continuity: Both Roy and Lane agree to have their showdown at the K-12 at high noon on Sunday. But when they eventually race, the sun is low in the sky indicating that it is early morning or late afternoon.

Quotes:

Lane Myer: [indicating to Mrs. Smith's accident] Gee, I'm really sorry your mom blew up, Ricky, guess she won't be able to eat any spicy foods for awhile.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Moonraker (1979)

Soundtrack:

Winter Wonderland

One Of The Great Teen Comedies Out-There

What a strange bird! A teen comedy that is smart, perceptive and very funny. I'm tempted to call it the best American teen comedy ever made (at least the best one I've seen). It is constantly unpredictable and insightful in ways that will surprise you. A parade of wacky, almost surreal scenes of comical mayhem operate from a solid, well constructed foundation. The film has great understanding of the complex world of teenagers, and what was known as the 80s culture. Also, the film is filled with well-tuned observations of life in general. Writer-director Holland has a keen eye for those insignificant details that make people's lives interesting, and significant. He makes you laugh because you recognize the absurdities of our daily life. John Cusack was one of the best young actors of his generation. He is irresistible here. Kim Darby is particularly funny as Cusack's nutty mom. I cannot recommend this movie enough. The film has no sex or other things that often make this type of film inappropriate for the young ones, so it is perfect for a family gathering. It is one of the few films made for a young audience that I'm sure adults will find funny too.