Better Off Dead

The movie has some of the greatest quotes ever. As you can see from the nodes already in existance, all but one includes a quote from the movie without any provacation to do so.

Seems to be a popular hit with punks, possibly more so than with geeks.

Paperboy by Nine Lives is a punk rock song that includes the "I want my two dollars" quote. In fact I was listening to my Punk Uprisings volume 2 cd the morning after my friend introduced me to this movie...suddenly I heard "I want my two dollars!!" from the speakers.

There's another song called These are quotes from my favorite 80s movies, by Bouncing Souls(thanks broken77). Which of course includes quotes from Better Off Dead.

A few weeks ago I saw a flier for a punk show that had a band named Lane Meyer playing. Unfortunately I could not attend, although they clearly swiped the name from John Cusack's character in the movie.

• Stalin: You'd make a fine little helper, what's your name?
  Charles Damar: Charles Damar
  Stalin: Shut up geek...what's your name (to cute girl)
  
  
• Beth: Listen Lane, I think we should talk. We've been seeing a lot of each other lately, and I really think its in my best interest if I went out with someone more popular, better looking, drives a nicer car...
  
  
• Lane: Gee, I'm real sorry your mom blew up, Ricky
  
  
• Lane: Its funny, see, my mom had to leave early to take my brother to school and my dad to work cause ... see the problem here is my little brother this morning got his arm caught in the microwave and my grandmother dropped acid and she freakd out and hijacked a schoolbus full of penguins so its kind of a family crisis so .. come back later ok?
  
  
• Charles: I've been going to this high school for seven years...I'm no dummy
  
  
• Charles: People die down there! And dying when you're not really sick is really sick ya know! really!
  
  
• Lane: Look Beth, I gotta go, my christmas tree is on fire (hangs up phone)
  

The surrealism of Better Off Dead makes it a more accurate depiction of adolescence than any of the more reality-based movies. The real world always seemed as confusing to me as it was for Lane, even though it appeared to follow more consistent rules. That's why this movie is so much better than, say, movies by John Hughes.

By the way, this is really a companion piece to Real Genius, which depicts a group of teenagers who are able to harness surrealism for their own purposes.

A hilarious movie released in 1985. Written and directed by Savage Steve Holland. Players: John Cusack, Curtis Armstrong, Diane Franklin, Kim Darby, Demian Slade, Amanda Wyss, Scooter Stevens, David Ogden Stiers, and more.

Lane Myer (John Cusack) becomes depressed after loosing his girlfriend Beth (Amanda Wyss). He was totally obsessed with Beth so her breaking up with him crushed him. His friend Charles (Curtis Armstrong) tries to help him out, yet Lane makes several attempts at suicide. Finally he meets Monique (Diane Franklin), a French foreign exchange student who helps him find a reason to live.

Ok so that sounds kind of down and depressing, but this movie is freakin' funny. From his obsession with Beth, to the ways he tries to commit suicide, from the persistent paperboy, to Jenny Myer's cooking, from Charles antics, to the things Badger Myer gets in the mail, this movie is hilarious. A definite must see. I give 4.0/4.0.

ukyoCE: There is a band called Lanemeyer on Too Hep Records.

I wrote a haiku for this movie way back in 8th grade. It left most people scratching their heads but a select few giggling. At the time I wrote it cusack's character name escaped me, or maybe I was just lazy about it.

here comes john cusack
i'm chasing him on my bike
want my two dollars