BETTER OFF DEAD

US, 1985, 97 minutes, Colour.
John Cusack, Curtis Armstrong, Diane Fanklin, Kim Darby, David Ogden Stiers.
Directed by Steve Holland.

Better Off Dead is a slight, satiric comedy about teenagers. It was written and directed by savage Steve Holland (One Crazy Summer, How I Got Into College). It stars John Cusack, who has done excellent roles in films like The Sure Thing, Eight Men Out, Say Anything. David Ogden Stiers plays the father and Kim Darby does an eccentric satire as the mother preoccupied with the most grotesque recipes and meals. Diane Franklin is the attractive girl next door.

The film is about high school, relationships, preoccupation with girls, nerds and jocks - and ultimately the hero proving himself as a skier, and finding the attractiveness of the girl next door. The film is fairly episodic, is similar to so many films of the period - but has touches of humour.

1.Picture of youth? Comedy and satire? Family and school? Proving oneself?

2.Location photography, the small American town, homes and school, the ski slopes? Action sequences?

3.The credits, the animation and its humour - and animation recurring throughout the film? Musical score?

4.Lane as an ordinary young man, his loneliness for Beth, his relationship with his family, his eccentric mother, brother? Not noticing Monique next door? His friendship with Charles, the clashes with the ski champions? Life around the town? His wanting to kill himself - and the humorous attempts - the bridge, hanging himself and his mother pushing the door, etc? His coming to his senses, friendship with Monique, the challenge of the skiing, the practice, the finale? And his winning Monique - and coming to his senses?

5.Beth as the blonde ideal girl, her relationship with the ski champions? Rejection of Lane? The contrast with Monique, her mother, her brother and their dominance? The turning against them?

6.The sketch of Lane's parents, his father and his concern, his mother and her glasses, manner, cooking? Their happiness for their son? The sketch of his brother and his inventions?

7.Charles, the lout, sneering, comedy?

8.Familiar material, the popularity of this kind of film in the '80s? The serious core? The humorous surface?