Cool Stuff

ANIMATION ART

After studying at California Institute of the Arts, Bill Kopp created the 2D animation sequences for Better Off Dead. Many original drawings and cell paintings from this film still exist, but collectors should watch out for fakes.

PIG BURGERS HAT

This is the original hat worn by John Cusack in his role as Lane Myer. The nose went missing somewhere along the way.

CREW JACKET

Embroidered jackets were given to cast and crew members who worked on Better Off Dead. This one was originally given to Don Haflich, Transportation Captain.

PARKING PASS

A small number of parking passes were created for the cast member bus and other production vehicles. These passes were screen printed, and they feature artwork by Savage Steve Holland.

FIRST DRAFT SCRIPT

This is a First Draft of the Better Off Dead script, written by Savage Steve Holland and dated October 9, 1984. The first two pages are filled with storyboards of the opening animation scene drawn by Holland himself. There are many differences between this first draft and the final version of the film.

MOVIE POSTER ONE SHEET

Artwork for the Better Off Dead movie poster was created by Drew Struzan, famous for his work on music albums, book covers, video games, and over 150 other movie posters. Finding one of the original 27 x 41 posters can be difficult, but reprints are available in many other sizes. Struzan also made a painting of Lane and his family sitting on their couch. That artwork was used in several places including the Press Kit.

PRESS KIT

These kits were created by Warner Bros. to promote the film. They were mailed primarily to newspapers and magazines during the weeks leading up to August 23, 1985 – the theatrical release date in the U.S. for Better Off Dead. 10 black and white photo prints and 8 color slides were included. These photos were all taken by Fred Sabine, a photographer known for his work on many other TV and movie productions.