Where Was Better Off Dead Filmed? John Cusack’s Classic Black Comedy Flick!

Most people have been dumped at least once by their boyfriend or girlfriend at some point in time. One shouldn’t take such things so seriously. But when Lane Myer gets dumped by his girlfriend, Beth, he takes the matter too seriously. You probably know that Lane Myer is a character in Better Off Dead (1985), right? In this article, I’ll discuss the black comedy film and tell you where was Better Off Dead filmed.

Senior actor John Cusack stars as Lane Myer in Better Off Dead. It is a classic black comedy film of all time. Not to mention, it was also a big hit back in the day. Cusack is the son of renowned filmmaker Dick Cusack and the brother of actresses Ann and Joan Cusack. He acted in independent and big-budget mainstream movies and is critically acclaimed. The black comedy film also features David Ogden Stiers, Diane Franklin, Kim Darby, Curtis Armstrong, and Amanda Wyss.

Now let’s discuss where was Better Off Dead filmed. The classic black comedy movie was shot in Utah and California, United States of America.

Written and directed by Savage Steve Holland, Better Off Dead had its limited release on 23rd August 1985, followed by its wide release on 11th October 1985 in the US. The black comedy film is currently available on several streaming platforms. It is a CBS Theatrical Film production and was distributed in the United States by Warner Bros. However, let me give you some interesting details about the filming locations.

Where Was Better Off Dead Filmed? Better Off Dead Filming Locations!

Savage Steve Holland’s Better Off Dead garnered mixed responses from critics. Some described the film as fascinating and praised John Cusack for his subtle and unconventional acting, whereas some were not impressed with the movie. The black comedy film was featured on Siskel and Ebert’s weekly TV show At The Movies.

Holland is an American filmmaker, cartoonist, screenwriter, and animator mostly known for directing black comedies and rom-coms. Better Off Dead received an audience score of 87% on Rotten Tomatoes and a rating of 7.1 on IMDb. However, let’s not waste any more time and check out where was Better Off Dead filmed.

Utah, United States Of America

The black comedy movie Better Off Dead was filmed primarily in Utah and California. The production team shot in various locations against suitable backdrops. Some scenes were filmed in the town of Alta, Brighton in Utah, and in the unincorporated community of Snowbird, which is situated near Salt Lake City.

Remember the grocery store scene where Lane’s friend Charles goes looking for drugs? That scene was filmed at Dan’s Market, 3981 Wasatch Boulevard, Holladay, Utah. The cast and crew shot a couple of other scenes in and around the city of Holladay.

California, United States Of America

A significant portion of Better Off Dead was filmed in California. Filming occurred in multiple places across the state, particularly in Los Angeles. The scene in which Lane gets fired from his job in front of Beth and Roy at the Pig Burgers restaurant was filmed at 6223 Lankershim Boulevard, Los Angeles, California.

The sequence where Lane tries to commit suicide by jumping off a bridge was shot at 400 South Avenue 60, Los Angeles. Joanne Greenwold’s home scenes were filmed at 901 West Kensington Road. All the interior scenes of Lane’s high school were shot at the Hollywood High School at 1521 N. Highland Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles. 

The Myer family home scenes were filmed on a property at 1636 Virginia Avenue, Glendale, California. The exterior scenes of Lane’s high school were shot outside Clark Magnet High School, located at 4747 New York Avenue, La Crescenta. The Smith family home scenes involving Monique were filmed at 1633 Virginia Avenue, Glendale. 

Lane Myer’s car scene with Johnny Gasparini was shot at In & Out Service Center at 1420 North San Fernando Boulevard, Burbank. The scene in which Lane throws out a car stereo was filmed at 169 N. Baldwin Avenue, Sierra Madre. A couple of other scenes were filmed nearby at 144 North Baldwin Avenue. 

Plot Of Better Off Dead (1985) | Lane Myer Vs Roy Stalin!

The story of Better Off Dead revolves around Lane Myer, played by John Cusack. Lane is a weird teenager and tends to get awkward at times. He has a girlfriend named Beth, played by Amanda Wyss, whom he loves madly. When Beth dumps him for another guy named Roy Stalin, played by Aaron Dozier, the ski team captain, he loses his mind.

Out of desperation, Lane decides to kill himself by committing suicide. But while trying to do so, he embarrasses himself in front of other people and eventually fails at it, too. Lane starts to hang out with his oddball friend, Charles, played by Curtis Armstrong, and later comes across Monique, played by Diane Franklin, a visiting French student. To get back at Roy, he challenges him to a ski race.

Final Word

Better Off Dead was filmed at several locations across California and Utah; now you know about all of them. If you wish to check out the filming spots, start planning. And if you happen to love good black comedies, then Better Off Dead is a must-watch. And also, if you enjoyed reading the article, please let me know.