Apparently, he has stated that he "can't recall filming it", and "has never seen it in its entirety". The film's director, Savage Steve Holland, says Cusack hates both Better Off Dead and Holland's follow up (but not sequel), One Crazy Summer. Cusack figures Holland made him look goofy, and he was a "serious actor" back then.
"Don't believe everything you hear on the radio." - Charles Foster Kane
Cusack will always be whatshisface from High Fidelity to me.
But yeah, I read Holland's account of how Cusack saw the first screening, then got mad and told Holland, "You totally screwed me." That's from memory, so it may not be verbatim.
So uh, yeah. It's pretty simple. You know that movie you're making, Mr. Cusack? You might wanna read the script, or something.
We're working on a history report, not a two dollars report.
Kinda sucks. This flick is like the bedrock of his fanbase. He expanded from being that goofy 80's dude and brought his fans with him. Oh well.
shareFor me John Cusack will always be Martin Blank.
C
I want to leave this world the way I entered it. Naked, screaming, & covered in somebody's blood.
And I thought the "JOHN CUSACK HATES THIS MOVIE" thread would go on perpetually. I had no idea it was off the archives now.
Better put up the link again for the interviews with Holland and Dan Schneider/Ricky about Cusack's anger and other tidbits about making the movie:
http://www.thesneeze.com/mt-archives/cat_better_off_dead_tribute.php
Don't be fooled by the "Coming Soon: Part Two of my talk with Savage Steve Holland" teaser at the end. That never came out.
Those were pretty good interviews. And it reminds me that I don't own this gem!
shareI absolutely loved that interview and have re-read it several times over the last couple years. Savage Steve seems like such a cool guy.
share[deleted]
That is kind of dumb if Cusack hates this film.
16 Candles was only a step up and the Sure Thing wasn't far off.
I remember this movie bombed in the theaters and was a huge cult classic when it made it to video.
Better Off Dead might be his best movie during this time period. His career was a slow evolution. I think Say Anything was the movie that transitioned him from goofy to goofy and dramatic.
talk about biting the hand that feeds you.
who knows where his career might be today without this.
ungrateful dick.
He's just pissed off because everybody remembers this movie instead of all the other absolute crap he's been in since.
Living in the penthouse must be nice, but it's a shorter fall from the basement. -Florida Evans
I added him as a friend on myspace and then posted "two dollars" on his comments just to piss him off (not that I really believe he ever even looks at his myspace, let alone the comments people leave there).
share[deleted]
[deleted]
That's an honest shame Cusack hates this film. I thought he did a great job as Lane Meyer.
"We're all part Shatner/And part James Dean/Part Warren Oates/And Steven McQueen"