“Better Off Dead” superfan Brian Keil poses with his poster, signed by dozens of the 1980s cult comedy’s cast and crew members. The film celebrates its 40th anniversary this month. (Brian Keil)

Reviews could have been better when “Better Off Dead” premiered in theaters on Aug. 23, 1985.

Siskel & Ebert gave it “two thumbs down.” The Hollywood Reporter called it a “crude, cartoonish comedy.” Its star, John Cusack, walked out of an early screening, disillusioned by the final product.

Few could have predicted that writer-director Savage Steve Holland’s surreal teen heartbreak comedy — peppered with Claymation hamburgers, a persistent paperboy demanding “two dollars” and a skiing-on-one-ski duel to the death — would become one of the most beloved films of the 1980s.

But 40 years on, “Better Off Dead” remains as quotable and charming as ever, with a fan base that continues to grow. It broke into HBO Max’s streaming top 10 this summer, and a special 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray was released on Aug. 5.

At the heart of the film’s legacy is Monique Junot, a French exchange student with a quiet strength and a mean throwing arm, played by Diane Franklin. She’s known for other ’80s classics, including “The Last American Virgin” and “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.”

“When ‘Better Off Dead’ came out, we thought it was going to be really big,” she told Stars and Stripes in a recent Zoom interview. “We thought it was, because even the script made us laugh out loud. People didn’t get it immediately, but now they really do. It was a sleeper.”

“Better Off Dead” star Diane Franklin continues to act in films that wink at her past. “Bampire,” a Bambi-inspired creature feature, is slated for release this year. (Diane Franklin)

In 2022, actress Diane Franklin self-published “The Excellent COMEDY of the Last American French-Exchange Babe of the ‘80s” — a look at her experiences making “Better Off Dead.” (Diane Franklin)

The lasting power of Monique

Franklin — a first-generation American whose Viennese father fought for the Allies in World War II — has long embraced her connection to the film and its fans. In 2022, she self-published “The Excellent COMEDY of the Last American French-Exchange Babe of the 80s” — a look at her experiences making “Better Off Dead.”

The memoir details not only the shoot’s whimsical, spontaneous energy but also the challenges of breaking through in an industry that often values image over originality.

Franklin’s Monique — a Dodgers-loving, mechanically savvy girl who communicates more with her actions than her words — offered a refreshing counterpoint to the typical ingénue roles of the time.

“All of the characters I had played up to that point were either manipulative or evil,” she said. “This was the first time I was able to play a role model.”

Monique helped shape a generation’s image of what a romantic heroine could be — independent, curious and quietly powerful.

“What I really love about Monique — she is athletic, she has a sense of humor, she has her own sense of style,” Franklin said. “She knows when to talk and when not to talk. I think there’s a lot to be learned from that character. A lot of women come up to me and say, ‘You were the one I modeled myself after.’”

A special 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray of “Better Off Dead’ was released Aug. 5, just in time for the 1980s cult comedy’s 40th anniversary. (Paramount)

Writer-director Savage Steve Holland, right, poses with “Better Off Dead” superfan Brian Keil and his poster. (Brian Keil)

From flop to favorite

Though it grossed more than $10 million on a $3.5 million budget, “Better Off Dead” was considered a box-office disappointment. Many critics didn’t know what to make of its animated interludes and recurring gags.

Still, Franklin said the cast and crew knew they were doing something special.

“Every actor who worked on that film was begging to be in it, because it was so unusual to do a comedy that had no gratuitous nudity, no bad language, no violence,” she said. “Actors like Vincent Schiavelli, who did ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,’ wanted to be in the film. That’s how refreshing it was.”

A blend of sincerity and absurdity has helped “Better Off Dead” endure. This year, in honor of the film’s 40th anniversary, Franklin will participate in several special screenings and events, including The Sands Rocks, a Nov. 3-8 festival in Cancun, Mexico, that will reunite “Better Off Dead” cast members.

“It’s going to be myself, Amanda Wyss, who played Beth, and John Cusack, who’s never done a ‘Better Off Dead’ event,” Franklin said. “And one more guest — maybe it’s the paperboy. Maybe it’s [Aaron] Dozier, who played Stalin. We’ll be finding out.”

A throughline

In recent years, Franklin has leaned into her ’80s legacy by making convention appearances, narrating retrospectives and starring in indie film projects that wink at her past.

“Bampire” — a campy, Bambi-inspired creature feature in the vein of “Winnie-the-Pooh: “Blood and Honey” — is slated for release this year.

“Yes, Bambi is a vampire,” she said on fellow actor Patrick Labyorteaux’s podcast in February. “It is not a kids movie. It is very adult.”

She’s also written two other memoirs that expand on her time in Hollywood and offer reflections on fame, feminism and film.

Franklin’s warmth and enthusiasm remain a throughline for a film that, against all odds, keeps finding its way into people’s hearts.

“Everyone who loves ‘Better Off Dead’ is genuinely a nice person,” she told Stars and Stripes. “To get that sense of humor, you have to be able to laugh at yourself — it’s brought me a lot of great fans.”

Signed copies of Franklin’s memoirs and other memorabilia can be obtained through her website, dianefranklin.com