Mask (1985)

A teenager with a massive facial skull deformity and biker gang mother attempt to live as normal a life as possible under the circumstances.

Director:

Peter Bogdanovich

Writer:

Anna Hamilton Phelan

Stars:

Cher, Eric Stoltz, Sam Elliott

Won 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Cher	...	Rusty Dennis
Sam Elliott	...	Gar
Eric Stoltz	...	Rocky Dennis
Estelle Getty	...	Evelyn
Richard Dysart	...	Abe
Laura Dern	...	Diana
Micole Mercurio	...	Babe
Harry Carey Jr.	...	Red
Dennis Burkley	...	Dozer
Lawrence Monoson	...	Ben
Ben Piazza	...	Mr. Simms
L. Craig King	...	Eric
Alexandra Powers	...	Lisa
Kelly Jo Minter	...	Lorrie (as Kelly Minter)
Joe Unger	...	1st Boyfriend

Storyline

Rusty Dennis is the mother of Rocky, a seriously deformed, but extremely intelligent and emotionally warm teenager. Rusty is a no-nonsense mother whose wild lifestyle is often at odds with her tenderness and protectiveness towards Rocky. She is determined that Rocky be given the same chances and happiness that everyone else takes for granted.

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Plot Keywords:

f rated | teenager | biker | deformity | prejudice | 

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Taglines:

Sometimes the most unlikely people become heroes.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 March 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Peter Bogdanovich's Mask

Filming Locations:

William Howard Taft Charter High School, Woodland Hills, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$48,230,162

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min 127 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Songs by Bob Seger were substituted in place of those by Bruce Springsteen shortly before the film's release after a failure to reach an agreement with Bruce Springsteen.

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Goofs

The camp Rocky goes to is a summer camp yet they celebrate New Year's while at the camp, A sign at the New Year's party states that it is "New Year's Eve in July'".

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Quotes

Rocky Dennis: Mom. Do I look like a freak to you?
Rusty Dennis: No.
Rocky Dennis: You know, your always been big on telling me when my face doesn't matter, but, it does. Doesn't it? You think that I can't even get a girl to like me unless you pay for her.
Rusty Dennis: That's not true.
Rocky Dennis: Bullshit!
Rusty Dennis: Bullshit yourself. You know lots of young guys got problems getting girls. Well, what if I was your dad and I did the same thing?
Rocky Dennis: I'd hate that too!

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Alternate Versions

The Director's Cut print runs around 7 minutes longer and includes a scene where Rocky & Rusty sing around a bonfire, and the funeral of cyclist Red (his motorbike is buried beside him). It also replaces the Bob Seger songs with those of Bruce Springsteen.

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Connections

Referenced in The Ten (2007)

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Soundtracks

Badlands
Written by Bruce Springsteen
Performed by Bruce Springsteen
(Director's cut version only)

User Reviews

A wonderful tear jerker that is also fun.

This movie has moved me since it first came out in the 1980's. The

performances- particularly by Cher and Eric Stoltz as Rusty and Rocky

Dennis- are fantastic, the camera work (by the great Lazlo Kovacs) fluid

and superb, the make up won an academy award, the music perfect, and the

story, well, it's almost too good to be true. It's real life we're

watching here, and knowing that it's also a true story makes it all the

more touching and wonderful. I watched it with my boyfriend, then my

husband, and now with my children. It's a simple tale of triumph of the

spirit, but it goes deep and really stays with you if you let it. If you

haven't seen this movie yet, go out and rent it tonight, you won't be

disappointed.......