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.

---

Plot Keywords:

teenager | biker | deformity | prejudice | biker gang | 

---

Taglines:

They told 16-year-old Rocky Dennis he could never be like everyone else. So he was determined to be better.

---

Genres:

Biography | Drama

---

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

According to Cher, this film was shot in Rocky and Rusty Dennis' old neighborhood. One day she was walking down a street with Eric Stoltz (in make-up) and an old man yelled "Hi!" at Eric. He then said, "I'm so happy to see you, I heard you died." Cher says he was so happy that they didn't have the heart to tell him the truth.

---

Goofs

When they all go to the carnival, Rusty is wearing a black mini skirt. In the Director's Cut version, the next scene after Rocky and Rusty looking at his reflection in the fun-house mirror is the campfire where Rocky and Rusty perform Little Egypt. Here, Rusty is wearing black jeans. The next scene, after the fist fight breaks out at the campfire, is Rusty and Gar kissing on her front step, which appears after the funhouse mirror scene in the original and Rusty is wearing the black mini skirt again.

---

Quotes

Rocky Dennis: [smashes some plates] I hate you going out every night and coming home wasted all the time!
Rusty Dennis: It's none of your goddamn business!
Rocky Dennis: You're my mother!
Rusty Dennis: Well, you're not my warden!

---

Connections

Referenced in South Park: Freak Strike (2002)

---

Soundtracks

The Moog and Me
Written by Dick Hyman
Performed by Dick Hyman

User Reviews

A very good movie

This movie is unique. Everybody must see it. It is very sentimental, but it is not exasperated. Great Cher, great Eric Stoltz, great Sam Elliot. This movie makes you laugh, makes you cry, makes you think about the lucky aspects of life and the unlucky ones. One of the most striking aspects is that good feelings are found in an environment that most people think is bad: a young ex-drug addict mother, a group of motorcyclists. I will not tell you what is Mask, I just tell you he is a normal guy except for a difference: find it by your own, you will be satisfied. Surely a good movie.