{"id":33971,"date":"2014-08-06T17:23:47","date_gmt":"2014-08-07T00:23:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=33971"},"modified":"2022-09-16T00:36:37","modified_gmt":"2022-09-16T07:36:37","slug":"mask-1985","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=33971","title":{"rendered":"Mask (1985)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Hey, kid &#8212; why don&#8217;t you take off your mask?&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Poster-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Poster-1-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-57426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Poster-1-199x300.jpg 199w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Poster-1-85x128.jpg 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Poster-1-179x270.jpg 179w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Poster-1.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA teenager (Eric Stoltz) with extreme facial disfigurement is raised by his loving but drug-abusing mother (Cher) and her gang of motorcyclist friends.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Blindness<\/li>\n<li>Cher Films<\/li>\n<li>Coming of Age<\/li>\n<li>Disfigured Faces<\/li>\n<li>Laura Dern Films<\/li>\n<li>Misfits<\/li>\n<li>Motorcyclists<\/li>\n<li>Peter Bogdanovich Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeter Bogdanovich made a short-lived directorial comeback with this affecting tale of a <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Craniodiaphyseal_dysplasia\">deeply disfigured<\/a> yet preternaturally optimistic teenager (based on the real-life story of <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rocky_Dennis\">Rocky Dennis<\/a> and his <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Rocky-and-Rusty-Dennis.png\">biker chick mom, Rusty<\/a>). Stoltz &#8212; perhaps best known by film fanatics at the time for his role in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=5619\"><em>Fast Times at Ridgemont High<\/em> (1982)<\/a> &#8212; is marvelous if unrecognizable in the lead role; we can&#8217;t help feeling authentically inspired by this resilient kid&#8217;s ability to joke about his appearance and then quickly move on to demonstrate his wit, intelligence, and all-around likability. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Makeup-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Makeup-1-1024x555.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"347\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-57429\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Makeup-1-1024x555.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Makeup-1-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Makeup-1-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Makeup-1-768x416.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Makeup-1-1536x832.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Makeup-1-499x270.png 499w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Makeup-1.png 1819w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The script is primarily concerned with showing Rocky&#8217;s everyday life: he argues with his mom (a sad-eyed, feisty Cher) about her drug use:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Cher2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Cher2-1024x564.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"353\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-57433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Cher2-1024x564.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Cher2-300x165.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Cher2-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Cher2-768x423.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Cher2-1536x847.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Cher2-490x270.png 490w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Cher2.png 1809w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; dreams of going on a motorcycle tour of Europe with his best friend (nicely played by Lawrence Monoson):<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Road-Trip.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Road-Trip-1024x561.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"351\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-57434\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Road-Trip-1024x561.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Road-Trip-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Road-Trip-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Road-Trip-768x421.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Road-Trip-1536x842.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Road-Trip-492x270.png 492w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Road-Trip.png 1811w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; bargains for tutoring money from his classmate:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Tutoring.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Tutoring-1024x589.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"368\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-57441\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Tutoring-1024x589.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Tutoring-300x173.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Tutoring-128x74.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Tutoring-768x442.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Tutoring-1536x884.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Tutoring-469x270.png 469w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Tutoring.png 1747w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and, in the movie&#8217;s most touching scenes, falls in love with a beautiful blind girl (Laura Dern) he meets at summer camp. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Dern.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Dern-1024x572.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"358\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-57435\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Dern-1024x572.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Dern-300x167.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Dern-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Dern-768x429.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Dern-1536x857.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Dern-484x270.png 484w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Dern.png 1815w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We watch him struggle with his appearance and his disability (which, he&#8217;s been told for years, means imminent death), but it&#8217;s remarkable how many of his daily concerns could easily be those of other teens in a slightly different context. <\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, Bogdanovich &#8212; working from a script by Anna Hamilton Phelan &#8212; pads his storyline with extraneous material regarding Cher&#8217;s romance with a stoic biker named Gar (Sam Elliott, wasted in an undeveloped role):<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Elliott.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Elliott-1024x565.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"353\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-57438\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Elliott-1024x565.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Elliott-300x165.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Elliott-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Elliott-768x424.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Elliott-1536x847.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Elliott-489x270.png 489w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Elliott.png 1811w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n&#8230; and Rocky and Rusty&#8217;s participation in a close-knit motorcycle community. While it&#8217;s refreshing to see motorcyclists portrayed in such a positive light &#8212; I particularly like the scenes showing a biker named Dozer (Dennis Burkley) dropping Stoltz off at school like a protective mama bear:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Dozer.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Dozer-1024x555.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"347\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-57443\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Dozer-1024x555.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Dozer-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Dozer-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Dozer-768x416.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Dozer-1536x832.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Dozer-498x270.png 498w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Dozer.png 1837w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8212; their presence ultimately eats up too much screentime. With that said, more scenes could easily have been prioritized for Stoltz&#8217;s touching romance with Dern, who does a fine job portraying a sweet girl deserving of Rocky&#8217;s affections. This one remains worth a one-time look for Stoltz&#8217;s performance, as well as the impressive, Oscar-winning make-up (which seems to emulate the real Rocky&#8217;s face quite accurately). <\/p>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> Click <a href=\"http:\/\/www.people.com\/people\/archive\/article\/0,,20090192,00.html\">here<\/a> to read an archived <em>People<\/em> magazine article about the film&#8217;s real-life inspirations. Also, be sure to check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/19379\/mask#articles-reviews?articleId=107446\">TCM&#8217;s article<\/a> for more insights into Bogdanovich&#8217;s struggles during the making of this film, particularly regarding his fight to include songs by Bruce Springsteen; they&#8217;ve been restored in the recent Director&#8217;s Cut, though they don&#8217;t really come across as integral to the storyline. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Eric Stoltz as Rocky<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mark-Stoltz.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mark-Stoltz-1024x564.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"353\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-57430\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mark-Stoltz-1024x564.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mark-Stoltz-300x165.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mark-Stoltz-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mark-Stoltz-768x423.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mark-Stoltz-1536x846.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mark-Stoltz-490x270.png 490w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mark-Stoltz.png 1829w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>The touching romance between Stoltz and Dern<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Romance-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Romance-1-1024x559.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"349\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-57428\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Romance-1-1024x559.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Romance-1-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Romance-1-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Romance-1-768x419.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Romance-1-1536x839.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Romance-1-495x270.png 495w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/Mask-Romance-1.png 1815w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Excellent make-up<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, once, for Stoltz&#8217;s performance and as a sweet tale of a remarkably empowered young man. Listed as a Sleeper and a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary&#8217;s book. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Noteworthy Performance(s)<\/li>\n<li>Oscar Winner or Nominee<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0089560\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1985\/03\/08\/movies\/film-mask-bogdanovich-tale-of-a-rare-disease.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s1371mask.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/19379\/mask#articles-reviews?articleId=107446\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.timeout.com\/london\/film\/mask\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Hey, kid &#8212; why don&#8217;t you take off your mask?&#8221; Synopsis: A teenager (Eric Stoltz) with extreme facial disfigurement is raised by his loving but drug-abusing mother (Cher) and her gang of motorcyclist friends. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Blindness Cher Films Coming of Age Disfigured Faces Laura Dern Films Misfits Motorcyclists Peter Bogdanovich Films Review: Peter Bogdanovich made a short-lived directorial comeback with this affecting tale of a deeply disfigured yet preternaturally optimistic teenager (based on the real-life story&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=33971\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33971","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=33971"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33971\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":87560,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33971\/revisions\/87560"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=33971"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=33971"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=33971"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}