This week, we discuss everyone’s favorite ‘80s classic about a boy and his mother, first loves, fighting back against bullies, a close-knit community, and life and death in sunny California. What’s that, Back to the Future? No, this one actually does end up starring Eric Stoltz, it’s Peter Bogdanovich’s 1985 film Mask! We are joined by film programmer and trivia host legend Billy Thegenus to discuss Bog’s last box office success with this Cher, Eric Stoltz, Sam Elliott, and Laura Dern drama. In Peter’s return to directing after a four-year break, he tackles the real-life story of Rocky Dennis, a teenager with a rare disease that causes cranial enlargements, and his mother, Rusty. Would you be shocked to hear that Cher and Bogdanovich clashed on set? We weren’t.
We also discuss Alex Proyas’ Knowing, more tree calendars, Ryan O’Neal (we simply cannot escape him), Eric Stoltz directing several episodes of Glee, and the plight of Rotta the Hut. Also, a loud noise we thought was a branch hitting Billy’s roof was actually a meteor creating a sonic boom over Massachusetts (timestamp - 1:02:33). Even 1,000 miles away, the power of podcasting keeps Journey in the loop on New England supremacy.
Further “Reading”
- By Bogdanovich (2011)
- The Elephant Man (1980)
- A Different Man (2024)
- Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
- Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
- Cher: Part 1: The Memoir by Cher
- Mask AFI Catalog
- “Mask, Bogdanovich Tale of a Rare Disease” by Vincent Canby for the NYT (March 8, 1985)
- “The Drama Behind Mask” by Michelle Green for People (March 18, 1985)
- “An Unusual Mother: Helping Her Children Face Down Death” by Linda Witt for the Chicago Tribune (May 11, 1986)
- New Musical ‘Mask’ Premieres at Pasadena Playhouse
- “Mask, Musical Tale of Mother, Son and Belonging, Begins World Premiere in CA” by Kenneth Jones for Playbill (March 12, 2008)
- “In Conversation: Peter Bogdanovich” by Andrew Goldman for Vulture (2019)
- “Sam Elliott was a fan of Cher long before they starred together in Mask” by Clark Collis for Entertainment Weekly (February 12, 2019)
- “Florence Tullis, portrayed by Cher in ‘Mask,’ dies at age 70” by Dennis McLellan for the LA Times (November 19, 2006)
- “'Mask' Director Peter Bogdanovich on Cher's Bad Attitude — and Why She Still Deserved the Oscar” by Peter Bogdanovich as told to Tatiana Siegel, originally published in The Hollywood Reporter (August 28, 2015)
- “Cher Lambasts ‘Mask’ Director Peter Bogdanovich As Misogynistic, A ‘Pig’: ‘So F—ing Arrogant’” by Natalie Oganesyan for Deadline (November 23, 2024)
THE BOGDANOVICH ARCHIVE
Next Episode: Illegally Yours (1988)
Music by Ryan (twitter.com/molecularlioneI)
Support your local independent cinemas and video stores!
Follow Us!
Sort By: Earliest
instagram.com/sortby_earliest
Billy
Spielberg x Nolan Film Series at the Coolidge
Crystal Ballroom Film Trivia
letterboxd.com/billyblanco
Jonah
letterboxd.com/jonahp97
twitter.com/jon_ahhhh
Journey
letterboxd.com/journeyb
instagram.com/journey_brad
