Reviews

Right up front: I had to give the ending away, okay.

Some roles are born for actors. The role of Rocky Dennis was most certainly "born" for Eric Stoltz.

I once read that actor Eric Stoltz had been cast to play the role of Marty McFly in (yeah, you guessed it) "Back to the Future." But, for whatever reason, Michael J Fox was given the honor instead. Fortunately, all of us now have the honor of seeing Stoltz in this film, which was released the same year.

MASK is based on the true story of a young man with a rare facial deformity in which calcium deposits formed on his skull and grew, causing his scalp and face to stretch and become elongated, while putting pressure on his spinal chord, and giving him massive headaches. It's the story of Rocky's struggle to be "normal" and fit in... when he was born to stand out.

This is a movie that I will always watch again and again...strictly because of the incredible, endearing performances by Stoltz, as well as Cher,Sam Elliot, and a young Laura Dern.

While Rocky is trying to find out who he is, he actually has a bigger problem: his mother.

As his school principal points out: (Rocky's mom) "never gives the impression that she cant take care of herself." But it's only an impression. One scene in the film depicts an argument between mother and son. Dishes are shattered and Rocky tells his mother that he hates her going out all the time and coming home wasted. His mother fires back, saying that her son tries too hard to control her life, by strategically placing pamphlets about a "chemical dependency" center around the house. The two go from explosive arguing, to his mother stroking his hair the next morning and telling him to "pick something." Rusty comes home in the wee hours, this time to discover that her son has one of his headaches. No medication is used to help them go away...it's more like visualization. Rocky "picks out" something peaceful and calming in his mind. He describes to his mother what he's seeing (he and his best friend on a boat).

The next morning, Rusty makes a promise to her son that she will "cut it down;" a promise that is soon broken when Rocky's grandparents come to visit. The three return from a Dodgers game to find her so wasted that her parents have no choice but to drive back home, leaving Rocky to once again take care of his mother. Rocky decides he needs a break, and takes his school principal up on an offer to go to a summer camp for the blind. This will be a much needed break.

This movie's about bikers: their vests, their jackets, their protective loyalty, their fights, their drugs, their motorcycles. The film also depicts a rider being buried with his Harley. The soundtrack brings this to light perfectly, with artists like Steely Dan and Little Richard.

Now, this movie also has some alarming inconsistencies... and I am unable to point them out without giving away the film's ending. In fact, I'll start there. Young Rocky succumbs to his illness one night in his sleep, and at the very end, his mother and her now love interest Gar (Sam Elliot) go out to the cemetery to place flowers (and a few cherished baseball cards) at Rocky's grave. On the gravestone, the year of death reads 1980. However, a record of Rocky's death I discovered over the internet had the year of his death listed as 1978, and there was no location of a graveside listed (findagrave.com). Instead, the record reads that Rocky's body was donated to UCLA medical research.

Is there a grave somewhere that reads "1980"? I don't know; but the impression given is that we are looking at Rocky's real graveside, which (in the film) reads "Roy L. Dennis". The film also depicts Rocky as being an only a child, but biographies of the famous teenager do reveal that he had a brother. This is mentioned nowhere in the movie. Understandable, since Rocky himself is the main focus, but as to it's biographical accuracy (??)

There are also two different versions of this film. One of them depicts the death of one of the characters, Red, (Harry Carey) while the other...does not show us that he died. The original 1985 release lets Red live through the whole story, and there is no burial of the bike with the biker.

Then there's the odd issue of different soundtracks (??). The original release, has a rockin' Bob seiger soundtrack (which I personally prefer). The DVD release of the movie (somewhere around 2004) has a Bruce Springsteen Soundtrack instead. The extra's on the DVD reveal that director Peter Bogdanovich had originally wanted a Springsteen soundtrack, and permission had come from Springsteen himself to use his music in the movie. But others who worked on the film decided that Sieger was more appropriate for the story (apparently), and the film was released with a Bob Sieger soundtrack(without Bogdanovich's knowledge).

DVD extras also reveal that Bogdanovich and Cher got into continual disputes during filming as to the character of Rusty Dennis. Bogdanovich was said to have not been thrilled with such an edgy, mouthy, portrayal of the boy's mother. But Cher said that having met the real Rusty Dennis, she knew that her portrayal of the character was accurate

Maybe I need to see this movie again in order to better appreciate it, but in all honesty, I feel this is one of the worst movies I've ever seen. I'll start by saying that there ARE two redeemable qualities about it... okay, three: The views of London, A Wonderfully romantic old house, and Tom Conti's portrayal as Mark, an antique salesman, and a mutual friend of Julia (Mia Farrow) and her husband Magnus. Aside from these things, I have no praise to offer. Timing and transition are very important, but almost nonexistent in this movie.

For example, one minute, Julia's in bed, grieving the sudden loss of her daughter, and the next minute, she has rushed out the door, gotten a cab, and purchased this huge Victorian house because she's leaving her husband... sure, happens all the time...

Secondly, just WHO are we supposed to be focusing on here: is it Julia's husband Magnus and his sister (because he seems to be plotting to prove that Julia is mentally unstable and his sister doesn't want him to, but neither idea ever develops); is it the sudden death of Julia's daughter?; the death of the young boy in the park?; the death of the little blonde girl haunting the house (who is not Julia's daughter)?; the mother of the young boy who died in the park?; the mother of the young girl who died in the house?, or the piano salesman who was supposed to have seen it the little blonde girl get killed? If this sentence confuses you, that's my point: The whole movie confused me. Okay, so MANY people are haunting Julia, but which one is the most important?

Thirdly, why are there so many unanswered questions? It appears that Julia's husband gets into her basement when she isn't home, and while he is searching for her, the spirit of this elusive little blonde girl finds him and kills him. However, Julia never finds his body. If I'm correct, he landed on the basement floor and laid in a pool of blood from his head wound; but that doesn't develop into anything. I guess when he died, so did that part of the plot. Why does Julia eventually "welcome" the spirit of this little blonde girl into her arms, wanting to tell her it's safe, and then suddenly, she's asleep in her chair and the blonde girl is gone? Odd. Why (and this gives plot away)... is the good guy killed, and for no apparent reason? Mark, the one that's supported Julia and protected her when no one else would, is suddenly electrocuted one night in the bath tub, when the spirit of this little blonde girl pushes a lamp into his bath water.

Fourthly, the plot of this movie is terribly slow, and thus hard to pay attention to, the "creepy" music is so overkill that it drowns any suspense that would be created at tense moments. The audience is not allowed to feel the tension for themselves because the music takes it all over before we've even had a chance to see what's happened.

In my opinion, Tom Conti is a wonderful actor, and his performance in this movie does add some humor and vulnerability to a film that is otherwise.. hard to get through. Good for you Tom, but I think I'll stick to "Reuben, Reuben" and "Shirley Valentine."

The DVD release of this film contains a documentary all about the process of bringing this story to the screen. Here we have "a creature who has love in his heart, but is misunderstood." Okay, that was Gene Wilder describing "Young Frankenstein," but it works here as well. With John Hurt in the title role of John Merrick, The Elephant Man, and Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Frederick Treves, this extraordinary movie endures as one of the most touching films I've ever had the pleasure of watching. It has been speculated that John (Joseph) Merrick suffered from either Neurofibromitoses or Proteus Syndrome. Some have even suggested that he suffered from both conditions at once. In any event, the gentleman who came to be known as The Elephant Man, had a condition that caused his entire body to be covered with numerous bulging tumors which deformed his body and made it difficult for him to walk and speak. As he got older, his condition progressed, and he became known as The Elephant Man because of a particular growth that came down from the roof of his mouth. It was the Victorian Era, and lack of medical knowledge and surgical procedures made it impossible for anyone to really know why John Merrick was so severely deformed, or how to accommodate his unusual condition. What a story! And it's portrayed brilliantly, with performances by Wendy Hiller, Freddie Jones, and Anne Bancroft. There is a note in the web page about continuity; that John Hurt's make-up changes in almost every scene. Kudos to whoever noticed, but considering it took approx. eight hours each time to re-create it, there is still plenty to appreciate! The make-up for this wonderful and difficult (challenging) character was created by artist Christopher Tucker, who obtained special permission from the Royal London Hospital to borrow the actual death mask of the real John Merrick, in order to get the best impression of how the make-up should look. Amazingly, his request was granted, and the mask is the model that was used. Actor John Hurt was required to report to the set at around 4:00am, and later in the day, his co-stars would wait, while Hurt's make-up was still being applied. Hurt's scenes could only be shot on alternate days, because the full make-up was so heavy that Hurt was unable to lie down while wearing it. Hurt's co-stars weren't allowed to see him in full make-up until actual filming began, which generated an unbelievable shock between his fellow actors This film is executive produced by Mel Brooks, which, at the time wasn't made known to most, because of Brooks comic masterpieces like "Young Frankenstein," and "The History of the World." His reputation as a comic genius has remained unscathed, while giving viewers something completely opposite of what we'd expect from a man known for slap-stick. Yes, by the way, this is a true story.

According to TV host John Burke, what happened in this movie almost never happens... The main actors in the film were unknowns, who remained unknowns, while those behind the scenes became household names. This movie is directed by Barry Levenson, written by screenwriter Chris Columbus, and executive produced by Henry Winkler (remember the Fonz?). Now, here are the actors: Nicolas Rowe, Alan Cox and Sophie Ward? Ever heard of them? (Each of their careers flourished in the UK, but not in the states). This film, while it does take great liberties with Doyle's writings, is highly entertaining. For the ladies, there's a touching love story set in the Victorian Era, for the guys, there's sword fighting and awesome special affects. For the kids, there's a mystery figure cloaked in black, as well as the screens' first completely computer generated character (If they tell you he looks fake, just say it was only 1985). Recently, near a London school for boys, several men have experienced violent, and unexplained deaths. Ther appears to be no connection between them, but a teen aged Sherlock Homes thinks differently. (Parents, don't worry, there's no "gore" in this one). This is an imaginative tale depicting how the infamous pair (Homes and Watson) might've met. Have fun pretending as you watch; if you're looking for accuracy and detail relating to Doyle's writings, you won't find it here. This movie follows the phrase "Lets just suppose"... A terrific family film, though specific scenes could be frightening for very young children. There is no sex (literal, or implied), and very little language (I think I counted 2 words). Have fun!

..."It's not true-- I was arrested last month in Brooklyn; they gave me a sandwich and some cigarettes-- it was Mozzerella Cheese."

This is the response of Estelle Rolffe when she is told,

"They don't give you nothing' in detention, honey."

She's in jail, and she's demanding to know:

"Who do you have to pay off to get a little water around here?"

Her son dutifully comes to pay her bail, and, asks her if it's ever going to stop... "marching for Washington, getting arrested, lying down in front of cars"...? But as Estelle reminds him, "I am who I am, you are who you are." She also says she doesn't mind going to jail for something she believes in. She's a firm believer that if the present generation would be a little more active, she could take it a little more easy. Her son Gilbert, is dominated by a spoiled, pampered wife, who never stops telling him that she wants him to move to California where her parents are. He's pushed around at work and never says a word. And somewhere in the middle of all this is the infamous Greta Garbo. We know Estelle adores her because we are introduced to her when she is crying her eyes out at the end of "Camille"-- possibly Garbo's best known film...

"You can get other opinions, but there's nothing to be done." When Estelle begins having headaches that turn out to be a brain tumor, Gilbert gets the news he must pass on to his mom. "That's an attitude she won't understand," he says. So, Estelle is given the "speech" for a woman who now has but a short time to live, and in response she says just one thing... It's not a last wish... she has a lot more, she's just short on time. Now, Gilbert is spending his lunch hours hunting for biographies and calling obscure phone numbers. In the process, he meets an eccentric, aspiring actress named Jane Mortimer, who adores him because he's so "off center." Estelle loves Garbo possibly even more than she loves Gilbert... What would you do?

When the film was released in 1984, the real Garbo was alive and well, and living in New York (where the film takes place). Many of the "rumoured" details of Garbo's later life are depicted in the story, such as her notorious hatred of photographers, her vacant apartments in the building where she lived, her Swedish maid, and mention that she still has the first nickel she ever made (by a forgotten actress who knew her back in the day). To create a movie centered around a woman still living, right in the city where she lived, must've indeed been a risk; and when you consider that the real Garbo was most famous in later life for her being a recluse, it makes the mystique of the movie greater. Superb performances by Anne Bancroft, Carrie Fisher, and Catherine Hicks, make this film one of my very favorites. The cheesy, 80's violin music in the scenes is way overkill, but under that is an endearing story of an admiration for a mother Gilbert loved, but didn't understand... so he goes on a journey which helps him understand himself better than ever before.

Ever heard this story: Movie is barley noticed when it is originally released, but later develops a cult following? So it is with this stunning 1979 film, paring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour as two lovers who must reunite after meeting, "Somewhere in Time." Check out the website for the society of "Somewhere in Time" Enthusiasts-- it's amazing! The idea for this incredibly romantic story was apparently based on the book "Bid Time Return," and the main locale in the movie is visited regularly by devoted fans (mentioned above). The real "Grand Hotel",is a summer resort, open May through October, and is on Mackinack Island in Michigan. Lovers of theatre will enjoy this because of a plot that centers around a staged play, and the period sets and costumes (c. 1912). Check out the photography! Awesome things are done with reflections and shadows, and using the camera as a character's eyes. There is an absolute vulnerability to each person-- we are right there routing for them (or not, as the case might be); and because of the incredible attention to detail, we feel as though we've been transported to the period the characters are in. All this, and a gorgeous soundtrack, which has also developed a cult following, to boot. With the tragic death of Christopher Reeve, this film seems to have developed a "memorial" sort of status, especially for those who visit the hotel to see where it all took place. This is the film I watch whenever I want to "escape" for a while, and I'm sure many others do as well. If you haven't seen it, do so!

When I was a kid, I recorded the episode of The Grimm Party on VHS tape. We recorded over it, and now, I dearly wish we hadn't. I've read that this episode of the ever-popular cable series is considered to be "lost". Is this true? Apparently, Starmaker, who released the series on DVD, tried to have The Grimm Party released with the collection, and could not. Realley?!! How sad. Who remembers it?... Shelley Duvall has a huge party to celebrate 3 years of FTT. She invites all actors involved in the series, and many of them ware their costumes from their episode. Shelley, however, doesn't have one. Her friend Teri Garr tells her she should hurry and find one, and says she'll be at the punch bowl. Shelley trips and hits her head and... well... suddenly she's in a courtroom, with the Brother's Grimm as her judges, and they are accusing her of tampering with classic literature, because of the changes she made to their beloved stories. She defends herself, by highlighting each tale, and proving that though they are embellished and enhanced, they are still the same stories.