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ARTS
The Michigan Daily Friday, April 12, 1985 Pag 6
Engaging
film
By Byron L. Bull
T hematically Mask has a lot in common with The
Elephant Man, in that both deal with a mon-
strously deformed but intelligent young man's
struggle to lead as normal a life as possible. But
unlike David Lynch's disturbingly dark, often night-
marish fable, Peter Bogdonovich's tale is warm,
bright, and surprisingly lighthearted.
Based loosely upon a real story, Mask takes place
in a lower middle class Southern California neigh-
borhood where 15 year old Rocky Dennis, (Eric
Stoltz) afflicted with a congenital disease that has
caused his skull to swell to almost twice its normal
size, lives with his mother, (played by the burgeoning
actress Cher) a pill popping, bed hopping motorcycle
moll. .
They have an odd relationship, Rocky being the
smart and more responsible of the two, with the
traditional roles often reversed so that he is looking
out for her at least as much as she does for him. Both
have long since accepted his deformity as a matter
of fact, with little if any pity. In fact as far as mom
any of her rowdy but good natured biker pals are con-
cerned, Rocky's disease is regarded about as
seriously as a bad case of acne. Some of the films best
one liners-it has a marveously flippant sense of
humor-revolve around the boys looks. Mom respon-
ds to one group of gawkers with a deadpanned,
"What's the matter, you never saw anyone from the
planet Vulcan before?"
Bogdonivich and scenarist Ann H. P
her first screenplay-avoid most of
metaphoric and symbolic claptrap one u
the film to flounder in. The film'st
light-most of the action takes place out
daylight-and though there's a tendency
charine sentimentality, particularly wh
ds romance with a beatiful, comely bli
film's overtly comic tone, with inspired
gang of keystone cop-like bikers, keeps
sinking into lowly Other Side of the Mo
jerker status.
Bogdonovich's hand may be cruderf
any other film-such as the very fineI
Show or Paper Moon with crudely stage
scenes that make the film as stylelessly1
made-for-TV movie, yet he keeps a prett
throughout even its more contrived m
minute Rocky walks into a carnival f
know he's going to run into a hall of mirro
he actually does, and is transfixed befo
mirror that reveals a face ironically nor
the moment has a quiet, unforced poigna
Eric Stoltz, under the elaborate, not
vincing latex prosthetic, is the crucia
what breathes life into the film. Locke
mask (which looks more realistic than1
real Rocky) with nothing to convey sub
otion but his voice and eyes, Stoltz
inexhaustible wealth of warmth and wi
his character instantly disarming, andE
unmasked -
Phelan-with There's not a single forced, overly intense thrust to
the cliched his performance, it is always honest, natural, corn-
would expect pletely convincing.
tone is kept The media machinery has focused all of the atte4-
in the bright tion on Cher-save for Bogdonovich's brief, failed
toward sac- legal battle to have some excised Springsteen songs
en Rocky fin- put back into the soundtrack-and though she's per-
ind girl-the fectly fine in the role, one has to suspect that all th'e
twists like a hype has more to do with this being her first starring
Mask from role than because of the level of her performance.
ountain tear- Yes she does have impressively natural, relaxed
camera presence, as well as ample skill and insight,
here than in and she sinks into and flushes out the role of a woman
Last Picture who is both toughened and streetwise but still heavily
d and filmed dependent on her child. But her part, often used for
banal as any comic relief, is not so demanding, its strictly a sup-
y honest tone porting role. Likewise Sam Elliot; as her sometimes
oments. The lover, a silent but strong and smart loner who is little
unhouse you more than a limp reworking of an old
ors, but when stereotype-he'd look as natural riding into the filn
re a warped on a horse as he does his Harley.
mal looking, There's not a single idiosyncracy or defining
ncy. feature to his character, he's all statuesque stalwar-
always con- tness without a shadow of any depth, and his sole
1 element of purpose as Cher's romantic interest only detracts
d into a rigid from the story.
photos of the Mask is a sometimes staid, though often genuinely
tleties of em- charming affair. It tends to wallow in melodramatic
exudes an soppiness, but it also has a distinctively senstive mix
t that makes of compassion and wit, which makes it a cute,
even affable. engaging little film.
'Cher and Sam Elliot star in 'Mask', a movie based loosely on the true story of
a boy with a-congenital disease that causes his skull to swell to almost twice
its normal size.
ZONTA
CLUB
of Ann Arbor announces its
ANNUAL.
RUMMAGE SALE
National Guard Armory
223 East Ann
Fri., April 19th, 5-8:30 p.m.
Sat., April 20th, 9-2:00 p.m.
Zonta appreciates any donation
of new and used household goods and
wearing apparel.
Call for pick-up: 668-8275 or 663-0736
'U' student's video goes MTV
By Beth Fertig
T his Sunday, at 10 p.m., MTV's
"Basement Tapes" will feature a
video directed by LSA senior, Paul
Devlin. Devlin, a first place winner of
last month's Michigan Media National
Subac'dibeto
The
i{iea
Uai~q
Student Video Festival, shot the clip
this past semester of a hometown band,
the Blases.
Devlin has good reason to be excited.
His video was sent to MTV only last
month, and if it wins this and a winner's
round of "Basement Tapes," his for-
mer New Brunswick, N.J. high school
classmates, the subjects of his video,
could launch a recording career on
Electra records. Says Devlin, "I'm not
too hopeful. I'm a little worried," he
explained, "It's pretty scary. They (the
band) have no experience with recor-
ding contracts."
The subject of Devlin's video, The
Blases, have been together for several
years, and tour the New Jersey and
New York area. After they recorded an
original song, titled "You Don't Know
Me," Devlin returned to New Jersey to
direct a video for them. He and the
band spent about five weekends
scouting the state and accumulating
sixteen millimeter footage for the clip;
a wonderfully syncopated montage that
contains everyt;.ing from seacoast
shots with the New York City skyline, tp
hot air ballons and wedding scene
featuring the band. Devlin explains that
they just located various events in the
state and got out there to film them. Af-
ter returning to Michigan, Devlin tran-
sferred the film to video in Detroit and
edited it at the LS&A Media Center.
Devlin's efforts have paid off well.
.'You Don't Know Me" is an exciting,
fun, and thoroughly absorbing video
with a professional flare. The uptempo,
synth-rock song has been effectively
filled with images which Devlin has
precisely coordinated to its rhythm.
In addition to the MTV debut, "Night
Flight," the USA Network's video show
has responded to the piece and will be
airing it on May 3.
Although he had worked with Super 8
in high school, Devlin has only been
working with video since his
sophomore year here. Last month, in
the Michigan Media National Student
Video Festival, he took first prize ($500)
in the "Short Subject Fiction"
category.His clever, ten minute clip
titled, "The Squareball," was one of 175
entries from high school and college
students nationwide appearing .in the
Festival. It was shot in the L s A
Media Center, in the basement of
Angell Hall.
Tune into MTV this Sunday
night-with the aid of your phone-in
votes, this round of "Basement Tapes"
could be a victorious one that promotes
the career of an upcoming University
talent.
A
0
A
iCOMEDY Needs tor
ECOMPANY Fal'85
Live EXPERIENCED*
Generous Cat
Peter "Madcat" Ruth, Ann Arbor's coolest harmonicat will perform a
benefit concert tonight at 8 p.m. at the U-Ballroom. Proceeds go to the Pound
House Children's Center. Tickets are $5 and are available at CTC outlets and
at the door.
1
- .Records
-MONO
E Nik
Informational meeting (MC.
MONDAY. APRIL 15, 7:30pm, UAC Offices Fo.
for more info call UAC 763-1107, Jay 996-1964, or debut
-4spawn
Ann 7&478~ - Be Go
Kershaw-The Riddle
A)
llowing up on the success of his
album Human Racing, which
ned the infectious hit "Wouldn't It
od," Nik Kershaw has released a
new album that is riding the charts
titled The Riddle.
Kershaw's songs mix music that has
pure pop appeal, with lyrics that take a
rather critical, and slightly mocking
view of the world around hit .One
could call it whining, as his voice rarely
flexes past a familiar range of about
four or five notes. After several songs,
this can become a little annoying to the
ears.
Lyrically, The Riddle ranges from
clever and witty (e.g. "The Riddle,"
"Roses") to somewhat inane, such as
"Know How" or "Might Be". His hooks
could use some work along the lines of
thought inspiration. It is sometimes
hard to take his writing seriously if you
just look at the lyric sheet, as some
pieces have simple lines that keep
repeating.
Kershaw's downbeat observations,
however, are more than balanced by
music that is uptempo and danceable.
Although not as creative a synthesizer-
oriented artist as Howard Jones or
Herbie Hancock (who have some really
wild arrangements), Kershaw does
have a flare for seizing interesting
melodies. Many of his songs have a way
of slowing down, or dragging
musically, and then picking up again;
which makes them more unusual and
likeable than those of the average syn-
th-band.
There is only one song that seems
Worl
Conv
d Traveler Pack
ertible from luggage to backpack
EL ITEMS:
'rters
elts
really out of place on this album-the S
ballad, "Save the Whale". Kershaw
singing is noticeably whiney, as it is set
to music that sinks equally, in a poolbf
pleading, save the whale-save the
whale-save the whale... Well, his
heart is in the right place.
Some more creative use of Kershaw's
voice could probably help his material,
as it functions more as merely anothjer
instrument than as the solo part it could
be. Different melodies or harmonies
might make him seem less whiney, and
the music easier to listen to. A new niix
of "Wouldn't it Be Good" that appears
on this new album has pushed his voice
up a bit, making it stronger.
Still, in moderate doses, The Riddleis
a decent album,despite these questiong,
that can be rather fun at times-even
with it's healthy dose of pessimism.
-Beth Fertg
March of Dimes
BIRTH DEFECTS FOUNDATION
SAVES BABIES
HELP FIGHT
BIRTH DEFECTS
HARD TO FIND TRAVE
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..--
._.