Director Peter Bogdanovich made this movie as a tribute to his former lover, the late model and actress Dorothy Stratten. Bogdanovich recounted how Stratten was interested in the story of Joseph "John" Merrick, better known as "The Elephant Man". She felt a strong relation to Merrick, as she also felt like an outsider. She felt greatly distressed when people looked at her on the street, as though she "got ice cream on her dress."
Rocky Dennis:
These things are good: ice cream and cake, a ride on a Harley, seeing monkeys in the trees, the rain on my tongue, and the sun shining on my face. These things are a drag: dust in my hair, holes in my shoes, no money in my pocket, and the sun ...
When Dozer hugs Rocky at the graduation, Rockys latex makeup/face wrinkles by his eye.
The Director's Cut print runs around 7 minutes longer and includes a scene where Rocky & Rusty sing around a bonfire, and the funeral of cyclist Red (his motorbike is buried beside him). It also replaces the Bob Seger songs with those of Bruce Springsteen.
English
$8,000,000 (estimated)
$135,499 10 March 1985
$48,230,162
$48,230,162