According to Cher's book, he hated bikers and disliked that whole environment. He was even cold and rude to the actors playing the bikers. Except for Sam Elliott, whom he was intimidated by.
shareBogdanavich was a king in Hollywood at the beginning of his career, but then made a bunch of commercial flops for the decade between Paper Moon and Mask. Nickelodeon was the one that really sunk him. He was also in a relationship with a popular Playboy model, Dorothy Stratton, who was murdered by her estranged husband. This apparently caused him to take a four year break from filmmaking beginning in 1981. By the time 1984 rolled around he was probably happy to be hired to direct anything at all. Me, I think that Mask marked a sparkling return to Bogdonavich's early form.
shareHe did it because they paid him to do it, now I know that sounds strange for someone to work for money but it's just true.
Sure, some directors will work for free but when you're Peter the Great Bogdonavich, you just can't work for free. Some people gotta eat, you know.