The Mask (1994)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Chuck Russell

Writers (WGA):

Michael Fallon (story) and
Mark Verheiden (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

29 July 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Fantasy | Romance

Tagline:

From zero to hero

Plot:

Bank clerk Stanley Ipkiss is transformed into a manic super-hero when he wears a mysterious mask.

Plot Keywords:

Mask | Bank | Bank Clerk | Superhero | Beauty

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 6 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

Jim Carrey	...	Stanley Ipkiss
Peter Riegert	...	Lt. Mitch Kellaway
Peter Greene	...	Dorian Tyrell
Amy Yasbeck	...	Peggy Brandt
Richard Jeni	...	Charlie Schumaker
Orestes Matacena	...	Niko
Tim Bagley	...	Irv Ripley
Nancy Fish	...	Mrs. Peenman
Johnny Williams	...	Burt Ripley
Reg E. Cathey	...	Freeze (as Reginald E. Cathey)
Jim Doughan	...	Detective Doyle
Denis Forest	...	Sweet Eddy
Cameron Diaz	...	Tina Carlyle
Joseph Alfieri	...	Police Officer
B.J. Barie	...	Alley Punk #1
Catherine Berge	...	Cigarette Girl
Phil Boardman	...	Guard
Krista Buonauro	...	Lady Cop
Debra Casey	...	Alley Punk #3
Blake Clark	...	Murray
Christopher Darga	...	Paramedic #3
Suzanne Dunn	...	Reporter
Joely Fisher	...	Maggie
Kevin Grevioux	...	Henchman #7
Peter Jazwinski	...	Park Policeman
Howard Kay	...	Niko's Thug #2
Robert Keith	...	Police Officer
Beau Lotterman	...	Megaphone Cop
Scott McElroy	...	Niko's Thug #1
Richard Montes	...	Henchman #1
Ivory Ocean	...	Mayor Mitchell Tilton
Robert O'Reilly	...	The Figure
Louis Ortiz	...	Coco Bongo Vallet
Daniel James Peterson	...	Henchman #6
Jeremy Roberts	...	Bobby the Bouncer
Eamonn Roche	...	Mr. Dickey
Randi Ruimy	...	Screaming Lady
Ben Stein	...	Dr. Arthur Neuman (as Benjamin J. Stein)
Nils Allen Stewart	...	Orlando
Chris Taylor	...	Coco Bongo Cop #1
Bullet Valmont	...	Alley Punk #2
Wendy L. Walsh	...	Herself (as Wendy Walsh)
Meadow Williams	...	Pebbles
Max	...	Milo the Dog
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Leslie Cook	...	Dancing policewoman (uncredited)
Krista Miller	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Richard Raynesford	...	Bodyguard (uncredited)
Rebecca Ryiz	...	Uncredited (uncredited)
Garret Sato	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Chuck Russell		(as Charles Russell)

Writing credits (WGA)
Michael Fallon		(story) and
Mark Verheiden		(story)
Mike Werb		(screenplay)

Produced by
Ann Burgund	....	associate producer
Michael De Luca	....	executive producer
Robert Engelman	....	producer (as Bob Engelman)
Carla Fry	....	associate producer
Mike Richardson	....	executive producer
Chuck Russell	....	executive producer (as Charles Russell)

Original Music by
Randy Edelman

Cinematography by
John R. Leonetti

Film Editing by
Arthur Coburn

Casting by
Fern Champion
Mark Paladini

Production Design by
Craig Stearns

Art Direction by
Randy Moore

Set Decoration by
Ellen Totleben

Costume Design by
Ha Nguyen

Makeup Department
Roland Blancaflor	....	makeup effects crew: Cannom Creations
Greg Cannom	....	creator special makeup
Larry Odien	....	special makeup effects
Nina Paskowitz	....	hair department head
Keith VanderLaan	....	makeup effects crew: Cannom Creations

Production Management
Robert Engelman	....	unit production manager (as Bob Engelman)
Steven Kaminsky	....	post-production supervisor
Deborah Moore	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ty Arnold	....	second second assistant director
Bryan Dresden	....	second assistant director
Denis L. Stewart	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Linda S. Brown	....	assistant set decorator
Matthew Gilbert	....	set dresser
Christopher Gilman	....	prop masks and mask effects
David Kann	....	second assistant property master
Jane Kilkenny	....	model builder
Stephen MacMillin	....	swing gang set dresser
Brent David Mannon	....	assistant property master
Eugene McCarthy	....	property master: additional photography
Bruce Mink	....	property master
Erik Olson	....	assistant art director
Frank Samuel	....	assistant art director
Pete von Sholly	....	storyboard artist
Julie Witherington	....	on-set dresser (as Julie Sexsmith)

Sound Department
Andrew Boland	....	sound recording engineer
Ricardo Broadus	....	sound effects editor
Jim Brookshire	....	dialogue editor
Craig Clark	....	supervising sound editor
Harry Cohen	....	sound designer
Gloria Cooper	....	boom operator
David Farmer	....	sound effects editor
William Freesh	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tim Gedemer	....	sound designer
Robert Guastini	....	adr recordist
Alan Howarth	....	sound effects
Mark Hopkins McNabb	....	production sound mixer
Vince Nicastro	....	foley artist
Terry O'Bright	....	sound re-recording mixer
Allan Schultz	....	sound editor
Ann Scibelli	....	sound designer
Tony Sereno	....	sound re-recording mixer
Cathie Speakman	....	dialogue editor
Cathie Speakman	....	sound editor
Ken Teaney	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steven D. Williams	....	supervising sound editor (as Steven Williams)
Harry Woolway	....	assistant sound editor
Jerry Trent	....	dance foley (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Charles Belardinelli	....	special effects key
Thomas L. Bellissimo	....	special effects coordinator
Peter A. Chevako	....	animatronic technician
Raul Essig	....	technical assistant
Mike Measimer	....	special effects technician
George Zamora	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Joe Alter	....	digital effects artist
Karen Ansel	....	technical director: ILM
Mark Axton	....	digital effects coordinator: DQI (as Mark R. Axton)
Tom Bertino	....	animation supervisor
Jill Brooks	....	visual effects coordinator
Rob Burton	....	visual effects
Doug Chiang	....	visual effects art direction supervisor
Craig Clark	....	digital roto and paint artist
Rob Coleman	....	computer graphics animator
Peter Daulton	....	matchmove
Jon Farhat	....	visual effects supervisor
Clint Goldman	....	animation and visual effects producer: ILM
Mark Gutterud	....	VistaVision camera operator
Corey Hels	....	digital effects artist
Wade Howie	....	digital effects artist
Paul Hunt	....	animator
Paul Hunt	....	digital effects artist
Benton Jew	....	visual effects art director
Sandra Ford Karpman	....	computer graphics sequence supervisor
Blaine Kennison	....	compositing supervisor
Bill Kimberlin	....	visual effects editor
Christian Kubsch	....	associate visual effects producer
Jennifer Lee	....	optical line up: ILM
Stewart Lew	....	CG animator
Jacqueline M. Lopez	....	visual effects coordinator
Euan K. MacDonald	....	technical director: visual effects
Robert Marinic	....	computer graphics artist
Dale McBeath	....	character animator
Richard Miller	....	sculptor
Derrick Mitchell	....	visual effects editor
Jim Mitchell	....	computer graphics sequence supervisor
Jim Morris	....	general manager: ILM
John Murrah	....	technical director
Patrick Neary	....	computer graphics technical assistant
Michael Olague	....	visual effects gaffer
Shawna Olwen	....	digital artist
Jason Piccioni	....	imaging technician
Ellen Poon	....	computer graphics sequence supervisor
Ken Ralston	....	visual effects consultant
Carolyn Ensle Rendu	....	3D digital artist
Susan Ross	....	viewpainter
Scott Squires	....	ilm visual effects supervisor
Scott Squires	....	visual effects consultant
Robert Stadd	....	visual effects producer
John Stillman	....	computer graphics resource assistant
Catherine Tate	....	digital artist: ILM
Chad Taylor	....	Sabre artist: ILM
Danny Gordon Taylor	....	CG animator
Barbara Townsend	....	digital artist
Barbara Townsend	....	digital effects artist (as Barbara L. Nellis)
Dennis Turner	....	digital effects artist
Robert Weaver	....	technical director
Steve 'Spaz' Williams	....	visual effects animation supervisor: ILM
Steve 'Spaz' Williams	....	visual effects consultant
Habib Zargarpour	....	computer effects artist: ILM
John Andrew Berton Jr.	....	CG department manager (uncredited)
Greg Butler	....	assistant to visual effects producer (uncredited)
John Lafauce	....	rotoscope artist (uncredited)
Brian Leach	....	digital artist (uncredited)
Brian Ripley	....	propmaker: Global Effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Joni Avery	....	stunts
Rick Barker	....	stunt coordinator
Rick Barker	....	stunts
Daniel W. Barringer	....	stunts
Kenny Bates	....	stunts
Steve Berens	....	stunts
Clay Boss	....	stunts
Dan Bradley	....	stunts
Bob Brown	....	stunts
Tony Brubaker	....	stunts
John Cade	....	stunts
Scott Alan Cook	....	stunts
Jake Crawford	....	stunts
J. Mark Donaldson	....	stunts (as Mark Donaldson)
Chris Durand	....	stunts
Andy Epper	....	stunts (as Andrew W. Epper)
Danny Epper	....	stunts
Gary Epper	....	stunts
Jon H. Epstein	....	stunts (as Jon Epstein)
Glory Fioramonti	....	stunts
Richie Gaona	....	stunts
Donna Keegan	....	stunts
Henry Kingi	....	stunts
Lane Leavitt	....	stunts
Gary Littlejohn	....	stunts
Ray Lykins	....	stunts
Steve Madaras	....	stunts
Eddie Matthews	....	stunts
John Moio	....	stunts
Eddie Mulder	....	stunts
Pee Wee Piemonte	....	stunts (as Richard 'Pee Wee' Piemonte)
Sorin Serene Pricopie	....	stunts
Troy Robinson	....	stunts
Garret Sato	....	stunts
Rick Sawaya	....	stunts
Melodee Spevack	....	stunt double: Amy Yasbeck
Jim Stephan	....	stunts
Heather Taylor	....	stunts
Frank Torres	....	stunts
Lee Waddell	....	stunts (as Rex Lee Waddell Jr.)
Cheryl Wheeler-Dixon	....	stunts (as Cheryl M. Wheeler)

Camera and Electrical Department
Casey Bridges	....	camera loader
Henry Coccetti Jr.	....	best boy electric
Hugo Cortina	....	camera operator
Tim Day	....	best boy grip
Christopher Faloona	....	gaffer
Bruce Green	....	Steadicam operator
Rob J. Greenlea	....	grip
Mark Gutterud	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Mark Irwin	....	additional photographer
Josh Medak	....	assistant camera
Darren Michaels	....	unit & specials photographer
David Pearlberg	....	dolly grip
Rafael E. Sánchez	....	key grip
Mark Santoni	....	second assistant camera
Lee Schmicker	....	best boy electric
Charles M. Smallwood	....	key grip: additional photography
Glenn M. Student	....	grip
Chris Trillo	....	rigging gaffer
Stephen J. Ullman	....	assistant camera
Gary Katsuya Ushino	....	first assistant camera: additional photography

Casting Department
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Rich King	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Christopher J. Kristoff	....	costume supervisor
Gretchen Patch	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Jane Archambault	....	negative cutter
Jennifer Jean Cacavas	....	additional assistant editor
Syd Cole	....	negative cutter
Marie Hélène Desbiens	....	negative cutter
Joe Fineman	....	executive in charge of post-production
Angela Jackson	....	assistant editor
Mato	....	color timer
Louis Rivera	....	negative cutter
Scot Deer	....	telecine colorist (uncredited)
Robert Lattanzio	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Karin Levinson	....	apprentice film editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Elton Ahi	....	scoring mixer
Andrew Boland	....	score mixer
Susan Boyd	....	singing voice
Bonnie Greenberg	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Mark Brown	....	driver: production van

Other crew
Francis Choquette	....	production assistant
David Crockett	....	assistant accountant
Jerry Evans	....	choreographer
Anne Fletcher	....	dancer
Mary-Rachel Foot	....	background key artist
M.K. Gleason	....	production accountant
Glen Hanz	....	sculptor: Cannom Creations
Deborah Landis	....	photo double: Cameron Diaz
Marlene Lang	....	assistant choreographer
Joseph McCarter	....	animal owner
Joseph McCarter	....	animal trainer
Phill Norman	....	title designer
Cynthia Phillips	....	first assistant accountant
Gary Platek	....	cloud effects
Charlotte Purein	....	location assistant
Tricia Ronten	....	script supervisor
J. Marc Strachan	....	location manager (as Marc Strachan)
Terry Trebilcock	....	craft service
Lisa Van Cott	....	production coordinator
Mark Van Horne	....	laboratory contact
Mark Vollmer	....	boat operator
Jayson Wall	....	film restoration coordinator (2004 restoration)
C. Ransom Walrod	....	marine coordinator

Thanks
Frank Darabont	....	special thanks
Harold Ramis	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Dark Horse Entertainment
• New Line Cinema

Distributors

• New Line Cinema (1994) (USA) (theatrical)
• Fox Network (1997) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• AMLF (1994) (France) (theatrical)
• Lucernafilm - Beta (1995) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Laurenfilm (Spain)
• New Line Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• New Line Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• New Line Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• PlayArte Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• PlayArte Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Roadshow Entertainment Video (Australia) (VHS)
• Roadshow Entertainment (Australia)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (Argentina) (video)

Special Effects

• Dream Quest Images
• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)

Other Companies

• Mi Casa Multimedia  DVD audio mix & mastering 5.1, 6.1
• Christopher Gilman Global Effects  prop masks
• Cinelease  additional production equipment provided by
• Columbia Records  soundtrack published by
• EFX Systems  digital sound and re-recording
• Film House  prints
• FotoKem Film and Video  color timing
• Howard Anderson Company, The  end titles and opticals (as Howard A. Anderson Company)
• Leonetti Company  production equipment provided by
• Magic Film and Video Works  negative cutting
• Pacific Title  additional opticals
• Pacific Title  main titles
• Steve Berens' Animals of Distinction  animals supplied by
• Studio Sea  marine coordination
• The Irish Film Orchestra  score performed by
• Title House  additional opticals
• Windmill Lane Recording Studios  score recorded and mixed at

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some stylized violence.

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS-Stereo | DTS

Certification:

Argentina:Atp (original rating) | Brazil:Livre | Ireland:12 | Iceland:12 | USA:TV-PG (edited tv version) | UK:12 (DVD rating) | USA:PG (cut) | New Zealand:M | Australia:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:II | Japan:U | Netherlands:AL | Norway:15 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 | Thailand:PD-14

Filming Locations:

6th Street Viaduct, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Dark Horse Entertainment

Trivia:

Years before Son of the Mask (2005), there was, at some point, plans for "The Mask II", but that sequel was canceled. There was even a contest from Nintendo Power magazine where first prize was a walk-on role in that movie.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: At the first of the movie when the diver is trying to break the chain on the chest containing the mask, the pipe that falls from above makes a clanging sound as if it were metal but it is in fact PVC pipe. It appears to be painted black (PVC water pipe is usually white). The ridge on the bell end of the pipe has a rubber gasket in it so the pipe will seal when connected to another piece of pipe.

Quotes:

Eddy: The money better be here, Ipkiss. Or you're gonna "Ipkiss" your ass goodbye.

Movie Connections:

Spin off "The Mask" (1995)

Soundtrack:

This Business Of Love

How to cast Jim Carrey

It's hard to use Jim Carrey in a movie. He's very good at his rapid-fire mimicry routine, but how can it ever be anything other than a diversion from both character and story? (Very rarely is it a pleasant diversion. `Ace Ventura' was unendurable.) And yet, what else can you do with him?

The `Mask' solves the problem so neatly it almost cheats. The story is ABOUT someone with a double life - so by day, Carrey does all the character and story stuff, and by night, wearing the mask, he does his stand-up schtick. The two are as integrated as they need to be. It's pulled off with such an air of innocence I can't possibly complain. SOME of the clichés (those to do with the police especially) are so very worn out that even the most thorough of movie-goers is surprised to find them still alive; but the writer seems to have been honestly unaware that they were clichés, so that's okay.

I was told that the film is saturated with animation in-jokes. I couldn't spot very many. Stanley-with-the-mask has the soul of a Tex Avery cartoon character: I suspect that's all there is to it. The computer animation, or the computer-enhancement of Carrey's animation, is tastefully done. It never looks pasted over the top of the footage the way so much computer animation does. (`The Mask' failed to win an Oscar in the special effects category - like so many other more deserving films, it was beaten by `Forrest Gump'.) The Cuban dance numbers are irresistible, as is Stanley's pet dog. Sure, `The Mask' is no masterpiece, but it's a clever, charming film that richly deserved its runaway success.