The Mask (1994)

Bank clerk Stanley Ipkiss is transformed into a manic superhero when he wears a mysterious mask.

Director:

Chuck Russell (as Charles Russell)

Writers:

Michael Fallon (story), Mark Verheiden (story)

Stars:

Jim Carrey, Cameron Diaz, Peter Riegert

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 6 wins & 19 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jim Carrey	...	Stanley Ipkiss
Peter Riegert	...	Lt. Mitch Kellaway
Peter Greene	...	Dorian
Amy Yasbeck	...	Peggy Brandt
Richard Jeni	...	Charlie Schumaker
Orestes Matacena	...	Niko
Tim Bagley	...	Irv (as Timothy Bagley)
Nancy Fish	...	Mrs. Peenman
Johnny Williams	...	Burt
Reg E. Cathey	...	Freeze (as Reginald E. Cathey)
Jim Doughan	...	Doyle
Denis Forest	...	Sweet Eddy
Cameron Diaz	...	Tina Carlyle
Joseph Alfieri	...	Police Officer
B.J. Barie	...	Alley Punk #1

Storyline

Stanley Ipkiss (Jim Carrey) is a bank clerk that is an incredibly nice man. Unfortunately, he is too nice for his own good and is a pushover when it comes to confrontations. After one of the worst days of his life, he finds a mask that depicts Loki, the Norse night god of mischief. Now, when he puts it on, he becomes his inner, self: a cartoon romantic wild man. However, a small time crime boss, Dorian Tyrel (Peter Greene), comes across this character dubbed "The Mask" by the media. After Ipkiss's alter ego indirectly kills his friend in crime, Tyrel now wants this green-faced goon destroyed.

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Plot Keywords:

pantyhose | alter ego | super villain | camera shot of feet | female stockinged feet | 

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Taglines:

Stanley Ipkiss is not the man he used to be.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Fantasy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some stylized violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English Swedish

Release Date:

29 July 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Mask

Filming Locations:

City Hall - 14410 Sylvan Street, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$23,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$23,117,068, 31 July 1994

Gross USA:

$119,938,730

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$351,583,407

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dark Horse Entertainment, New Line Cinema

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min 114 min (workprint)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby (Dolby Stereo) Dolby Digital (DVD)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

If you look closely, you will notice that the Mask wears clothing whose patterns match the pattern/color of Tina's clothes. For example, in their first scene together (the dance scene at the Coco Bongo), The Mask wears a yellow zoot suit while Tina wears a white and gold mini-dress (which symbolizes their attraction, for they both are wearing the same color of "yellow-gold/ or banana-yellow"). In the second scene (the Park Serenade scene) The Mask wears black and white French mime clothing (indicating his imitations of Pepe Le Pew) while Tina is wearing black pants, and a jacket with a black and white pattern on it ( the main colors of Penelope Pussycat, Pepe Le Pew's love interest). In their last scene (the scene where The Mask rescues Tina by swallowing Tyrell's bomb and flushes him down the Coco Bongo's ornamental fountain), the Mask wears a pinstriped Mafia suit, while Tina wears a vertical stripe-patterned dress.

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Goofs

At the beginning, when the diver discovers the chest, there are at least two dozen rocks on top of it. When he swims over to it, about a dozen rocks are on top of it.

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Quotes

Dorian Tyrell: Stanley! Tell me. How's this mask work?
Stanley Ipkiss: I don't know. You just put it on.
[Dorian is about to put on the mask]
Eddy: Boss! You better be carefull, huh?
[Dorian puts on the mask and transforms himself into The Mask]
Dorian Tyrell: [now in deepend voice] What a rush!
Eddy: Wow, boss! You're okay?
Dorian Tyrell: Better than ever, you idiot.
Eddy: What do we do with Ipkiss?
Dorian Tyrell: The police are looking for The Mask. So, we'll give them The Mask.

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Crazy Credits

(VHS): After the movie's over, Space Ghost from Cartoon Network makes an appearance explaining he liked the movie and interviews the director and Jim Carrey. After that, there's a Ghostplanet.org ad with spaceship beeping sounds

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Alternate Versions

New Line Home Video released a "Family Edited Edition" on VHS. This PG version has some obscenities and profanities removed.

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Connections

Spoofed in Spy Hard (1996)

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Soundtracks

Who's That Man
Written by Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, Latosha Scott, and Tamika Scott
Performed by Xscape
Courtesy of Columbia Records

User Reviews

S-s-s-s-mokin'!

Jim Carrey plays Stanley Ipkiss, a "zero" as the film tagline says, who never speaks his mind about anything. The typical mild-mannered guy.

After Stanley finds an enchanted mask under a bridge one day, though, everything changes. He goes from "zero to hero". But first, he plays around with his new found menacing powers.

Calling the mask a hero is like calling Hitler kind of a good guy. The mask makes Stanley rob banks, scare people and more. He's half-hero.

"The Mask" is not great, but it fits Carrey's film persona quite well. He bounces off the wall (literally) and just doesn't sit still. Typical Carrey.

If you're not one for loser-to-hero films or wacky slapstick, don't see "The Mask". Otherwise, it's worth a peek.

3/5 stars