From the director of Eraser, The Blob and A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 3: Dream Warriors comes The Mask, a wildly inventive live-action comic book adaptation with Looney Tunes flair, and one of the most iconic comedy films of the 1990s.
Stanley Ipkiss (Jim Carrey), a mild-mannered bank clerk in Edge City, can’t bring himself to approach Tina Carlyle (Cameron Diaz), a stunning nightclub singer who’s captured his heart. Everything changes when Stanley discovers an ancient mask with supernatural abilities, unleashing a bold, unstoppable and uncontrollable version of himself: the Mask. With reality-bending powers and boundless cartoon energy, Stanley becomes a whirlwind of mischief, soon attracting the attention of both the police and a crew of dangerous criminals.
What We Thought:
I saw The Mask in theaters with my sister when it first came out. I remember enjoying it and it was one of three big hits for Jim Carrey at the time. I probably hadn’t seen it in over 25 years though or at least a non-TV edited version.
Checking out this new 4K was neat because it felt new to me. I forgot about half the supporting cast and the noir-ish vibe it had. By being in a made up city without a set decade or timeline the film still holds up well. It doesn’t feel dated or have jokes/gags that date it. Carrey was a master of physical comedy and he got to physically act the crap out of the comic book character.
Watching it now it’s amazing how groundbreaking the effects were. Carrey did a lot of physical jokes, but the effects were really top-notch for the era as well. None of it feels cringe worthy and it holds up as well as Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and other live-action/animated/CGI films that helped define the genre.
Plus there’s Cameron Diaz. Man is she beautiful in the film. As a sort of classic damsel for Stanley to fall for, Diaz’s film debut is one for the record books. You can clearly see why she had a very good career following this.
But what I really dug about this 4K release of The Mask are the bonus features. There are two deleted scenes (with optional director commentary) that I found really interesting. In a deleted scene Amy Yasbeck’s journalist character is killed by Peter Greene when he first becomes The Mask. There is also an original opening that was deleted featuring Norsemen taking Loki’s mask to the US long before Columbus. In the 1990s Vikings weren’t as popular with the average movie goer as they are now. They cut it and just have a basic explanation of the mask being most likely Loki’s. There’s also a great feature about the comic coming to the big screen and the different adaptations along the way. This new 4K of The Mask is highly recommended for fans of the film.
Bonus Features:
4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative by Arrow Films approved by director Chuck Russell
4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio, lossless stereo audio and a brand new Dolby Atmos mix
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Archive audio commentary with Chuck Russell
Archive audio commentary with Chuck Russell, New Line co-chairman Bob Shaye, screenwriter Mike Werb, executive producer Mike Richardson, producer Bob Engelman, ILM VFX supervisor Scott Squires, animation supervisor Tom Bertino and cinematographer John R.
The Man Behind the Mask, a newly filmed interview with Chuck Russell
From Strip to Screen, a newly filmed interview with Mike Richardson, Mike Werb and Mark Verheiden
Green Faces Blue Screens, a newly filmed interview with visual effects supervisor Scott Squires
Sssssssplicin’!, a newly filmed interview with editor Arthur Coburn
Ask Peggy, a newly filmed interview with actor Amy Yasbeck
Toeing the Conga Line, a newly filmed interview with choreographer Jerry Evans featuring never-before-seen rehearsal footage
Terriermania, a new video essay by critic Elizabeth Purchell on canine sidekick Milo
Archival featurettes Return to Edge City, Introducing Cameron Diaz, Cartoon Logic, What Makes Fido Run, The Making Of, on-set interview bites with the cast and director and B-Roll footage
Deleted scenes, with optional commentary by director Chuck Russell
Theatrical trailer
Image gallery
Reversible sleeve featuring two original artwork options
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and original production notes
Double-sided fold-out poster featuring two original artwork options
Six postcard-sized reproduction artcards
The Nerds Templar 