From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Mask
Movie poster
Directed by	Chuck Russell
Produced by	Bob Engelman
Written by	Michael Fallon (story) Mark Verheiden (story) Mike Werb (screenplay)
Starring	Jim Carrey Cameron Diaz Peter Greene Richard Jeni Peter Riegert Amy Yasbeck Orestes Matacena
Music by	Randy Edelman
Cinematography	John R. Leonetti
Editing by	Arthur Coburn
Distributed by	New Line Cinema
Release date(s)	July 29, 1994
Running time	97 min.
Country	USA
Language	English
Budget	$23,000,000
Gross revenue	Domestic 119,938,730 Foreign $231,644,677 Worldwide $351,583,407
Followed by	Son of the Mask
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

The Mask is an Oscar-nominated action comedy film based on a series of comic books published by Dark Horse Comics. This film was directed by Chuck Russell, produced by Dark Horse Entertainment and New Line Cinema, and originally released to movie theatres in 1994. The film stars Jim Carrey as Stanley Ipkiss (also known as The Mask) who was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role and Cameron Diaz in her film debut as Tina Carlyle.

This movie is rated PG-13 by the MPAA.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Characters 3.1 Stanley Ipkiss/The Mask 3.2 Dorian Tyrell/The Mask 3.3 Tina Carlyle 3.4 Niko 4 Production 5 Reaction 6 Cultural and literary allusions 7 Sequel 8 Soundtrack 9 References 10 External links

Edge City bank clerk Stanley Ipkiss is a shy, luckless romantic who is regularly bullied by nearly everyone around him: his boss, landlady, and even car mechanics; his only friends are his cocky but good-natured co-worker Charlie and his small but heroic dog Milo. Dorian Tyrell is a gangster who runs the exclusive Coco Bongo nightclub, while plotting the overthrow of his crimelord boss Niko. Tyrell sends his singer girlfriend Tina Carlyle into Stanley's bank with a hidden camera, as part of Tyrell's plan to rob the establishment.

Stanley is smitten by Tina and she seems possibly interested in him, but this is the only good thing to happen during this particularly miserable day; after being ejected from the Coco Bongo, Stanley ends up at the city's filthy harbor, where he finds a mysterious wooden mask. When he takes the object home and puts it on, it wraps itself around his head, and brings forth the repressed side of his personality: a wackily-suited green-skinned wildman, "The Mask", who cheerfully gets revenge on some of Stanley's tormenters, along with turning the tables on an unfortunate street gang which attempts to terrorize him.

The next morning Stanley has a run in with world-weary Edge City policeman Lieutenant Kellaway and hustling newspaper reporter Peggy Brandt, both of whom are investigating the Mask's activities of the previous night. Despite these threats, the temptation to again use the mask is overwhelming, and he puts it back on. Needing money to attend one of Tina's performances at the Coco Bongo, the Mask noisily interrupts Tyrell's bank robbery and make off with the cash; Tyrell's pointman on the job is shot dead by police responding to the disturbance. The Mask uses the money to buy entry into the Coco Bongo, where he "rocks the joint", exuberantly dancing with Tina in front of the cheering clientele before being confronted by Tyrell. The Mask literally bounces away, while Tyrell is temporarily arrested for the bank robbery by Kellaway, who also finds a piece of Stanley's distinctive pajamas left behind at the scene.

The next day Stanley consults an expert on masks, who tells him the object is a depiction of Loki, the Norse god of darkness and mischief (and thus only works at night.) Despite this, and with both Tyrell and Kellaway hunting down his trail, a more confident Stanley stands up to his boss and arranges for Tina to meet his friend, the Mask, at the local Landfill Park. The meeting goes badly, with Tina being scared away by the Mask's overly-forward advances and Kellaway appearing to arrest Stanley. The Mask toys with the enraged officer before zooming out of the park and magicing a large chunk of the Edge City police force into joining him in a mass-performance of the song Cuban Pete. Peggy helps Stanley escape, but turns him over to Tyrell for a briefcase of reward money. Tyrell forces Stanley to explain how the mask works and then tries it on, becoming a demonic troll-figure. Stanley is dumped in Kellaway's lap with a cheap green mask and is thrown into jail.

Tina sympathetically visits Stanley in his cell, where he urges her to flee the city. She attempts to do so, but is captured by Tyrell and dragged along on his raid on a big charity ball at the Coco Bongo, hosted by Niko and attended by the city's elite. Niko is killed, and Mask-Tyrell prepares to blow up both the club and Tina. With Milo's help, Stanley breaks out of jail and goes to the club. After brief initial success, after knocking out one of Tyrell's men and handing the thug's gun to Charlie telling him to "start sneaking people out the back", he is captured. Tina tricks Tyrell into taking off the mask, which gets kicked into the air. Milo sticks his head into the artifact, and the resulting pitbull assists maskless Stanley in successfully beating down Tyrell and his henchmen. Stanley retrieves the mask and wears it one last time, swallowing the bomb and literally flushing Tyrell down the drain of the club's ornamental fountain. The city's mayor, witnessing most of this, thinks that Tyrell was the Mask all along, and calls off Kellaway.

As the sun rises, Stanley, Tina, Milo and Charlie take the mask back down to the harbor, where Stanley and Tina toss the object into the water. As they kiss, Charlie jumps in after it, only to find Milo swimming away with it.

• Jim Carrey as Stanley Ipkiss/The Mask
• Peter Riegert as Lt. Mitch Kellaway
• Peter Greene as Dorian Tyrell/The Mask
• Cameron Diaz as Tina Carlyle
• Orestes Matacena as Niko
• Richard Jeni as Charlie Schumaker
• Amy Yasbeck as Peggy Brandt
• Ben Stein as Dr. Arthur Neuman
• Reginald E. Carthey as Freeze
• Denis Forest as Sweet Eddy
• Mark Denney as Himself

Nancy Fish

The main protagonist of the film, Stanley is a banker who, on a particular messy day finds a mysterious wooden mask. When Ipkiss puts on the Mask, he becomes a whacky, zoot-suited, suave man. Ipkiss falls in love with Tina Carlyle, the dancer at the Coco Bongo and girlfriend of local mobster Dorian Tyrell. Ipkiss is later betrayed by his associate Peggy Brandt, who sells him out to Dorian and his men in return for money. Ipkiss is arrested by police detectives Lt. Mitch Kelloway and his partner Doyle. He manages to break free with the help of his dog and sidekick, Milo, along with a reluctant Kelloway. Ipkiss sets out to rescue Tina and many other lives from Tyrell (as the Mask) who was plotting to overthrow his boss, Niko. Ipkiss sneaks into the casino, only to be captured by Tyrell's henchman, Orlando. Tina tricks Dorian into removing the Mask, kicking it into the air, where it caught by Milo. Stanley and Dorian fight, until Ipkiss gains the strength and courage, knocking out Tyrell. Ipkiss scares away Tyrell's men (as the Mask) and swallows the bomb. He then proceeds to flush Dorian down the drain using a magical paintbrush. Stanley, his close friend Charlie, Tina and Milo throw the Mask into the river.

The main antagonist of the film, Dorian is the right-hand-man of local mafia kingpin, Niko. Dorian sends his mole, Tina Carlyle into the bank in a bid for himself and his henchmen to ascend to mafia top and overthrow Niko. Niko's men discover his plot, and is assaulted and given a week to flee Edge City. Dorian places a bounty on Stanley Ipkiss (as the Mask) due to the death of his close friend and henchman, Freeze. Dorian steals the Mask, with the help of Stanley's treacherous associate Peggy Brandt and becomes a truly demonic figure. Dorian botches the charity ball, barging into the club with his armed bodyguards, killing Niko and his Cuban bodyguards, unaware that Ipkiss has managed to get into the club with aid of his dog Milo and Detective Kelloway. Dorian and Ipkiss fight, which ends with Ipkiss briefly knocking him out. Tyrell is then flushed down the drain by Ipkiss (as the Mask) and killed.

The girlfriend of mobster Dorian Tyrell, who remains a love-interest and ally to Stanley Ipkiss throughout the film. Tina is unhappy as the moll of Tyrell, and believes herself to be a "party-favor" to him. Tina is sent into Stanley's bank with surveillance so Dorian and his crew can plot to overthrow mafia chieftain Niko. Tina begins to fall in love with Ipkiss, who is also smitten with her. Tina is also present when Ipkiss is thrown out of the club by one of Tyrell's bodyguards and Bobby the Bouncer. Tina is dancing at the Coco Bongo Club, serving as a dancer, when Ipkiss, having become the Mask dances with her. She is forced out of the club by Dorian, as Dorian's henchmen force the patrons out at gunpoint, due to the death of Tyrell's trusted henchman Freeze. Tina meets Ipkiss at the bank and the park. When Ipkiss (as the Mask) makes too many advances she runs off, but later visits him in jail, after he was betrayed by Peggy Brandt and Tyrell placed a bounty on Ipkiss/the Mask, allowing him to get a hold of the mask. Tina, after informing him of Tyrell's plan to rob the casino, kill Niko, and take over Edge and possibly more, she is chased by Tyrell and his men into an alley, where she is forced to accompany Dorian to the charity ball, where she along with many other innocents will be killed. Ipkiss is aided by Lieutanant Kelloway to the Coco Bongo and his sidekick Milo the Dog. Stanley attempts to sneak closer to Tyrell but is captured by Orlando. Tina tricks Dorian into removing the mask, kicking it into the air, in which Milo succeeds in catching it. Ipkiss and Dorian engage in a physical confrontation, until Ipkiss knocks him out. Ipkiss wears the mask and saves the day by swallowing the bomb. As Dorian attempts to kill from behind with a penknife, Stanley (The Mask) flushes him down the casino's pool. Stanley and Tina, along with Stanley's best friend Charlie, and Milo throw the Mask into the river and kiss.

The mafia boss of Edge City and owner of the Coco Bongo Club, Niko is targeted by his former employee Dorian Tyrell. When Niko and his men find out Tyrell's plans, they assault him and gives him one week to flee Edge City. Dorian continues his plot, and wearing the mask, kills Niko at the charity ball.

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (October 2007)

Jim Carrey adlibbed at least two moments during the production: when he pulls a condom out of his pocket instead of a balloon, and when he kisses an old woman after fleeing from the scene of his performance of Cuban Pete.

The Ripley Auto Finishing building is also used in Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II as the Ghostbusters' headquarters.

In the scene where The Mask kisses Tina and her shoes fly off, Cameron Diaz slipped them off and kicked them off but it wasn't funny enough so wire was tied to the heels and her shoes were pulled off at high speed. Cameron Diaz said that the shoes were "the most uncomfortable pair of shoes she ever wore" and recalled wearing them whilst filming In Her Shoes.

The movie was a box-office success, grossing over 350 million dollars worldwide.^[1] Critics also approved of the movie,^[2] including Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times which gave the film 3 stars, noting Jim Carrey for his "joyful performance.".^[3] The Mask is one of three films featuring Carrey (the others being Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Dumb and Dumber) released in 1994 that helped launch the actor to superstardom.

The film was nominated for Best Visual Effects at the 67th Academy Awards, but lost to Forrest Gump. In addition, Carrey was nominated for a Golden Globe. It currently holds a 75% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes.^[2]

Stanley decorates his apartment with items featuring characters from Looney Tunes cartoons, and when he turns into The Mask, he tends to imitate said characters: Bugs Bunny (dying in the arms of the mobster, kissing someone in the lips, fooling people, and cracking jokes), Daffy Duck (bouncing and yelling uncontrollably), the Road Runner (the jabbering The Mask does after saying a joke and before fleeing from the scene at super-speed sounds pretty much like the "beep, beep" produced by the Road Runner), Pepe le Pew (the scene where he romances Tina), and Taz (spinning in a tornado). His reaction to Tina's singing in the Coco Bongo is the same as the character of the wolf in the cartoon Red Hot Riding Hood, which Stanley is seen watching earlier on. Many of the imitations come from those shorts directed by Tex Avery.

The laugh performed by "The Mask" toward the end of the movie (after revealing his guns were loaded with nothing more than signs reading "Bang!"), is reminiscent of Carrey's Fire Marshal Bill character from In Living Color. In the same scene, "The Mask" performs a famous line by Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry by saying "Now, you got to ask yourself one question. 'Do I feel lucky?' Well do ya, punks?". Carrey routinely performed impressions of Eastwood in his stand-up comedy routines and appeared in bit parts in Eastwood-headlined flicks Pink Cadillac and The Dead Pool, the latter of which was a Dirty Harry film.

The song "Cuban Pete" was originally performed by Desi Arnaz in the 1946 movie of the same name. It was later also performed by Arnaz and Lucille Ball on an episode of the classic 1950s television show I Love Lucy.

While being arrested in the park, The Mask's joking claim that "it was the one-armed man" is a reference to the villain in the TV series (and later movie) The Fugitive. This could also be a reference to Twin Peaks, where a character called one-armed man was also seen.

In Season 5 of USA's Dancing with the Stars, eventual winners Helio Castroneves and his partner Julianne Hough performed a quickstep routine very similar to the Coco Bongo dance scene. Castroneves wore an extravagant yellow suit while Hough wore a gold dress.

Not long after the release of The Mask, it was announced in Nintendo Power magazine that Carrey would be returning in a sequel. The magazine held a contest, with the winner being an extra in the film, but the project never came to fruition. A Carrey-less sequel, Son of the Mask, was released in theaters in 2005 to very poor box office performance and critical disapproval.

The Mask: Music From The Motion Picture
Soundtrack by Various artists
Released	July 26, 1994
Label	Sony
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Entertainment Weekly B 08/05/94

The Mask: Music From The Motion Picture

1. "Cuban Pete" (C & C Pop Radio Edit) - Jim Carrey
2. "Who's That Man" - Xscape
3. "This Business Of Love" - Domino
4. "Bounce Around" - Tony Toni Tone
5. "(I Could Only) Whisper Your Name" - Harry Connick, Jr.
6. "You Would Be My Baby" - Vanessa Williams
7. "Hi De Ho" - K7
8. "Let The Good Times Roll" - Fishbone
9. "Straight Up" - The Brian Setzer Orchestra
10. "Hey Pachuco" - Royal Crown Revue
11. "Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You" - Susan Boyd
12. "Cuban Pete" (Arkin Movie Mix) - Jim Carrey

• 1994 The Billboard 200 - # 80

• The Mask at the Internet Movie Database