The Mask (1994 film)
A 1994 comedy about a mask that unleashes cartoonish chaos.
The Mask is a 1994 superhero slapstick comedy film directed by Chuck Russell and written by Mike Werb, loosely based on the 1991 comic book series by John Arcudi and Doug Mahnke. It is the first film in the Mask franchise and stars Jim Carrey in the title role, alongside Peter Riegert, Peter Greene, Amy Yasbeck, Richard Jeni, and Cameron Diaz in her acting debut. The film follows Stanley Ipkiss, a timid bank teller who discovers an enchanted mask that transforms him into a green-faced trickster with cartoonish abilities.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Chuck Russell
- Producer
- Bob Engelman
- Screenplay
- Mike Werb
- Story
- Michael Fallon / Mark Verheiden
- Based On
- The Mask · John Arcudi · Doug Mahnke · Mike Richardson
- Starring
- Jim Carrey / Peter Riegert / Peter Greene / Amy Yasbeck / Richard Jeni / Cameron Diaz
- Music
- Randy Edelman
- Cinematography
- John R. Leonetti
- Editing
- Arthur Coburn
- Production Companies
- Dark Horse Entertainment / Katja Motion Picture Corporation
- Distributor
- New Line CinemaCredited as New Line Productions during the opening sequence.
- Released
- 29 July 1994 · United States
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Principal photography began in Los Angeles on August 30, 1993, and concluded in October. The film marked the acting debut of Cameron Diaz, who had been a model with no prior acting experience. Jim Carrey, already a well-known star on the sketch comedy series In Living Color and fresh off the major hit Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), was far from unknown at the time. Despite some initial concerns from New Line Cinema executives about the film's prospects without more established actors, Carrey's rapidly rising stardom after Ace Ventura's success helped reassure the studio, and they greenlit the film with him in the lead.
Reader's Guide
The Mask was theatrically released in the United States on July 29, 1994, to positive reviews from critics. It was a commercial success, grossing $351.8 million against a production budget of $18–23 million, and became the fourth-highest-grossing film of 1994. The film contributed to the resurgence of swing music in the 1990s. Jim Carrey received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the 52nd Golden Globe Awards, and the film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects at the 67th Academy Awards. A standalone sequel, Son of the Mask, was released in 2005 without Carrey's involvement.
More in American superhero comedy films 1-24
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