Disc Reviews
The Mask 4K Review
Stanley Ipkiss works as a bank teller and is generally a bit of an all-round loser. That is until he happens upon an ancient mask that when worn turns him into a giant toothed, green skinned trickster who takes great pleasure in taking down the bad guys and impressing the ladies. Throw in some befuddled police, angry mobsters, and a couple of femme fatales, and you have the makings of comedy rife with antics and action.
The Mask was the second of Jim Carrey’s triple whammy hits back in 1994 after Ace Venture: Pet Detective and before Dumb and Dumber. This was the period where the actor shot to the A-list with each of these films capturing the audience with his fresh take on what comedy had to offer. It had been a while since something with such elasticity had taken to the big screen and became so over-bearing and yet infectious. That was Carrey’s style, and decades later looking back it’s easy to see just how hard he worked on these projects.
The Mask was based on a much more adult-themed comic book may have been toned down for a PG audience, but the zany antics if the character remain intact, thanks largely to Carrey’s overly game performance. But of course, whilst he does overshadow everyone, we must also pay respect to the supporting cast, director Chuck Russell and the writers. This cauldron of talent gave us music, dance, comedy and Carrey swirling around at its core giving the film its unique vibe which has endured to this very day.
Arrow’s 4K comes loaded with plenty of new extra materials. Amy Yasbeck is the only actor to show up for a new interview. But there are key figures from the behind the scenes that also get new interviews. Director Chuck Russell does an interview and a new commentary track for this release. Russell is always an engaging name to listen to and always provides great insight into the making of his films.
We hear from the editor, the choreographer, the special effects department and the writers of the original comic strip, the last of which is dynamite.
Being a current Arrow release, that means we have some video essay content to look forward to. This time around it’s a 10-minute look at the dog in the film and “America’s” fascination with dog sidekicks. It’s a quaint piece but is read in very unlively monotone by the author (perhaps not all writers should be readers).
Overall, it’s another decent package from Arrow Video and a film that is likely to spark new interest. The Mask doesn’t outstay it’s welcome and remains one of Carrey’s stand out early comedic performances. The man was just on fire at the time.
Steven Hurst
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. Leonetti
• 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 Mask is out on 4K Blu-Ray November 10th