The Mask (1961 film)
 | This article is missing information about the film's production, and theatrical release. (July 2018) |
| The Mask (aka Eyes of Hell) | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Julian Roffman |
| Written by | Franklin Delessert Sandy Haver Frank Taubes Slavko Vorkapich |
| Produced by | Julian Roffman Nat Taylor |
| Starring | Paul Stevens Claudette Nevins Bill Walker |
| Cinematography | Herbert S. Alpert |
| Edited by | Stephen Timar |
| Music by | Louis Applebaum |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 83 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
The Mask (re-released as Eyes of Hell) is a 1961 Canadian surrealist horror film produced in 3-D by Warner Bros. It was directed by Julian Roffman, and stars Paul Stevens, Claudette Nevins, and Bill Walker.
Plot
 | This article needs an improved plot summary. (September 2020) |
The story concerns a psychiatrist, Dr. Allen Barnes (Stevens), who obtains a mysterious ancient tribal mask. Whenever he puts on the mask, Barnes experiences dream-like visions which become increasingly disturbing and violent. The visions begin to alter Barnes' personality, and eventually drive him insane.
Cast
- Paul Stevens as Doctor Allan Barnes
- Claudette Nevins as Pam Albright
- Bill Walker as Lieutenant Martin
- Anne Collings as Miss Goodrich
- Martin Lavut as Michael Radin
- Leo Leyden as Doctor Soames
Release
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2018) |
The Mask was the first Canadian film to be marketed extensively in the United States since the age of silent film,[1][2] with its use of 3D being heavily promoted.[3] The film was released in the United States on October 28, 1961.[4] Specially made 3D glasses marketed as "Magic Mystic Masks" (as pictured above), were given to audience members and prompts would be shown on screen for the start of each sequence that utilized 3D.[3]
Home media
The Mask was released for the first time on DVD on September 30, 2008, by Cheesy Flicks.[5] In 2015, the film was restored by Toronto Film Festival and copyright holders 3-D Film Archive for theatrical and 3-D Blu-ray/DVD release from Kino Lorber.[6]
Critical response
| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2020) |
The Mask received mixed to negative response from critics upon its initial release.
Howard Thompson of The New York Times commended the film's acting, and cinematography, but criticized the film's nightmare sequences, soundtrack, and melodramatic plot.[4] Time Out panned the film, referring to it as 'a bland and hackneyed murder mystery that was spiced up by surreal nightmare sequences' and "tacky" use of 3D.[7] Brad Wheeler of The Globe and Mail gave the film one out of four stars, offering similar criticism towards its use of 3D and plot, stating that its appeal was "limited to genre fetishists and popcorn-chomping ironists".[8]
Some critics, however, were more favorable on the film. Chris Coffel of Bloody Disgusting felt that–in spite of the films thin story–its psychedelic visuals, make-up effects, and set pieces made it an enjoyable B-movie in the vein of William Castle.[9]
The film has since gained a cult following over the years and is now considered a cult classic.[8][1]
In 2021, the film was announced to be featured in an upcoming episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. This episode eventually aired in both 2D and 3D formats on October 28, 2022, the 61st anniversary of the film's theatrical release.
References
- ^ a b Marchessault & Straw 2019, p. 351.
- ^ Wise 2001, p. 2210.
- ^ a b Kroon 2010, p. 41.
- ^ a b Thompson 1961.
- ^ Allmovie n.d.
- ^ KinoLorber 2015.
- ^ TimeOut n.d.
- ^ a b Wheeler 2015.
- ^ Coffel, Chris (January 15, 2016). "[Blu-ray Review] 'The Mask 3D' Takes You on a Trippy, Psychedelic Adventure". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
Sources
Books
- Richard W. Kroon (March 30, 2010). A/V A to Z: An Encyclopedic Dictionary of Media, Entertainment and Other Audiovisual Terms. McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-5740-3.
- Marchessault, Janine; Straw, Will (March 20, 2019). The Oxford Handbook of Canadian Cinema. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-022911-5.
- Wise, Wyndham (December 15, 2001). Take One's Essential Guide to Canadian Film. University of Toronto Press, Scholarly Publishing Division. ISBN 978-1-4426-5620-8.
Websites and periodicals
- Anon. (n.d.). "The Mask (1961) - Julian Roffman". Allmovie.com. RhythmOne. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
- Anon. (November 24, 2015). "The Mask 3D". Kino Lorber.com. Kino Lorber. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
- Anon. (n.d.). "The Mask 1961, directed by Julian Roffman". Time Out. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
- Thompson, Howard (October 28, 1961). "Screen: Hidden Horrors:'Mask' in 3-D Arrives at the Warner". The New York Times. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
- Wheeler, Brad (October 23, 2015). "The Mask (Eyes of Hell): Canadian 'cult classic' restored to access evil". The Globe and Mail.com. Toronto, Canada: The Globe and Mail Inc. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
External links
- The Mask at AllMovie
- The Mask at IMDb
- The Mask at Rotten Tomatoes
- The Mask at the TCM Movie Database
| Authority control databases: National |
|---|
- 1961 films
- 1960s avant-garde and experimental films
- 1960s 3D films
- 1961 horror films
- Canadian 3D films
- English-language Canadian films
- 1960s English-language films
- Films scored by Louis Applebaum
- Films shot in Toronto
- Canadian supernatural horror films
- Surrealist films
- Warner Bros. films
- Films directed by Julian Roffman
- 1960s Canadian films