You forgot to mention that it's a gimmick film in the style of William Castle. The audience was given a mask, 3D filter shades included, they put on when the movie tells them to. The problem: they didn't realize that also tells the audience "this is the only part you need to pay attention to" or "you'll be distracted during the part we want you most to pay attention" and finally... "This is the only thing our movie has, sorry".
I totally disagree. The 3D sequences are short but *extraordinarily* memorable, I like the lead character, the noir style, and don't mind the lingering questions. The biggest problem, as mentioned, is the excessive dialogue, which makes it feel like an anthology TV episode that's been padded to feature length. Not the greatest movie ever, but it's more interesting than some similar public domain titles from the era that are hailed as classics.
Unfortunately it had been resurrected for the final season of MST3K. And as for the plot, the Aztec mask was supposed to have been a metaphor for drug addiction; the wearer growing dependant on it although it makes him do bad things.
Yeah, less talk, more mask. Would have at least been more fun. Now, I'd like to see a Mexican horror film called Le Masque about a Canadian hockey mask that when you put it on gives you surreal visions of the Edmonton Oilers riding zambonis in Hell.
Our good neighbors in the Great White North approached horror movies like their cousins in the UK, meaning they left a lot to the imagination and less on visualisation if that makes any sense. But what do I know being I'm not an Oxford graduate in shakespearean theater.
Holy cow, the hovering lapis lazuli Azteca mask would have given me the creeps when I was 9 years old when this came out in '61. Reminiscent of "Mars Attacks" that may have borrowed some of this 35 years later. Maybe needed more mask and less boring dialog that would have made this better. Probably saw this on WPIX Chiller Theater, but don't remember after 63 years.
WPIX ran a bunch of 3D movies for a summer in the early 80s. I made my own pair of 3D classes from card stock and some red and blue cellophane. I watched The Creature From The Black Lagoon and this movie.
@@mr.pavone9719 If you remember WPIX Chiller Theater, you also seen movies on WNEW & WOR tv before cable. WOR channel 9 used to air weird movies late on saturday night that maybe a little too creepy for youngsters at that time. Great days.
You're right, now that you mention it, there is a tiny bit of Mars Attacks in this mask. 😭🤣 Understandably scary when you're a small kid watching this.
OMG I *love* your channel! Short, often fun reviews for bad movies. Finally, someone who gets it...for bad movie reviews, keep it short! Thank you and keep up the fine work. 😁
I think I saw a remake of this in college during a 3D movie night where they gave us glasses and everything. It was the last film of four: "It Came from Outer Space", "The Creature from the Black Lagoon", one I can't remember, and this. Every time there was a hallucination bit, a voice would order the main character to "PUT THE MASK ON NOW", so the audience would know it was 3D time. I'd swear the version I saw was in color though. Either that or the version I saw was a colorized version. It was frickin weird I remember that. Also I can't help but wonder if this inspired the 90's comic-later-movie "The Mask".
Chances are you saw the anaglyph version which required red/cyan glasses. Looking at the 3D sequences minus the glasses you'd see the colour fringing. Like most 3D movies, The Mask's 3D scenes were originally meant to viewed via the far superior Polaroid process. Both formats are included on the recent Blu ray restoration.
In the 80s, a promotion was run by Burger King and the Easter Seals to sell 3D glasses for TV showings of this film. I remember being hyped for it when I was a kid,
This aired on TV in the '80s in 3D & it was a Big Deal b/c you had to buy the glasses, then put them on when the guy wears the mask. It never worked for me...! I just remember being unimpressed w/the movie overall. The 3D showing might've been local, but I think it was nationwide as it aired during prime time one Saturday. Gimmicks make folks flock to bad movies! :-)
Well some William Castle movies were very gimmicky but good. This one is just plain and bad. And the 3D must've looked sloppy if it than aired on television, no ? Can't imagine it possibly working.
First Canadian horror, eh? Well, It looks quite good, it looks good technically, but I don`t think it passes the smell test. Maybe some time in the future I might watch it, but you sold it right.... What an awful movie!
If you think The Mask is bad you'd better steer well clear of Arch Oboler's 1966 3D outing, The Bubble. It's abysmal but the SpaceVision 3D is the best I've ever seen. It's really the only reason to see it, ditto Flesh for Frankenstein.
I thought it was creepy and cool as hell. I was enjoying it one Halloween but my wife ( then girlfriend) kept calling, bugging me to hurry up and pick her up to go to a party
Actually I kind of enjoyed this flick when I watched it. It so desperately wants to be deep and profound but it simply doesn't have anywhere near the chops to pull something like that off. What you get is a hammy sincerity out of the actors mixed with the "psychedelic" nonsense. It is a bad flick, yes. But it's also laughably bad. I'd say try it. You might like it.
Suggestions for the future: Eyes Without A Face. Curse Of The Faceless Man. Curse Of The Living Corpse. Caltiki, The Immortal Being. The Colossus Of New York. The Skull. The Four Skulls Of Johnathan Drake 💀. I Was A Teenage Werewolf 🐺. I Was A Teenage Frankenstien. The House That Screamed. The Dorm That Dripped Blood. The House That Dripped Blood. The Gate. Horrors Of Spider Island. Spider Baby 🕷. The Uncanny 🐈⬛.
Sorry, but this "review" is too vile. Nobody expect this movie to be good, we expect it to be cult, so please tell us what is at least _interesting_ about it! I want to know about the director, the writer, the intentions (although failed), I want to know why at least the surreal scenes are stunning! Respect and openness is always the best attitude to review something, even if you don't like it.
@@Stroheim333 Well when the bad outweighs the good in a movie, of course one's going to concentrate on the negative aspects. There are some cool dream sequences, but that's it. That's not enough to make for a solid horror movie.
You forgot to mention that it's a gimmick film in the style of William Castle. The audience was given a mask, 3D filter shades included, they put on when the movie tells them to.
The problem: they didn't realize that also tells the audience "this is the only part you need to pay attention to" or "you'll be distracted during the part we want you most to pay attention" and finally...
"This is the only thing our movie has, sorry".
Good one. 🤣🤣🤣
Yes you're right, there's a real gimmicky side, reminiscent of William Castle here. But Castle's movies were much better then this.
This film is awesome! David Lynch and Rod Serling mixed together. I don't know why you thought it was boring.
For the reasons I mentioned, too much boring dialogue and the plot is a little ludicrous, to be fair...
I totally disagree. The 3D sequences are short but *extraordinarily* memorable, I like the lead character, the noir style, and don't mind the lingering questions. The biggest problem, as mentioned, is the excessive dialogue, which makes it feel like an anthology TV episode that's been padded to feature length. Not the greatest movie ever, but it's more interesting than some similar public domain titles from the era that are hailed as classics.
Oh fair enough.
We don’t care if you disagree or not.
Unfortunately it had been resurrected for the final season of MST3K. And as for the plot, the Aztec mask was supposed to have been a metaphor for drug addiction; the wearer growing dependant on it although it makes him do bad things.
Yeah, I can definitely see where the metaphor comes in.
As for MST3K, it's really the final season ??
@awfulmoviereviews6792 Seems like it. There haven't been anymore new episodes lately.
That's a fat rip.
Yeah, less talk, more mask. Would have at least been more fun.
Now, I'd like to see a Mexican horror film called Le Masque about a Canadian hockey mask that when you put it on gives you surreal visions of the Edmonton Oilers riding zambonis in Hell.
That's the spirit ! Less talk, more mask !!
If this film is Canada's first horror film, they really started on a really low note.
The riffing in the mst3k episode was good the host segments were great in my opinion 😊
That's exactly what I say too.
Our good neighbors in the Great White North approached horror movies like their cousins in the UK, meaning they left a lot to the imagination and less on visualisation if that makes any sense. But what do I know being I'm not an Oxford graduate in shakespearean theater.
No where to go but up though!
@CheshirePhrog You make a very good point Cheshire !
I can tell you one thing this film isn’t:
Ssssssmokin!
Loooool, no it's not.
I’m guessing that Jim Carrey isn’t in this movie 😂😂
Oh no haha, it's not that one at all lol.
@@awfulmoviereviews6792lol😅
Could Jim Carrey's movie be a remake?
Ahaaaaaaaa. Very good question.
Holy cow, the hovering lapis lazuli Azteca mask would have given me the creeps when I was 9 years old when this came out in '61. Reminiscent of "Mars Attacks" that may have borrowed some of this 35 years later. Maybe needed more mask and less boring dialog that would have made this better. Probably saw this on WPIX Chiller Theater, but don't remember after 63 years.
WPIX ran a bunch of 3D movies for a summer in the early 80s. I made my own pair of 3D classes from card stock and some red and blue cellophane. I watched The Creature From The Black Lagoon and this movie.
@@mr.pavone9719 If you remember WPIX Chiller Theater, you also seen movies on WNEW & WOR tv before cable. WOR channel 9 used to air weird movies late on saturday night that maybe a little too creepy for youngsters at that time. Great days.
You're right, now that you mention it, there is a tiny bit of Mars Attacks in this mask. 😭🤣 Understandably scary when you're a small kid watching this.
Such a cult classic!
Aaaaah nostalgia, I see !
As a Canadian, I just have to say: Why did you bring this up?
Because there have been many better Canadian films than this one.
OMG I *love* your channel! Short, often fun reviews for bad movies. Finally, someone who gets it...for bad movie reviews, keep it short! Thank you and keep up the fine work. 😁
Well thank you very much for your support, it's greatly appreciated! 😇😇
Looking at your thumbnail I thought this was the original and Zardoz the remake
What is that ? I don't know it.
@awfulmoviereviews6792 Zardoz, early 70s sci-fi film with Sean Connery and a huge flying head
Wow that sounds wild.
Yet still better than the Jim Carrey movie.
Well I've never seen it, so I can't tell. 😭
That's straight cap lol
Oh fair enough ahahahha.
I think I saw a remake of this in college during a 3D movie night where they gave us glasses and everything. It was the last film of four: "It Came from Outer Space", "The Creature from the Black Lagoon", one I can't remember, and this. Every time there was a hallucination bit, a voice would order the main character to "PUT THE MASK ON NOW", so the audience would know it was 3D time. I'd swear the version I saw was in color though. Either that or the version I saw was a colorized version. It was frickin weird I remember that. Also I can't help but wonder if this inspired the 90's comic-later-movie "The Mask".
Well if can't remember anything about it, it's not a good sign, honestly.
Chances are you saw the anaglyph version which required red/cyan glasses. Looking at the 3D sequences minus the glasses you'd see the colour fringing. Like most 3D movies, The Mask's 3D scenes were originally meant to viewed via the far superior Polaroid process. Both formats are included on the recent Blu ray restoration.
@@awfulmoviereviews6792 and it was about 30 years ago so there's that too.
That must've been something. But still, bad movie.
I've never seen this, but the black-and-white lighting is amazingly good. Now I'm interested.
Well, go into it at your own risk !
In the 80s, a promotion was run by Burger King and the Easter Seals to sell 3D glasses for TV showings of this film. I remember being hyped for it when I was a kid,
No way ? You've got to be kidding me !! 🤣🤣
So this is in billion times better than girls from Thunder strip
Yes, I guess you could say that.
The Twilight Zone + The Outer Limits² × Psilocybin ÷ THC = The Mask
Lmfaooooo🤣🤣🤣. Except that the end result is crap.
This aired on TV in the '80s in 3D & it was a Big Deal b/c you had to buy the glasses, then put them on when the guy wears the mask. It never worked for me...! I just remember being unimpressed w/the movie overall. The 3D showing might've been local, but I think it was nationwide as it aired during prime time one Saturday. Gimmicks make folks flock to bad movies! :-)
Well some William Castle movies were very gimmicky but good. This one is just plain and bad. And the 3D must've looked sloppy if it than aired on television, no ? Can't imagine it possibly working.
It is so awful it makes an Ed Wood film look like Casablanca. It is so bad it should be used as a covert weapon against Al Qaida. 😊
Loooool !
@@awfulmoviereviews6792 🙃thanks
Wish this movie to the cornfield. Canada could do better.
Yep, just like in the twilight zone ! 🤣
The Mask isn't very good but Paul Stevens' hair is magnificent. The mask sequences are quite effective in 3D but don't make any more sense.
Agreed 👍
I saw this on late night tv when i was a kid. His face terrified me hahaha. I love it. For nostalgia reasons I guess. Thank you
That's understandable hahaha. 🤣
Imagine that. A movie with dialogue. Oh, the humanity.
When it's just unengaging dialogue, yeah it's quite bad indeed.
Thanks for the review!
No problem man ! Hope you enjoyed it.
@@awfulmoviereviews6792 I did enjoy it, thank you!
First Canadian horror, eh? Well, It looks quite good, it looks good technically, but I don`t think it passes the smell test. Maybe some time in the future I might watch it, but you sold it right....
What an awful movie!
Oh no, it certainly doesn't pass the odor test, that's for sure. 😭💀
If you think The Mask is bad you'd better steer well clear of Arch Oboler's 1966 3D outing, The Bubble. It's abysmal but the SpaceVision 3D is the best I've ever seen. It's really the only reason to see it, ditto Flesh for Frankenstein.
Oh fair enough. I don't know about this movie. 🤔
Botedomland is an oddly popular destination
Huuum... Yeah. I wouldn't want to go there. 🤣😭
Canada did give us David Cronenberg.
Oh yes !! And his fabulous movies !
I thought it was creepy and cool as hell.
I was enjoying it one Halloween but my wife ( then girlfriend) kept calling, bugging me to hurry up and pick her up to go to a party
Hahahahaha !
Actually I kind of enjoyed this flick when I watched it. It so desperately wants to be deep and profound but it simply doesn't have anywhere near the chops to pull something like that off. What you get is a hammy sincerity out of the actors mixed with the "psychedelic" nonsense. It is a bad flick, yes. But it's also laughably bad. I'd say try it. You might like it.
Who knows? 🤷Everyone reacts to thing differently.
Suggestions for the future:
Eyes Without A Face.
Curse Of The Faceless Man.
Curse Of The Living Corpse.
Caltiki, The Immortal Being.
The Colossus Of New York.
The Skull.
The Four Skulls Of Johnathan Drake 💀.
I Was A Teenage Werewolf 🐺.
I Was A Teenage Frankenstien.
The House That Screamed.
The Dorm That Dripped Blood.
The House That Dripped Blood.
The Gate.
Horrors Of Spider Island.
Spider Baby 🕷.
The Uncanny 🐈⬛.
Okay thanks !
It's more like, pull my finger, pull my finger. Because the end result is a raspberry and a stink.
Yep, for sure. 😭😭🤣🤣
Please review predator on cult horror review we wait it very much
Actually this movie is better than most of films you have ever reviewed
Not false. But still, it's bad.
It's about dropping acid.
Not my thing at all, man. 🤣
Sorry, but this "review" is too vile. Nobody expect this movie to be good, we expect it to be cult, so please tell us what is at least _interesting_ about it! I want to know about the director, the writer, the intentions (although failed), I want to know why at least the surreal scenes are stunning! Respect and openness is always the best attitude to review something, even if you don't like it.
Hum no. If it's bad, I'm gonna call it out as bad.
@@awfulmoviereviews6792 Exactly. And you chose to call it out in the worst way possible. Exactly as I said.
@@Stroheim333 Well when the bad outweighs the good in a movie, of course one's going to concentrate on the negative aspects. There are some cool dream sequences, but that's it. That's not enough to make for a solid horror movie.
@@awfulmoviereviews6792 Nope.
Put The Mask On Now !
Oh no please, not that line again. 😭😭😭
@@awfulmoviereviews6792nooooooo😅
ontains the germ of a good idea, a cursed MesoAmerican artifact, ruined by inept execution.
Yes you're totally right. A promise with potential which was all flushed down the toilet.
SMOking!
Definitely 🤣
Where’s cult horror review ???
None for this week, I'm working. 😬😅
@ ok why you don’t write about this
@@AznaurNagoev Because I just forgot.😅
💯 garbage 😂😂😂😂
Heck yeah, you said it... Garbage!
This just looks stupid 🤪.
I couldn't agree more. This is stupid.
@awfulmoviereviews6792 Yup.