Happy 25th Anniversary to the Groundbreaking Comedy THE MASK

Jeri Jacquin

Can you believe it? It has been 25 years since the character of THE MASK came to screens everywhere. Currently streaming on HBO Now, Jim Carrey stars as Stanley Ipkiss, a fumbling push over bank clerk who is just getting through each day the best he can.

After a particularly bad day, he finds an interesting mask but what he doesn’t know is that it is the mask of the Norse god of royal badness – Loki. Of course the temptation to put it on only leads to craziness as mild mannered Stanley Ipkiss becomes a green faced, outspoken man of madness.

Someone else wants what The Mask has! Crime boss Dorian Tyrel played by Peter Greene will do almost anything to get it. Getting it includes using club singer girlfriend Tina (Cameron Diaz) to use her feminine wiles on Stanley.

But The Mask has other plans which include falling for Tina and wreaking havoc at the Coco Bongo club. Taking notice is Detective Kellaway (Peter Riegert) and the media with Peggy Brant (Amy Yasbeck).

Stanley has no idea what he has unleashed but, quite honestly, we are all happy he did!

THE MASK was released in 1994 and became an instant comedy success. Of course my family paid up to see Carrey do his thing as only he could and can do. That year the film took in over $350 million dollars worldwide. I’d say that’s a success story and gave Carrey amazing clout for further project.

To be able to watch the film again and again has brought such iconic lines as ‘sssssssssssmokin’, ‘Tell Scarlett I do give a damn!’ and ‘Somebody stop me!’ My family is partially responsible for the continued use of these phrases and we are kind of proud of that fact.

It’s time to get green again, put on the dancing shoes and remember what fun this film truly is. So head to HBO Now and, as The Mask would say, ‘It’s time to P, A, R, T. Why? Because I gotta!’

In the end – he goes from zero to hero!