Chuck Russell’s 1994 supernatural comedy “The Masks” was based mostly on an ultra-violent character that first appeared in Darkish Horse Comics in 1987. Within the comics, a magical masks provides the wearer supernatural powers, in addition to an outsized, mutated head with inexperienced pores and skin and tombstone-like tooth. The masks additionally robs the wearer of their inhibitions and morality, making them insane, invincible clowns. At finest, the comedian guide model of the Masks is a violent antihero, and he exists in a style extra akin to horror than to conventional superheroism.
Russell’s movie sanded down the perimeters a bit. The PG-13-rated film featured a meek and weak-willed character named Stanley Ipkiss (Jim Carrey) who was reworked right into a assured, flirty, brash cartoon character when he donned an enchanted masks. He did commit acts of violence (the masked Stanley is especially merciless to a pair of mechanics that ripped him off), however Stanley in the end learns to be a extra assured, outgoing particular person, even turning into one thing of a crimefighter by the top. Solely already evil folks proceed to be evil underneath the masks’s affect. “The Masks” was a comedy hit, grossing over $350 million on an $18 million finances, and thrusting Jim Carrey onto the Hollywood A-list.
Plainly early within the manufacturing of “The Masks,” nevertheless, the movie cleaved far nearer to the horrific tone of the comics. Russell was already skilled with horror filmmaking, having made “A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors” in 1987 and the remake of “The Blob” in 1988, and he was ready to make a a lot gorier film model of “The Masks” for New Line Cinema. In a recent interview with Variety, although, Russell mentioned that the film’s horror and violence had been toned down in later drafts as a result of the primary character too carefully resembled Freddy Krueger.
Chuck Russell mentioned that The Masks was too near Freddy Krueger
Russell additionally famous that he needed to alter the film when he discovered Jim Carrey. He recalled the inception of the challenge, saying:
“I might directed ‘A Nightmare on Elm Road 3’ and made associates at New Line. Then I did ‘The Blob’ and New Line needed one other stunning horror movie. There was a comic book guide of ‘The Masks’ that was fairly terrifying. I mentioned its going to be an excessive amount of like Freddy Krueger. It’ll be horrible. However there’s this man named Jim Carrey who has simply come out in ‘In Residing Shade.'”
“In Residing Shade,” for individuals who might not recall, was Keenan Ivory Wayans’ hit sketch comedy sequence that debuted on Fox in 1990. Carrey was a member of the unique ensemble and had acquired lots of consideration and acclaim. As a comic, Carrey was recognized for his excessive physicality, contorting his physique and face in new and artistic methods. Russell knew that, with a rubbery actor like that, he must change programs with “The Masks.” It will be higher to take advantage of Carrey’s abilities to their fullest. So the primary character went from being a sarcastic, violent assassin right into a wild cartoon man. Russell continued:
“It was the one time in my profession when it was very exhausting to clarify to others what was the potential with this explicit actor. […] He was a one-man inspiration. I received the script to the purpose the place it lived and breathed Jim Carrey.”
The ultimate screenplay, credited to Mike Werb, seemed and felt extra like a Tex Avery cartoon than “A Nightmare on Elm Road.” Carrey introduced his signature physique and facial contortion, and a brand new sort of movie character was born. It was the fitting resolution.
Chuck Russell made ‘The Masks’ with the spirit of an indie film
Carrey wasn’t but a recognized amount in 1994, and his co-star, Cameron Diaz, was making her huge display debut, so Russell was not granted an unlimited finances to work with. The one place Russell was allowed to get spendy was the movie’s intensive digital results … which Russell did not essentially like. As such, he tried to make the remainder of the movie look as grounded as attainable. He shot on precise places for each scene however one. Russell famous:
“I took the idea of an unbiased, low finances movie. Every little thing in ‘The Masks’ is a traditional location. The one stage set in the entire film was a small bed room, as a result of I needed to trash it. […] It was the enjoyable of unbiased movies is and the spirit of a crew that is us in opposition to the world. We will make a film at a sure finances and put all the cash on the display.”
Russell famous that, as a result of “The Masks” was a relatively low-budget affair, the digital effect company, Industrial Light and Magic, may solely afford to ship their “worst crew” to work on it. It appears, although, that even the worst crew was turning out A-material. Russell recollects with amusement the visits he acquired on set from a number of the higher-ups on ILM. It appears everybody was impressed. “The Masks” ended up being nominated for Greatest Particular Results on the Academy Awards. It lost to “Forrest Gump.”
Russell famous that his movie was so profitable, it altered the way in which the Darkish Horse comics had been drawn. The on-page character was drawn to extra carefully resemble Jim Carrey. The books had been, nevertheless, nonetheless amazingly violent.
