The Mask (1961 film)
Encyclopedia
The Mask is a 1961
Canadian
horror film
produced in 3-D
by Warner Bros.
It was directed by Julian Roffman, and stars Paul Stevens, Claudette Nevins and Bill Walker.
.
Most of the story is presented in conventional black-and-white. However, whenever Dr. Barnes is about to put on the mask, Barnes' voice (heavily processed with reverb) urges the viewer to "Put the mask on, NOW!" This was the cue for theatergoers to put on the red/green 3-D glasses (shaped like masks) which they were given upon entering the theater. The terrifying visions experienced by Dr. Barnes were then presented in anaglyphic
3-D.
The 3-D sequences, four in all, last only a few minutes each. They were designed by montage expert Slavko Vorkapich, and feature an array of distinctively psychedelic
visuals, some of which are mildly gruesome. A crude electronic music score (billed as "Electro Magic Sound" in publicity materials) enhances the strangeness of the 3-D scenes.
The Mask was frequently exhibited in 3-D on US broadcast and cable TV in the 1980s. It has also been issued in 3-D on both VHS
and LaserDisc
home video formats. As of 2008, it has yet to receive an authorized release on DVD
.
1961 in film
The year 1961 in film involved some significant events, with West Side Story winning 10 Academy Awards.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:* Atlantis, the Lost ContinentB...
Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
produced in 3-D
3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
by Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
It was directed by Julian Roffman, and stars Paul Stevens, Claudette Nevins and Bill Walker.
Plot summary
The story concerns a young scientist, 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."Put the mask on, NOW!"
The Mask is notable chiefly for its surreal use of 3-D cinematographyCinematography
Cinematography is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography...
.
Most of the story is presented in conventional black-and-white. However, whenever Dr. Barnes is about to put on the mask, Barnes' voice (heavily processed with reverb) urges the viewer to "Put the mask on, NOW!" This was the cue for theatergoers to put on the red/green 3-D glasses (shaped like masks) which they were given upon entering the theater. The terrifying visions experienced by Dr. Barnes were then presented in anaglyphic
Anaglyph image
Anaglyph images are used to provide a stereoscopic 3D effect, when viewed with glasses where the two lenses are different colors, such as red and cyan. Images are made up of two color layers, superimposed, but offset with respect to each other to produce a depth effect...
3-D.
The 3-D sequences, four in all, last only a few minutes each. They were designed by montage expert Slavko Vorkapich, and feature an array of distinctively psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
visuals, some of which are mildly gruesome. A crude electronic music score (billed as "Electro Magic Sound" in publicity materials) enhances the strangeness of the 3-D scenes.
Video release
The 3-D effects in The Mask come across unusually well when shown on television, making it one of the better examples of anaglyphic 3-D video available.The Mask was frequently exhibited in 3-D on US broadcast and cable TV in the 1980s. It has also been issued in 3-D on both VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
and LaserDisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
home video formats. As of 2008, it has yet to receive an authorized release on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
.