Why It Ranks
The Mask made $351 million and proved Jim Carrey was the biggest comedy star on Earth. The CGI-enhanced physical comedy was unlike anything audiences had seen. Cameron Diaz became a star overnight. 'Somebody stop me!' is the most accurate catchphrase in comedy history.
The Film
The Mask is Jim Carrey as a living cartoon — literally. The film's groundbreaking CGI allowed Carrey's already superhuman physicality to be amplified into full Tex Avery territory: eyes popping out of his head, jaw dropping to the floor, spinning like a tornado. But the effects work only because Carrey was already doing those things with his actual body. The CGI enhanced a human special effect. Cameron Diaz's debut — in a red dress that stopped traffic both on-screen and in theaters — announced a movie star.
Fun Facts
Cameron Diaz had no acting experience before The Mask — she was a model who walked into an open casting call.
Jim Carrey's physical performance was so extreme that the CGI team said he was doing 80% of the work before they added effects.
The original Mask comic book was a violent horror series — the film's comedic tone was created specifically to suit Carrey.
The Cuban Pete dance sequence was choreographed in a single afternoon — Carrey learned the routine in one session.
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