Three minutes into this movie, I thought I had lost my goddamned mind. There is bad editing and there is bad editing. Then, there is the editing in Death Mask. At least one of the many incomprehensible scenes that kick off the film features Linnea Quigley taking a shower. Hey, if I’m going to the looney bin I might as well go happy. Fortunately for the audience, the editing gets better as the flick goes along, even if the chintzy production values stay about the same. (There’s some really bad late ‘90s morphing effects.)
Death Mask is the brainchild of Roscoe P. Coltrane himself, James Best. He wrote and stars as a scarred carnival barker who makes scary masks. When he loses his job, a fellow carny (Quigley) takes him to see a swamp witch who gives him a piece of cursed wood to make a new mask. The only problem is, whenever he puts the mask on, someone dies.
Death Mask is rough going at times as much of the plot runs around in circles. It also suffers from some major lulls in between the murder/death scenes. Since the murder/death scenes include a decapitation via carnival ride, a bizarre scene where a samurai suit of armor comes to life, and a snake attack, it’s not all bad.
The major saving grace is Quigley. Despite the schlocky trappings of the movie, she really gives 110% and helps to (slightly) elevate the limp material. Some amusement can also be had from seeing Best chewing the scenery, but for the most part, it’s all fairly crummy stuff. If you really want to watch him in a fun B-movie, check out The Killer Shrews instead.
A madam gets the best line of the movie when she tells Best, “The last time she saw your face, she had the nervous shits for days!”
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