Although there is one possible exception.
 |
| Now that's a haunted mask. |
This is supposedly R.L. Stine's favorite story, and I can't really
blame him. For a guy who churns out easily consumable children's literature
like a machine, this is probably one of his best works. This is definitely one of the simpler Goosebumps stories,
but the simpler stories are usually the better ones. R.L. Stine is a really
creative guy, but some of his stories tend to get bogged down in just how weird
they are, or have too much to explain to properly bring the scares. Looking at you, "Ghost Beach."
I mentioned that Stine was inspired by EC Comics for the
Goosebumps books. Well, "The Haunted Mask" wouldn't look out of place
in the pages of "Tales From the Crypt," would it?
 |
| Yeah, that looks about right. |
- Main character has a problem with other people.
- Main character vows revenge.
- Main character uses dark forces to achieve vengeance.
- Dark forces give main character a sticky end/karmic punishment.
Although that last part is ultimately defied, because this
is meant for children. Unless you count the obligatory twist ending.
I'd say that the biggest problem with this episode's plot is
how it separates into two parts. Most of the good stuff is in the second
episode, although the first part does properly take the time to establish Carly
Beth's increasingly-fragile mental state and the lengths to which Chuck and
Steve are pushing her. If the original story weren't as good as it is,
splitting it into two parts might have ruined it by killing the pacing.
I can't help but wish that the more supernatural things in
the first part (the plaster head's smile, the moving masks in the shop) were
toned down just a tad. Because of the strong characterization, it would be easy
to make the audience wonder whether Carly Beth is being controlled somehow or
if she's simply snapped. And after all the abuse she's had heaped on her, it's
a definite possibility.
Of course, it's pretty obvious that the mask is, in fact,
haunted, even without the title spoiling that little fact. I mean, it's a
Goosebumps story.
Characters
Before we begin, allow me to show you all one of the
greatest bits of synchronicity in Canadian television history.
 |
| Carly Beth and Sabrina. And that's about the Long and Short of it. |
I'm not one to blame a child for a bad performance. If a kid in a TV show or movie can't act, I blame the casting director because finding a kid who can act is literally their job.
Luckily, the first protagonist in this show gives a solid
performance that runs more of a gamut than most characters in this series. She
portrays Carly Beth as a timid girl, a girl on the edge of breaking, a girl who
has finally discovered an outlet for her pent-up emotion, a possessed girl, and
more.
As I mentioned before, I find it interesting that you could
remove all the supernatural elements and still have a solid story regarding a
girl driven to the breaking point by bullying. I mean, look how much Carly Beth
enjoys running around in the mask even when it's not controlling her actions.
Sure, it'd be a bit more "Stephen King" than "R.L. Stine," but
it goes to show what strong characterization Carly Beth has. Most Goosebumps
protagonists are kind of bland and interchangeable, but Carly Beth stands out
as a dynamic individual who grows and changes multiple times throughout the
story as she first seeks revenge before having it backfire on her.
Also, Michael J. Brown is credited for "The Haunted Mask" on IMDb. I don't know if that refers to the flying Unloved Ones, the voice, or if Kathryn Long never actually wore the mask herself because all my research keeps coming up dry. Dang it, Google! I'm searching for information on the Goosebumps show, not the movie!
Sabrina (Kathryn Short)
Sabrina never really grows beyond the role of "best
friend," but that's really all she needs to be; she's the metric by which
Carly Beth's growing nuttiness is measured.
Chuck and Steve (Amos Crawley and George Kinamis)
The first of many groups of bullies for this series. These
two have the distinction of being pranksters that are simply taking it too far.
I do like that there's no malice in what they're doing; too
many bullies are portrayed as big meanies that want to do others harm. While
that is something that happens, I do like the idea of bullies who aren't trying
to torment someone else, they just don't know when to stop. It just goes to
show what kind of damage one can do to another, even unintentionally. As I said in the recap, the added depth makes a nice change from generic bullies with no motivation.
As for the performances, I do like how dorky and fun-loving these two are. I think we all know a couple
Fred-and-George-Weasley-type goofs like this.
Not-So-Happy Mask Salesman (Colin Fox)
The first of many creepy adults in the series, and one of
the more mysterious.
I like the mystery of what exactly is under his
"face," and the actor gives a good performance. Still, apart from
some vague mysteries, he's still just another in a long line of creepy adults
this show will feature.
Still, Colin Fox gives a strong performance that takes the
creepiness and mystery of the character and elevates it.
I also find it funny that the first character to creepily
watch some kids went on to play Uatu the Watcher in the 90s Silver Surfer
cartoon.
R.L. Stine (R.L. Stine)
Unfortunately, R.L. Stine doing the hosting duties (as he
did for every Goosebumps Halloween special) is the weak link.
It's not necessary, it's filled with spoilers, it's not
scary, it's not funny, it's just... there. And Stine doesn't exactly have
enough on-screen personality to carry the segments.
Don't quit your dayjob, Stine. I do mean that in a good way,
since you're very good at it. But geez, man, if you were any more wooden, you'd
be a ventriloquist's dummy.
 |
| "You rang?" |
Uh... no, but I can see how you would assume I was referring
to you.
|
| "Oh." |
Yeah, sorry.
|
| "...So what now? Is this the part where I become your recurring nemesis?" |
|
| "Nah, that sounds like work. I'll just stick around here and pop up as a sounding board when you need somebody to talk to." |
Visuals
There are actually some good subtle effects, actually. The
mask's eyeholes show her own eyelids at first, but as time goes on, her eyelids
become the same color as the mask, illustrating that the mask has bonded to her
face.
 |
| Nice touch. |
And yes, the attack of the Unloved Ones is poorly lit,
poorly composited, and has cheap after-image effects... but that actually makes
it even creepier than if the effect had been done well, in my opinion.
This is 100% opinion, but I find their movements and
not-quite-realistic presence unnerving in the same way that I find the THX logo
unsettling, or in the same way that Myst is creepy.
It's hard to explain, really. Maybe it was just the
proliferation of badly-composited special effects while I was growing up in the
90s that led to me finding them spooky... and yet, there are plenty of modern
video games that manage to wring every drop of terror out of pixels big enough
to choke a horse.
So in the end, like most everything, whether or not the
non-practical effects succeed is up to the individual, but there's no denying
that the mask looks consistently good, even phenomenal in some shots.
 |
| Especially when smeared with the friend of all monster
makers, KY Jelly. That stuff helped with everything from the Alien to the Predator and far more. |
Barking Dogs
Part 1: 1
Part 2: 0
Total: 1
Child-Grabbing Counter
Part 1: 2
Part 2: 2
Total: 4
Foliage POV Counter: 0
They're stayin' out of the bushes this time.Red Paint: No
X-Files Shout Outs: No
Final Thoughts
Definitely a solid start to the series, illustrating exactly
what you're in for with this show. It can be creepy, funny, unintentionally
funny, and unintentionally creepy.
It's possible to enjoy this episode legitimately, as well as
in a So-Bad-It's-Good way. For me, it's a mixture of both.
Next time... well, that's just it. Time. See you then!
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