REVIEW: The first ever Mystery Science Theater 3000 Halloween special The Mask 3D provides plenty of laughter to go along with the thrills and chills.

Looking to get an early jump on Halloween? I fully recommend the newly-released The Mask 3D, the first ever Halloween special from Mystery Science Theater 3000. Indeed the 1961 Canadian surrealist horror flick directed by Julian Roffman is given the deluxe treatment as Jonah Heston (Jonah Ray) and the bots skewer the film via witty dialogue and song throughout from the comfy confines of the Satellite of Love. 

This writer had never heard of The Mask before its inclusion as the centerpiece of this special but the film itself must have been shocking for audiences six decades ago with its unsettling story about a psychiatrist, Dr. Allen Barnes (Paul Stevens), who obtains a mysterious ancient tribal mask and enters a dark dreamscape when he puts on the mask. He increasingly becomes drawn to the power of the mask and becomes more violent. The premiere of The Mask 3D on Oct. 28, 2022 marked the 61st anniversary of the film's original theatrical release.

The monstrous and spooky events in the film ultimately take a back seat to the sharp wit, satire and comedic skits of the MST3K cast. Indeed, it takes a MST3K special to somehow bring together references ranging from Game of Thrones, Superman II, Lord of the Rings and the B-52's to Night of the Living Dead, The Beatles, conservative talk radio, Morrissey, Pee-wee's Big Adventure and Talking Heads. 

To watch The Mask 3D, head to the Gizmoplex – MST3K's indie streaming platform and the only place to see new episodes of MST3K. The Gizmoplex features all of the season 13 episodes and shorts that have premiered so far, along with brand-new MST3K content available in special livestream events every two weeks. Tickets to livestream events are $8, and new episodes can be rented for $5 – including the new Halloween Special, which is available now.

The Gizmoplex is accessible via a web portal and also on a wide variety of OTT platforms, including apps for both iOS and Android devices, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and more.

For more info visit www.mst3k.com/season13, or follow MST3K on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.