Thank You Mask Man (1968)

Really Surprised!

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

It seems everyone that has so far reviewed this short film absolutely loved it and so my review is the odd-ball. It isn't that I found THANK YOU MASK MAN offensive that I only gave it a score of 2. Sure, the Lone Ranger in this short is into homosexuality and bestiality--and I am sure this will turn a few heads. My reasons for giving it a 2 are because I just didn't enjoy the cartoon--it wasn't that funny and the animation quality was poor. I think the reason I didn't find the cartoon funny or subversive is that times have changed. What was controversial in 1971 is passé today--or at least well on its way. With "South Park" and "Robot Chicken" on television (and not even pay cable), talking about these topics is a common thing. Since it no longer has shock value, I must look at the humor itself--is there anything about the film that is remotely funny other than shocking and dirty words? Well, in my opinion, no. Lenny Bruce's stream of consciousness rapid rambling just seemed deadly flat and uninteresting.Perhaps some might enjoy this because it's a stroll down memory lane. In other words, it either reminds them of Lenny Bruce or it reminds them of watching this "bad film" with friends. Well, that's fine. But if you simply look at it for what it is today, it just doesn't hold up over time.

Thank You Mask Man is featured as a bonus on the DVD of the Lenny Bruce performance film, and I was very glad I watched it. It reminded me of what I saw once in a Carlin special from the 80s where he put in little animated bits that all visualized his bits. That this comes more than a few years before that is impressive, but more so that it actually works to fit the riff-style comedy that Bruce excelled at. This is basically drawn like, well, basics- the comic-strip characters could've been taken out of any newspaper or other, and it's all crude to the point of not having to focus as much on it. Perhaps most of the strengths, aside from the curious, off-kilter nature of the drawings, do spring out of the material, as a story of a bunch of people having to deal with a 'masked man' on a horse. It happens to be a good Bruce bit on its own, but then the curious thing does happen that towards the end of the film- when the townspeople then all taunt Masked Man to be gay- the comedy and the look of the film do totally gel somehow. That Bruce is also behind a good part of the style of the picture himself probably explains how some of the same inspired dementia in this story in particular (one with an absurdity to it but also some truth sprinkled around) merges with simplistically weird animation. It's probably not one of my favorites ever, to be sure, but I had a lot of fun watching it, as a crazy little anecdote given life and still kicking more than forty years later.

This eight-minute cartoon is essentially some crude animation over a recording of Lenny Bruce's live comic bit about the Lone Ranger, with a few very basic sound effects & music.What's surprising is how well it works. The animation is timed perfectly with the live recording, & actually enhances the comedy. It's a very simple cartoon, but the characters look just right. Although you can hear the audience laughing their heads off at the show, now I can't imagine it being funny without the pictures.It's not Lenny's most savagely satirical or scandalous bit by a long shot, but it was pretty out there for its day, & the cartoon is definitely not for children.Today, we're becoming used to seeing swearing, sex, extreme violence & clever social commentary in animation. It's a pity that Lenny isn't around - I can see him producing a show called 'The Sick Cartoons Of Lenny Bruce' & becoming a millionaire.Or he'd just become a writer for The Simpsons.

Easily the best thing about the Lenny Bruce: Performance Film video. While the performance portion is one of Bruce's worst, this short shows him at his satirical best. The riff on homophobia isn't even the best part...the commentary on accepting thank-yous and the resultant egotism and self-aggrandizement are priceless, especially when the Mask Man goes to his mailbox only to discover that the Messiah has returned, and society has no need for him once evil has been eliminated.