Black Mask (1996)
Black Mask is a 1996 Hong Kong action superhero film starring Jet Li, Lau Ching-wan, Karen Mok and Anthony Wong. It was directed by Daniel Lee and produced by Tsui Hark and his production company Film Workshop. In 1999, the film was dubbed in English and released in the US by Artisan Entertainment. The film is an adaptation of the 1992 manhua Black Mask by Li Chi-Tak. In 2002, it was followed by a sequel, Black Mask 2: City of Masks starring Andy On. In homage to The Green Hornet, Black Mask wears a domino mask and chauffeur’s cap in the same style as Kato (played by Bruce Lee) from the television series. The Black Mask is even compared to Kato in a news reporter scene.
Plot:
Tsui Chik (or Simon in the US version) tries to lead a quiet life as a librarian. However, he is really a former test subject for a highly secretive supersoldier project and the instructor of a special commando unit dubbed “701”. The 701 squad is used for many government missions, but after one of the agents kills a team of policemen in an uncontrollable rage, the government decides to abort the project and eliminate all the subjects. Tsui Chik helped the surviving 701 agents flee the extermination attempt.
Having escaped, Tsui Chik went separate ways from his team and lived in Hong Kong. Later at night he discovers that the rest of the team were responsible for a violent crime spree that was beyond the capability of the local police. He sets out to get rid of them, donning a mask and hat using the superhero alias of The Black Mask. Having lost the ability to feel pain due to the surgery performed on the super-soldiers by the military, Black Mask is almost invulnerable.
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Release, Box office:
Black Mask grossed over US$26 million (HK$200 million) at the worldwide box office, including US$10 million in Asia. Released on 9 November 1996, Black Mask grossed a moderate HK$13,286,788 (US$1,717,915) during its Hong Kong box office run. In May 1999, home video distributor Artisan Entertainment released a re-edited version in the United States theatrically.
It grossed a reasonable US$4,449,692 ($4,545 per screen) in its opening weekend, and grossed a total of US$12,504,289.
DVD sales for Black Mask totalled US$48.57 million (HK$380 million) in North America and more than US$50 million worldwide. Lionsgate Home Entertainment (successor to Artisan when it acquired in 2003) released a Blu-ray version in the United States on 2 September 2008.
Cast:
- Jet Li as Tsui Chik / Black Mask
- Lau Ching-wan as Inspector Shek Wai-Ho
- Karen Mok as Tracy Lee
- Françoise Yip as Yeuk-Lan
- Patrick Lung as Commander Hung Kuk
- Anthony Wong as King Kau
- Xiong Xin-xin as Jimmy
- Moses Chan as 701 Squad Member
- Henry Fong Ping as Ricky Tai
- Shut Mei-yee as Chief of Library
- Szeto Wai-cheuk as Szeto
- Chung King-fai as Commissioner of Police
- Ken Lok as Sergeant Crap
- Lawrence Ah Mon as Operating Room Doctor
- Dion Lam as Sour
- Mike Ian Lambert as 701 Squad Member.
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