In The Haunted Mask, Carly Beth just wants a scary mask to teach her bullies a lesson that scaring people isn't cool. The mask she chooses, unfortunately, is no ordinary mask, and becomes her face. Carly panics as she realizes she can't take it off and her friend advises her there is no line, no separation between mask and skin. That face becomes her flesh!
Made scarier by the fact that this is based on one of author R.L. Stine's own experiences, specifically the time when his son was young and put on a rubber Frankenstein mask, then couldn't get it off.
The mask also begins changing Carly Beth's personality to fit her monstrous new face: she begins terrorizing her neighbors, scaring and chasing after children and their parents, and even has the urge to tear a woman who scolds her into pieces with her teeth!
The episode contains examples of:
The TV version really hammers home the horror of the book. When Carly first sees the mask, we briefly see its eyes and when the store owner slams the door in anger, all the other masks turn in surprise.
The sculpture of Carly Beth's head is a little unsettling at first, even Carly Beth admits that. When the mask finally seems to be fully gripping her mind, it comes to life and starts begging for help.
The scene where Carly and Sabrina realize the mask is attached to her face. There's no awkward monster suits, no laughable Special Effects Failure, just a girl realizing something is very wrong with her body and no idea why.
When they can't find the bottom to the mask, Carly Beth suggests cutting it off.
The following scene where Carly is told straight up by the mask store owner that the "mask" is not a normal mask and that it is to be her new face, prompting a hysterical breakdown from Carly. And then the spirits of the other faces wearers come to life.
Near the end, when all the other masks come after Carly Beth, the moaning and calling after her is genuinely chilling...
