MightyAlz
Wow. This has to be one of the finest pieces of non-feature film-making I have ever seen. The best way to describe would be: The baby from EraserHead having grown up and become professional dancer.The opening scene is one of the creepiest things ever put to screen. I could barely even watch. It lessens once Aphex Twin's music kicks in, but then your fear is replaced by wonder at the truly incredible editing techniques and visual effects.The whole things screams for Chris to do a feature film, a truly twisted and bizarre film in the style of the aforementioned EraserHead.Also recommended: Windowlicker and Come To Daddy.
Alexey Aleev
Chris Cunningham's works have shaped the music industry. He's probably the best and most influential music video director ever. He did videos for Aphex Twin, Madonna, Bjork, Portishead and many others, but now he is retired from industry. Now he works for himself.His independence lets him to experiment a lot and to realize himself better. Chris's world is a strange, but interesting place and it can't be censored or cut. It is a thing to be examined. Once you got into it, you become a part of it, you see everything in an absolutely different way. Just try it."Rubber Johnny" is a 6-minute experimental short film and a 40 page book. All in one package, both absolutely genius. Some people say that book is too nasty and film is too short, but they are only half-right. Book is nasty, of course, but everything is not that simple in Cunningham's works. To see what's behind those scary pictures, you'll have to look deeper. I'm not gonna spoil you, you've got to find out yourself what's great about it.But the real treasure is a short movie. It is frightening, disturbing, entertaining and amusing at once. The movie is shot on a simple home camera, but "Johnny" features some stunning visual effects. Believe me, it worth watching. "Rubber Johnny" is the fastest damn thing i've ever seen and the editing is something unspeakable. And, as a rule, it is deeper than you could ever imagine. It's like reading a good book: one must use his imagination to see the author's idea. In 6 minutes Chris puts a story witch could have been a full-length film. He shows a work of a true master: we're gonna be disturbed, entertained and (most important)we're gonna examine the depths of Johnny's character. And everything in 6 minutes! Unimaginable! "Rubber Johnny" kind of movies may turn out to be a new form of art: 2000's are fast times and fast times require fast art. Not fast-created, but short-length, clever, entertaining and deep-minded. Chris Cunningham does it first (as usual) and he does it better than anyone in this world.
Per A.
I guess my main beef with "Rubber Johnny" is that it is a freak show: a weird crippled child dances for the audience. The style/design explored territory covered during the goth/ industrial scene since the 90's. The filmmaker is obviously talented - but I didn't find the film either shocking or entertaining, just obnoxious. The whole marketing and experience of the film had the subtext: "There's this weird pale mutant in the basement. Isn't that cool??" I guess the concept of a freak show put me off. All of that said, Cunningham is a genuine talent - and apparently has good marketers behind him. So, hope to hear and see more from him in the future.
Dave
May or May Not Contain Spoiler.. don't think so though!! I have never posted a comment about any movie here before, but I felt compelled to post about this little flick.With all the hype surrounding this movie, I was expecting a terrifying thriller but instead I was treated to a 4 minute long laser show with brief breaks in the 'action' to feature a poor special FX job on Johnny spinning in his wheelchair, and a frightened small dog.Despite the claims of 'shape shifting mutant', I saw nothing of the sort, other than what looked like a blob of latex with teeth pushed against a photocopier.Worst money I ever spent in my life.