Customer Reviews

Rubber Johnny

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Although it's a short (very short) film, it's probably the most innovative and engaging 6 minutes of film I've seen in a while. While most people will be turned off by the accompanying booklet, the film is uncomfortably irresistible. It's only downside is that it's too short.

The Video is awesome, it's creepy the first time you see it, and then it just starts to get damn cool and damn funny at the same time. I use a wheelchair in real life, so whether this is lame or not... I LOVED THE WHEELCHAIR BREAK DANCING... it looked awesome... I think I was a little bit overtired when I decided to buy it though, because all it really is, is a book with a bunch of twisted up pictures of rubber johnny, and a cd of the 6 minute video that u can see on other places on the internet.. I was HOPIN that the book would have more of an in depth explanation of the video, to see why rubber johnny was created.. seriously... why.. I need analysis in my life!! But Now that I bought it, I still don't regret the purchase, cust it's still a crazy and insane music video, and great to add on to the rest of my collection of creepy and f**ked up things.

This is a pretty brilliant video, albeit terribly messed up. Conceptually it is rather dark as well as literally being dark (as it was all shot on a infra-red camera). If you like Chris Cunningham, you'll probably like this video, though it is one of his stranger ones.

Originally conceived as a promo for Aphex Twin's DrukQs album almost 4 years ago, this piece by up and coming director Chris Cunningham has been a labor of love for him, and has been filmed and edited piece by piece when time permits to be fully unleashed on the public when ready. The story of course is about Johnny, a dangerous shapeshifting mutant kept in the cellar by his parents, where his mind alone keeps him and his dog entertained, along with the occasional ingestion of powdered cleaning products. The ingenuity with which Cunningham (who stars as Johnny by the way) uses nightvision to give this short film an unequalled creepiness is unsettling to say the least. All I can say is he is an acquired taste. Having been initially exposed to his visceral vision with 1997's 'Come to Daddy' video, I can say he is among my favorite directors working today, and I cannot wait for his eventual feature length film to hit theaters. It will be like a punch in the stomache to the public. Take heed.

I blinked and it was over. No really, it barely lasts five minutes. It's a segue. It leads you on with its elaborate packaging (lots of pictures that make you question your choice to watch it while eating) and has a disturbing opening which leads you on to the fact that there might be a story here... nope. It's not worth the $10 I paid.

Those five minutes were good. Wait for it to show up on some sort of compilation- then buy it.

i tend to be a fan of cunningham's work - however, this is just sub par. four years wait - and for what is essentially another aphex music video. it's not a short film at all - not even an experimental short film. it's a music video. be forewarned - the cover image isn't exactly representational of the footage either - which is for the most part, really uninteresting (lots of quick edits in time to aphex twin) with the exception of the absolute begining, and end (the bits in color). i suppose they couldn't package a single music video and sell it for 10 bucks - no, they have to call it a short film. i guess what's really upsetting, is that the intial start of the video sets you up to expect some kind of actual short film - and a really good one at that. i had heard people speaking of lynch's shorts - and that's really not even close to what follows. even at his most abstract, lynch never decends into what is more or less an excercise in editing to sound. and now i've heard that cunninham has ditched neuromancer? c'mon - he also gave up on a scanner darkly. four years for a little under 6 minutes of film. that's apprx 1.3 minutes of film a year. you want to see brilliance in under 60 seconds? watch lynch's short on the lumiere compilation - done in one shot. hoisted by yr own pitard, cunningham...!

A nightmarish trip. You will be dragged into watching this video till the end.
The intense visuals mirror the intensly frenetic pace of the music. In the end this experience will leave you quite exhausted and breathless.
This short film is definetly not for the faint of heart. If you have the constitution to take it I would highly recommend Rubber Johnny.

I understand that this video cannot be up there in the pantheon of "genius creations of all time" for most people, simply because it isn't as accessible as some of Cunningham's other work.

Aside from this, it is just short of perfection. The visuals are completely well suited and perfectly matched to the music. If you aren't an Aphex fan, you will have a problem with this, because the imagery is inextricably linked to the music. Nevertheless, with this caveat, you cannot help but be mesmerized by the grotesqueries of the Johnny character, and of course the eerie likeness to John Merrick, evidenced by the oversized cranium.

I thought it was hilarious that the Italian printing company hired to make the sleeve for the DVD refused to finish the job because the workers on the printing floor didn't even want to look at the DVD artwork. If you think this is all a bit cheeky, you're right; pushing the envelope of culture by using uncomfortable images sounds like what an artist does. Or you can look at it as sensationalism- it's up to you. I choose the former, because Cunningham isn't afraid of being darkly humorous...even if it is a little sick.

quite brilliant, but much to short to justify the price! its over in the blink of an eye it seems. not even a full song from aphex. i was hoping for new music, but no, its a song from drukqs. recommended, but only if you have the money burning a hole in your pocket.

After seeing the promos and reading the announcements for this film, I was looking forward to seeing an actual short film by Cunningham. However, "Rubber Johnny" turns out to be just another Aphex Twin music video, and in my opinion, the least successful of the ones Cunningham has made. I own both of his other Aphex videos, but I will not be purchasing this one. Try before you buy.