Rubber's Lover

Surprising result. Such a surprising result. Such a surprising result. Such a surprising result.

Fukui Shozin's previous film, '964 Pinocchio,' was a terrific, wild ride. Low-budget but full of high energy and earnest hard work, it was better than I could have hoped in its blend of cyberpunk science fiction and horror. With the promise of a like-minded underground production, a kindred premise of dangerous unsanctioned experimentation and madness, and plentiful blood, gore, and effects, I had high expectations of 1996 follow-up 'Rubber's lover' - and I've not been disappointed. Actually, to some degree I think it's a step up as Fukui has honed his skills in the intervening few years; there's no mistaking that this is broadly kith and kin with the previous effort, but it demonstrates certain artistic sensibilities that makes it all the more enticing. I think this is fantastic!

The choice to film in black and white confers a sense of style upon the proceedings while definitely making the gnarly violence and imagery herein all the more stark, ugly, and impactful. And in every regard there's a lot here for our eyes to feast upon. Marvelously smart use of lighting and bold emphasis of shadow make all the more fetching the simple but effective production design design, art direction, props, and costume design clearly assembled with shrewd creativity from whatever Fukui and his collaborators could cobble together; Fukui's striking shot composition, visualizing all the superb details in this filming space in a fashion that makes them feel disproportionately more grandiose and alien; the violence, vivid practical effects, and special makeup, perhaps relatively sparing but indisputably jarring and rich; and even the acting, which is uniformly spirited, committed, and downright vibrant. It's a small cast on hand, but between Nao, Saito Sosuke, Kawase Yota, Kunihiro Mika, and the scant few others involved, all are so good that one doesn't stand out above the others - all the more important since the intensity of the performances do just as much heavy lifting as the effects, if not more so, to bring the twisted tableau to bear.

In fact, the latter verbiage applies to not just the acting, but the cinematography, and the editing. Through Fukui's direction and his vision every element has a part to play in realizing the darkly entertaining saga, all being roundly active, dynamic, and thoughtfully employed. This is to say nothing of the robust sound design by which all audio rings out loud and clear, and not least the phenomenal original music of Tetora Tanizaki. Sound effects bleed into the score and vice versa, weaving a versatile, mesmerizing tapestry of soundscapes varying from whimsical to sinister, clamorous industrial beats, and other themes that are more melodic but no less haunting. There's no doubt in my mind that Tetora's contribution counts among the top highlights in this picture - so outstanding that as to be the sort of music I'd want to add to my personal collection - but for as brilliant as most every odd and end is, distinguishing between the respective quality of this and that seems kind of silly. It's worth noting that all these aspects are arguably much more integral to the viewing experience than the writing. Fukui's screenplay provides the foundation, yes, but the acting, the music, every facet of the visuals, and the underlying craftsmanship are all intoxicating, and the story is but a vehicle for these. All things considered, I could scarcely be happier with what the filmmaker put together.

I'll grant that the storytelling is surely the one place where the feature is less sure-footed. The narrative is generally amorphous and comparatively light in terms of material, and the tone and pacing vary; in the last act the proceedings become far more abstruse and fanciful, breaking from the more straightforward tack adopted in the first two-thirds. This isn't an especially severe criticism and in some manner it's in keeping with the nature of the movie at large, but it's the one place in these ninety minutes that may be a stumbling point for some viewers. And still, even at that, the flick is so imaginative, and so capably executed, that the distinction doesn't seem all that significant; the runtime speeds by all too quickly. There's no denying the skill and intelligence that went into 'Rubber's lover,' and for as peculiar or downright nasty as it might get, it's deeply absorbing and highly satisfying from start to finish. This is a title for those who are receptive to all the wide, wacky possibilities of genre fare, but if you're ready to engage with whatever comes your way, 'Rubber's lover' is a fabulously enjoyable, tantalizing film, and I'm pleased to give it my very high recommendation.

Rubber's lover is Fukui's second movie, a prequel to Pinnochio 964. The plot (from what I can gather from reading other reviews and summaries of the movie off the internet as well as my visual interpretation of the movie since I don't speak Japanese and my copy isn't subtitled) concerns a group of scientists working to unleash the psychic potential of human beings. For some reason this involves injecting them repeatedly with a drug dispensed by a huge cannonlike needle, and then strapping a device to their heads similar to a VR helmet. The company they work for decides the project is a loss and sends a secretary to tell them the news of the project's shutdown. The poor scientists react rather badly to the news, and in a desperate attempt to make a final breakthrough, subject one of their own ranks to the drug and device. He responds well so they put him in an isolating rubber suit that deprives him of all sensory input but that which is governed by the experiment. The results are succesful and much mayhem ensues. Thus begins Rubber's Lover.

Shot in black and white, primarily in one location, this is a perfect example of low or no budget but high concept film making. A feeling of isolation permeates thoughout, perfectly controlled by the director's choice of angles and locations. The outdated technology the scientists are using isolates the movie from any specific date in time. The character's reactions to the events happening around them only amplify the feeling of isolation. The effects are gruesome, the editing is kinetic, the story is bizarre. Fans of Tetsuo: The Iron Man will love it as both can easily be compared at the most shallow levels. It is, however, an amazing film that stands on it's own strange island in cyberspace, far removed from Tsukamoto's film. Highly recommended, not for the squeamish.

Much of this movie has the feel of a Tsukamoto (Tetsuo,Vital,A Snake of June) film, but the differences in story and plot have great distinctions. To save time and for the sake of your interest I will not re-summarize the film, but tell you what to expect. This film is almost as vivid and has as many common traits as Tetsuo, though with a different theme. For all of my friends, the sheer amount of screaming was unbearable, but it really is necessary. Effects weren't flashy, but they suited well. Acting was fantastic (only a real actor will wear one of those rubber suits). Overall, a great movie that will certainly make you perceive many things in a new way from now on, which I think is a goal that more films should strive to achieve. Not for the faint of heart, so watch at your own risk. If you enjoyed Rubber, you may like 964 Pinocchio, also by Shozin Fukui.

This is another one in a long line of typical Japanese black-and-white film-student-project-gone-wrong pretentious wannabe-deep-but-it's-not pseudo-surrealistic piece of crap masquerading as "disturbing horror." A never-ending bout of morons screaming for no reason and just "freaking out" is what you are in for with this film.

Of course, any movie like this will attract countless reviews speaking of how "briliant" the director is, how "disturbing" the film's "message" was (bwhahaha!) and a long string of steamy nuggets of self-delusional insight, but what it comes down to is this: low budget black and white boring inanity with lots of stupid screaming that will bore you to the verge of tears.

If you're looking for an actual movie with plot that will entertain you, this is not it.