Chris Cunningham
Rubber Johnny

THE REVIEW

Unite three elements: Chris Cunningham, Richard D. James a.k.a. Apehx Twin, and the production of Warp Films, and you will surely obtain a result with an abnormal level of mental illness.

I believe the two aforementioned figures need no introduction, the first is one of the most acclaimed and discussed directors, having collaborated with artists like AFX itself, then Madonna and Bjork, to name a few. The second is one of the most schizophrenic composers and music producers with his Warp Rec. and Rephlex.

The latest production offered by these two, whom I define as geniuses, is one of the most disturbing in the realm of short films and/or films (although it is more correct to speak of a short film). "Rubber Johnny" (which in English slang means condom) is the story of a deformed, mentally disturbed being, sitting in a wheelchair, confined in a basement along with a little dog whose head is also disproportionate to its body.
The story, lasting a total of 6 minutes, opens with a close-up of Johnny being given a brief "interview" to which he responds only with indecipherable mumbles, then Johnny gets agitated, is beaten up, and the lights go out. The image returns with the lighting of a neon and a mouse that passes over the "Warp Films" writing, then the little dog is seen drinking, and it becomes terrorized by the presence of Johnny, motionless in his wheelchair.

With "afx237 v. 7" from the "Drukqs" album by Apehx Twin, an infinitely syncopated song that gives a significant sense of claustrophobia, Johnny's adventures begin as he battles laser beams, performs evolutions and dances in his chair, crashes against the glass in perfect splatter style, and as if that weren't enough, snorts a line of coke.
The door opens, Johnny stops, and a person is seen talking to him, the door closes again, and the film ends with the still terrified image of the little dog. For the credits, the image shifts outside to frame a train passing in the darkness.

The main peculiarities of this "Rubber Johnny" are two: virtually all scenes were shot with an infrared camera, and especially from the start of "afx237 v. 7," every image corresponds to a beat of the song, to clearly see all the images, one would have to re-watch the scenes in slow motion.
Try listening to this song and you will understand that anyone apart from Chris Cunningham would
have gone mad making such a work. The artwork and the DVD booklet are, for common decency, a bit disgusting as various body parts, including those restricted to minors, of (I suppose) Johnny are assembled to form a shapeless body; for those who love certain "experiments," it will surely be appreciated.

This is the classic product that you either love or despise, but on the other hand, when you fall into
the hands of two figures like Cunningham and AFX, you cannot hope for something normal that
doesn’t aim to shock us.

(sic)VII