The long awaited black comedy / horror flick by wacky french producer Mr Oizo AKA Quentin Dupieux is finally here. Rubber is the story of a tyre (Robert) who kills people with his psychic powers. Yes, this is really a film about an angry psychic tire. And, yes, it is every bit as absurd as it sounds, which is entirely the point.
Robert is a tire. An all season tire, by the looks of him. Well worn, but still lively as we realize when Robert literally comes to life, using psychic energy to raise himself upright and take his first tentative rolls towards self determination. He does the sorts of things tires like to do. He rolls. He squishes a bug. He squishes an empty plastic water bottle. And then, when he reaches an obstacle he cannot squish, Robert learns that he can use his psychic energies to make things explode. Bottles. Cans. Bunnies. Crows. He explodes them all. And then Robert falls in love with the beautiful brunette he sees driving through the desert. He follows but theirs is a love not to be and soon Robert's rage explodes on those around him.
Yes this sounds completely insane but the surprising thing, however, is how impeccably well crafted the film is. Dupieux serves as writer, director and cinematographer while also providing much of the music as Mr Oizo along with Justice's Gaspard Auge. And he does all of them very well, indeed. The film looks fantastic, he handles his human actors well, and the effects are spot on. The simple fact that he's able to convince the audience that a tire can control its own path is a triumph on a technical level. Dupieux, undeniably, is very skilled behind the camera.
Rubber is set for a US theatrical release on April 1st (hmmmmm!?!) with the soundtrack being released by Ed Banger on February 13, 2011
BUT the best thing Rubber is that it gives us a chance to post up one of our most favourite videos of all time....enjoy!!!
