“Ether is the key.”
It’s impossible not to be reminded of Tetsuo, yet despite it’s familiar tropes (black-and-white, industrial horror), Rubber’s Lover stands on its own as a sort-of prequel to 964 Pinnochio and an assault on the senses. Kinetic and jaggedly-edited, Shozin Fukui’s disturbing experiment-gone-wrong film peaks around the hour mark and loses its way in the final third, yet its power is undeniable, if its plot is barely coherent. The imagery, enhanced by the gorgeously evocative photography, makes up for much of the seemingly random nature of the story. There’s also quite a brutal rape scene, for those who like to be warned. While it’s not in the same league as Irreversible, it’s mostly done in an unbroken take and may or may not have been an influence on Noe’s work.
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