First-time director Nick Taylor brings special effects makeup artist Steve Johnson’s life and work to pulsing vitality in a brand new documentary. Out of Fantasia Film Festival, Rubberhead: The Life & Monsters of Steve Johnson peeks behind the curtain for an intimate glimpse into all the ups and downs of the business and Johnson’s personal life. There’s a self-assurance around the iconic creator that’s infectious. He speaks candidly and confidently about the past 40+ years of working in the entertainment business on some of the most terrifying horror films, including Ghostbusters, Fright Night, An American Werewolf in London, Night of the Demons, and Pet Sematary II, among countless others. His legacy speaks for itself, but with Taylor’s hands guiding the ship, Johnson’s work shines even brighter.
A segment is appropriately dedicated to Johnson’s masterful work on A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, particularly the intricate finale involving souls pushing their way out of Freddy Krueger’s (Robert Englund) chest. The devices required to pull off that moment are a marvel and culminate in one of Johnson’s best moments. One of those gruesome spirits poking through Freddy’s elastic skin is none other than Linnea Quigley, the Scream Queen of the ’80s, who would later marry Johnson in 1990. Her insight in the documentary is deeply personal, revealing their hot and quick romance to its slow unraveling by 1992 when they divorced.
Taylor weaves personal anecdotes through all the highs and lows of the artist’s life—from purchasing his own studio space and reaching a financial and creative peak to the inevitable crash out during the digital effects avalanche. By his own admission, Johnson could snort some cocaine with the best of them, which led to some of his best work but also tension in the production room. The life of an artistic genius, greatly influenced by Rick Baker (The Howling, Videodrome) and Dick Smith (The Exorcist, Scanners, Death Becomes Her), is certainly not without its faults.
Rubberhead features several genre icons, including Tom Holland (Child’s Play, Fright Night), Richard Edlund (Big Trouble in Little China, The Monster Squad, Poltergeist), John Landis (An American Werewolf in London, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” music video), and Mark Bryan Wilson (Men in Black, Dracula, Species), sharing stories, hard truths about Johnson, and the intuition and sheer determination required to make a career in the industry. Talking head interviews mix with real footage from across the decades of Johnson’s career and give a clear snapshot of his work, legacy, and influence. While he hasn’t worked in 12 years, he reminds himself that he’s carved out a good life for himself. That means something.
As he looks ahead, Steve Johnson believes he’ll die soon. He’s been diagnosed with cancer, with a five-year prognosis. Even if he only s lives until he’s 69, that’s good enough for him. He’s lived one helluva life, one everyone in creative arts hopes to achieve. We should all be so lucky.
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