RUBBERHEAD: THE LIFE & MONSTERS OF STEVE JOHNSON

description

A humorous, heartfelt portrait of the life and times of Steve Johnson, one of Hollywood’s most prolific monster makers, who created iconic creatures and effects for some of the most beloved horror and sci-fi movies in cinema history.

Known for his intense work ethic, perfectionism, and obsession with breaking new ground, Steve has created iconic creatures and effects through his collaborations with James Cameron, Tim Burton, Steven Spielberg, Joel Schumacher, Guillermo del Toro, and many more. Featuring never before seen footage from Steve’s personal behind-the-scenes archives, RUBBERHEAD tells a deeply personal memoir while providing a fascinating and educational portrait of the golden age of special effects makeup in the 80s and 90s, a time when effects artists were considered the rock stars of Hollywood. Steve shares his endless amounts of riotously hilarious and outrageous anecdotes about his freewheeling, drug-fueled adventures in Hollywood, while also telling the inspirational but tragic story of his own meteoric rise and subsequent fall from grace. Fascinating, funny, inspirational and completely insane.

OFFICIAL SELECTION
Fantasia International Film Festival 2026

DIRECTOR'S BIO
Nick Taylor is a filmmaker and host of The Nick Taylor Horror Show, a podcast that has deconstructed the craft and career strategies of over 150 of the horror genre’s most visionary directors including Eli Roth, Radio Silence, Parker Finn, Joe Dante, and Roger Corman. Nick is also a writer for both FANGORIA and Dread Central, where he writes on the craft and culture of horror. Nick was also associate producer on the 2022 indie horror feature DEVIL'S WORKSHOP and production assistant on SHELBY OAKS.