"Water Power" (1977), directed by Shaun Costello, is a notorious and polarizing film that blends elements of adult cinema with dark, disturbing themes. Loosely inspired by the real-life crimes of Michael Hubert Kenyon, known as the "Illinois Enema Bandit," the movie follows Burt (played by Jamie Gillis), a troubled loner who becomes obsessed with administering forced enemas after witnessing the act in a brothel. This fixation, coupled with his voyeuristic tendencies and unrequited fixation on a neighbor, spirals into a series of violent and perverse crimes across a gritty, decaying New York City backdrop.
The film’s tone is unrelentingly sleazy, drawing clear inspiration from Martin Scorsese’s "Taxi Driver" (1976) in its portrayal of an isolated protagonist navigating a seedy urban landscape. Gillis delivers a standout performance, bringing a menacing yet darkly comedic edge to Burt. His soft-spoken delivery and sinister presence amplify the character’s unsettling nature, while moments of absurd dialogue—like his musings on "cleaning up" society—add a layer of black humor that some viewers find perversely entertaining. The supporting cast, including C.J. Laing and Sharon Mitchell, perform adequately within the film’s exploitative framework, though the focus remains squarely on Gillis.
Visually, "Water Power" captures the grimy essence of 1970s New York, with Costello’s direction lending it a raw, unpolished aesthetic that suits its subject matter. The explicit scenes, particularly the enema sequences, are graphic and unflinching, often crossing into territory that feels more horrific than erotic. While the film boasts a plot and character development uncommon in adult cinema of the era, its unrelenting focus on sexual violence and degradation makes it a tough watch for most audiences. The realism of these scenes—reportedly achieved without effects or stand-ins—heightens their discomforting impact.
Critically, "Water Power" is a mixed bag. It’s a fascinating artifact of extreme cinema, produced under the influence of the Gambino crime family and initially misattributed to "Deep Throat" director Gerard Damiano as a marketing ploy. Some praise its audacity and Gillis’s committed performance, viewing it as a subversive take on societal decay and personal psychosis. Others find it gratuitous and repellent, with little redeeming value beyond shock. The police subplot, featuring two bumbling detectives more interested in each other than catching the "Enema Bandit," adds a touch of absurdity but doesn’t lighten the film’s oppressive mood.
Ultimately, "Water Power" isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a cult oddity that thrives on its reputation as one of the most infamous adult films ever made—less a traditional porno and more a nightmarish character study. If you’re a fan of gritty, transgressive 1970s cinema and can stomach its content, it’s a unique, if deeply unsettling, experience. For most, though, it’s a hard pass—memorable for all the wrong reasons.