DRAINIAC! (2000)
I think this is the fourth Brett Piper film that I've seen. How many do I need to see before I can claim that he is one of my favorite filmmakers? Because his stuff rocks. Drainiac! distills the essence of low-budget splatter and nails the vibe that every young spook-enthused auteur should strive to emulate. To wit, a third of Drainiac's budget (and please excuse my omission of the title's exclamation point...I'm easily frazzled by weird grammar) was spent on 16mm film stock. That shows a serious commitment to the craft, seeing as how this thing cost $10,000 to make overall. I dig this flick for a lot of different reasons. For starters, it's unique. I haven't seen many other "haunted house" romps about water spirits, and I'm guessing you haven't either. Let's get a little more specific. Julie's dad has just invested in a fixer-upper, a truly dilapidated piece of real estate that is home to an elemental. What is an elemental, you may ask? According to Wikipedia, it's a "mythic supernatural being" that corresponds with one of the four basic elements. H2 oh no!
We don't learn anything about this specific ghost, and normally, that would be a problem. However, Piper counterbalances this murkiness with a heapin' helpin' of practical creature effects. All in-camera, all awesome, and all created by Piper himself. Apparently, he's a big fan of liquids. Drainiac is full of blood, water, and enough slime to stage an episode of Double Dare. I haven't mentioned the cast, but everyone performs their task with aplomb. An honorable mention goes out to Alexandra Boylan for...well, I think she's really pretty. Hey, I never said that I wasn't vain. The bottom line is that Drainiac is yet another Brett Piper joint that I'd endorse quicker than Donald Trump endorses the color orange. If you're reading this capsule on my website, this is where I'll link you to my review of Piper's Arachnia. If you're reading this capsule in my second book, go read my first book.
Recommended to fans of powdered laundry detergent.
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