Jeepers Creepers – The Devil’s Song
by Victor Salva (2001)
Trish and her brother Darry, on a journey home, become prey to a terrifying creature that stalks them.
Quote. Every 23rd spring, for 23 days, he eats.
The Creeper.
It is a demonic creature, mysterious and, in its own way, fascinating. Its origins are unknown and, as a physiognomy, it can almost recall a large bat, especially when it spreads its wings to take flight and move quickly from one place to another.
It wears a long winter coat, boots and a hat to camouflage itself among men.
The Creeper hunts at regular intervals of time. It does so to feed on human flesh, so as to regenerate and live forever. It is mainly looking for organs.
But it does not kill just anyone who comes into its sights. This winged monster sniffs out its victims for a long time and carefully chooses which parts of their body to eat.
And when he chooses, he doesn’t stop until he reaches his goal.
Considerations.
Victor Salva directs this film that smells very much of the 80s.
Jeepers Creepers – The Devil’s Song seems like a product that arrived a little too late, when part of that cinematography had long since exhausted its period of glory. From the point of view of the plot, in fact, there is nothing new to report. We are faced with yet another monster that hunts two teenagers. But, in this case, it is the details that make the difference and justify this somewhat nostalgic operation, if we want to define it that way.
For example, it is worth highlighting the scenographic work that lies behind the creation of the Creeper’s lair. All those bodies, without organs, sewn up and hung on the walls of the cave and perfectly preserved “like in a hallucinatory version of the Sistine Chapel”, not only represent something powerful on a visual level, but they also make us understand that the monster has been around for a long time.
Its nature is also quite interesting. The fact that it is looking for eyes, hearts, lungs and livers to regenerate and that it chooses its victims based on the smell they give off when they are scared, make it a particularly disturbing and original predator, within genre cinema.
The old Beatngu van with which the Creeper moves and chases its victims is memorable. A means of transport that seems indestructible and that cannot help but recall, due to its impetuosity, the truck that stars in Spielberg’s film Duel.
A particularly apt choice is to use a song by Paul Whitman, entitled Jeepers Creepers, apparently cheerful and carefree, to underline the arrival of the monster. A melody that certainly remains stuck in your head after watching the film.
Finally, as a last detail that is not obvious, we must consider the very convincing and inspired performance of the two young protagonists, Justin Long and Gina Philips.
Conclusions.
In summary, “Jeepers Creepers” is a film that has managed to mix folklore and horror, creating an iconic creature that has left its mark on the genre.
Its open ending and haunting atmosphere have helped it become a cult classic among fans of the genre.
