Why I Won't Ever Review the Jeepers Creepers Films

You know, when I started writing all those years ago, I didn't actually expect to write these little rant pieces. I thought I'd mostly stick to snarky reviews. Lo and behold, people seem to like me talking about stuff outside of reviews and recently there has been a recurring theme: how do I feel about Victor Salva's films?

It's times like these that I am fairly certain you all feed on my pain.

Now, I actually have said many times how I feel about Salva, just never directly here. For those who aren't completely aware, Victor Salva is a fairly well-known horror director that the mainstream mostly knows due to the Jeepers Creepers films. And if you're a horror fan, you've likely heard of his older work, Clownhouse. But the problem is that a massive cloud hangs over his films that is impossible not to think of whenever they are brought up. That cloud being Salva himself, as he is an actual convicted pedophile. Yes, he actually molested a child while filming Clownhouse.


Because clowns weren't scary enough, I guess.

See, this is hard to talk about for me. I'm not really a fan of kids but I'm also the sort of person who, when one gets attacked, is ready to rip someone's throat out over it. Frankly, Victor Salva sickens me on a deep level. But the argument I often here is "he's done his time", which is true. He has served jail time for what he did. He was sentenced to a whopping...3 years...and only served 15 months total...yay. Yeah, I sure feel so much better knowing that there's a kid out there traumatized for life whose abuser didn't even serve out the entirety of his meager prison sentence. Hold on, I need a second.

This isn't a joke, I just legitimately need a moment here.

Knowing all of this, it shouldn't be a massive shock to any of you that I have overwhelmingly negative feelings regarding Salva. But then, shouldn't I be able to separate the work for the creator? No, and I am going to explain why. Let's look at his major works, the ones so many have asked if I'd ever cover, the Jeepers Creepers films. We have a story about a flesh hungry monster that literally hunts underage youths, often preferring the underage boys especially. Victor Salva, the man who raped a boy, literally made two horror movies about a monster hunting underage boys. Not only does he hunt them, he does so in a very sexual manner.

Then again, maybe I am just reading into it too m...the Creeper is naked and straddling that boy.

From the fact that in first film the Creeper goes for the teen brother, the point is nailed in even harder in the sequel when it literally starts with the Creeper takes a 12 year old boy. From there we get to see lots of underage guys running around shirtless prior to the Creeper snatching them up before he finally goes full...well, creeper, and starts licking the bus window while pointing out the various ones he wants. Now, there is subtext and then there's Victor Salva literally making an unstoppable monster based on his own predatory desires. For me personally, I cannot separate the films from him because the films are too obviously an extension of him.

He is the monster preying on boys who can't seem to escape his hunger.

But what if I were to be sent free copies of the films, like say the Scream Factory releases? Wouldn't I feel obligated to talk about them in detail. No. The reason why is very simple too. I refuse to promote his work in any way, shape, or form. Even writing this feels like more than I want to do, because I am talking about his work. But I clearly needed to sound off on this subject, because so many people do seem to want to see me cover his work. And it will never happen, ever. Yes, he supposedly will be releasing that third film but I won't watch it. I won't give his work my time and I would advise others not to as well. Why? Because when you support his work, you're supporting his desires. You're supporting a man who lusts after kids. You're supporting a man who barely served any time for ruining a boy's life. I will not support that. I will not review the Jeepers Creepers films. Period.

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