sugababyboo
mrs. charlie
*Warning This post will contain spoilers from both films*
Yes, I know this is a horror film and usually they're not very complex, but checkout my analysis before jumping to conclusions. Also, I do not believe that homosexuality and pedophilia are linked in any way.
My take on the first film:
I thought the first half was pretty good. There were a few times where I jumped from all the "boo!" type scares and I was sitting on the edge of my seat. However, when the film became a "creature feature" I was completely turned off because I'm not a fan of those type of horror flicks.
Victor Salva, is definitely a better director than a screenwriter (he directed and penned this film along with the sequel) I thought some of the dialogue was...off and the psychic lady was so useless.
After viewing this film I went online and discovered that he is a convicted child molester. His victim was a 12 year old boy that starred in his first feature film "Clownhouse" and he filmed the sexual act. Unlike Roman Polanski, he didn't flee the country, he served time in prison. You can read more about it here
After finding this out, I thought about the movie and I can see that Salva hasn't worked out all of his demons. Pedophilia (sp?) can be treated through therapy but never cured. There are a few elements in this movie that suggests this.
The Creeper, at least to me, seems like a male. He's built like a man, dresses like one, has masculine mannerisms, and is played by an actor. The makeup artists did not make TC androgynous.
He seems to be very intent on pursuing Justin Long's character, Darry. When he broke into Darry and Trish's car, he sniffed Darry's underwear. And he ultimately, chose him over Trish because of his "eyes". In the end it is revealed that Darry had been stripped of his clothes and was tortured. If TC really wanted his eyes, why did he torture Darry before doing so?
However, when it comes to him killing his male victims, TC seems to relish in it. (This next line is graphic, you've been warned) For example, after beheading a male police officer, he makesout with the head to pull out the tongue. Why didn't he simply pull out with his hand instead of wasting time by using his mouth?? There's a scene in the police station where he takes his time by eating his male victim oppose to just going in for the quick kill. He did this knowing that he was being watched by another male who was obviously petrified. TC's "House of Pain" seemed to have more male bodies than female.
My take on the sequel:
This movie as a whole was very, very inferior to the original. It was more of a action creature feature than a full on horror movie. Victor fails to produce at least semi-complex characters, a well written plot and dialogue that doesn't ooze cheese. The "racial tension" between the lead character and his teammates is laughable and the issue of homophobia is handled in a very clumsy way. Like I said earlier, Salva is a way better director than he is a screenwriter.
The Creeper seems to be more out in this film than in the original. Yes, Victor Salva is openly gay as well. Anyway, TC's first victim happens to be a boy, (at least 13-15 years old). After that, he flirts with his male victims by winking, smiling, and even licking the window of the bus that they are trapped in. There are VERY few female victims and I am counting the first film too. And their deaths are either quick or are offscreen. Although the bus driver is a woman, she is a bit masculine and happens to be one of the first to die.
There are more scenes in this movie that I consider to be homoeroctic. First, there are a whole lot of shirtless good looking guys on this basketball team. They sunbathe together and pee together, shoulder-to-shoulder in a very large open field too. I've talked to many guys and they've all said that they would never pee that close to another man unless it was out of their control (like urinals). Most of them said that they wouldn't compare their gentials while using them to urinate unlike the guys in the movie. One character actually pulls down his pants and boxers to urinate...I thought boxers had those slots...ah well. One death in particular caught my interest. TC/The Creeper loses his head, so he wraps his wings around one of the actors to behead him. Not only does he take the guy's head off, but he takes his shirt as well and somehow unbuttons the top button of the victim's pants in the process.
The ending of the film is very telling to Victor's mindset because the Creeper only awakes every 23rd year and day to eat. He doesn't die in the end, he just goes into hibernation for another 23 years. No matter how hard everybody tries to get rid of this monster, he always comes back. He never dies, he's just dormant most of the time. So, TC is like Salva's struggle with pedophilia, no matter how much help he gets he will never be cured. However, he knows that he cannot commit another crime and yet, he needs an outlet to prevent himself from engaging in pedophilia, something to satisfy his inner monster/Creeper. These films are the product of his anguish. Think about it, TC is a predator who likes to prey on young men (and rarely women). The Creeper is Victor's evil alter ego, his inner demon or the pedophile in him.
Yes, I know this is a horror film and usually they're not very complex, but checkout my analysis before jumping to conclusions. Also, I do not believe that homosexuality and pedophilia are linked in any way.
My take on the first film:
I thought the first half was pretty good. There were a few times where I jumped from all the "boo!" type scares and I was sitting on the edge of my seat. However, when the film became a "creature feature" I was completely turned off because I'm not a fan of those type of horror flicks.
Victor Salva, is definitely a better director than a screenwriter (he directed and penned this film along with the sequel) I thought some of the dialogue was...off and the psychic lady was so useless.
After viewing this film I went online and discovered that he is a convicted child molester. His victim was a 12 year old boy that starred in his first feature film "Clownhouse" and he filmed the sexual act. Unlike Roman Polanski, he didn't flee the country, he served time in prison. You can read more about it here
After finding this out, I thought about the movie and I can see that Salva hasn't worked out all of his demons. Pedophilia (sp?) can be treated through therapy but never cured. There are a few elements in this movie that suggests this.
The Creeper, at least to me, seems like a male. He's built like a man, dresses like one, has masculine mannerisms, and is played by an actor. The makeup artists did not make TC androgynous.
He seems to be very intent on pursuing Justin Long's character, Darry. When he broke into Darry and Trish's car, he sniffed Darry's underwear. And he ultimately, chose him over Trish because of his "eyes". In the end it is revealed that Darry had been stripped of his clothes and was tortured. If TC really wanted his eyes, why did he torture Darry before doing so?
However, when it comes to him killing his male victims, TC seems to relish in it. (This next line is graphic, you've been warned) For example, after beheading a male police officer, he makesout with the head to pull out the tongue. Why didn't he simply pull out with his hand instead of wasting time by using his mouth?? There's a scene in the police station where he takes his time by eating his male victim oppose to just going in for the quick kill. He did this knowing that he was being watched by another male who was obviously petrified. TC's "House of Pain" seemed to have more male bodies than female.
My take on the sequel:
This movie as a whole was very, very inferior to the original. It was more of a action creature feature than a full on horror movie. Victor fails to produce at least semi-complex characters, a well written plot and dialogue that doesn't ooze cheese. The "racial tension" between the lead character and his teammates is laughable and the issue of homophobia is handled in a very clumsy way. Like I said earlier, Salva is a way better director than he is a screenwriter.
The Creeper seems to be more out in this film than in the original. Yes, Victor Salva is openly gay as well. Anyway, TC's first victim happens to be a boy, (at least 13-15 years old). After that, he flirts with his male victims by winking, smiling, and even licking the window of the bus that they are trapped in. There are VERY few female victims and I am counting the first film too. And their deaths are either quick or are offscreen. Although the bus driver is a woman, she is a bit masculine and happens to be one of the first to die.
There are more scenes in this movie that I consider to be homoeroctic. First, there are a whole lot of shirtless good looking guys on this basketball team. They sunbathe together and pee together, shoulder-to-shoulder in a very large open field too. I've talked to many guys and they've all said that they would never pee that close to another man unless it was out of their control (like urinals). Most of them said that they wouldn't compare their gentials while using them to urinate unlike the guys in the movie. One character actually pulls down his pants and boxers to urinate...I thought boxers had those slots...ah well. One death in particular caught my interest. TC/The Creeper loses his head, so he wraps his wings around one of the actors to behead him. Not only does he take the guy's head off, but he takes his shirt as well and somehow unbuttons the top button of the victim's pants in the process.
The ending of the film is very telling to Victor's mindset because the Creeper only awakes every 23rd year and day to eat. He doesn't die in the end, he just goes into hibernation for another 23 years. No matter how hard everybody tries to get rid of this monster, he always comes back. He never dies, he's just dormant most of the time. So, TC is like Salva's struggle with pedophilia, no matter how much help he gets he will never be cured. However, he knows that he cannot commit another crime and yet, he needs an outlet to prevent himself from engaging in pedophilia, something to satisfy his inner monster/Creeper. These films are the product of his anguish. Think about it, TC is a predator who likes to prey on young men (and rarely women). The Creeper is Victor's evil alter ego, his inner demon or the pedophile in him.
