Digi-Schlock: JEEPERS CREEPERS 2 (Scream Factory 2 Blu-Ray Set)

On the same day that Scream Factory released their two blu-ray special edition of Jeepers Creepers, they also released a similar set for Jeepers Creepers 2.  Like its counterpart release, the Jeepers Creepers 2 set offers a nice presentation with a comprehensive mixture of extras new and old.The transfer used here is the same one from a prior MGM double-feature release of the Jeepers Creepers films.  It offers a solid presentation of a film that veers from oddly colored daytime shots to dark nighttime exteriors, bringing quality levels of detail and depth to all the variations.  The 5.1 DTS-HD stereo track is plenty of fun for home theater aficionados, packed with plenty of surround sound effects and a nice depth to the action-packed orchestral score.This set revives the extras that were dropped for the MGM double-feature blu-ray set and also adds some nice new extras that fans will enjoy.  Here's a look at what you can expect...Commentaries: Two are included. The first features writer/director Victor Salva with most of the young cast members.  It's not as raucous group commentary tracks often are. Instead, it's conducted more like a group conversation with Silva inviting the castmates to discuss their experiences and offering up anecdotes and analysis from the filmmaker perspective.The second is a "Creeper Commentary" that includes Creeper actor Jonathan Breck, FX designer Brian Penikas and conceptual artist Brad Parker.  There's a lot of detail about how the development of the makeup and the Creeper's weapons, with Brock defining the experience of enacting both the makeup and several stunts.Jeepers Creepers 2: Then And Now (22:34): A retrospective featurette returns with Salva, editor Ed Marx, cinematographer Don FauntLeRoy and actor/production associate Tom Tarantini.  Salva reveals how he envisioned the film as having a subtle 9/11 theme and was designed to incorporate all the things they didn't get to do with the first film.  Production challenges are discussed and Ray Wise is given a nice tribute by several interview subjects.A Father's Vengeance (15:20):  A solo chat with Wise.  He reflects on the experience with great fondness, revealing a long history of near-castings on Salva projects that preceded his work here and how Salva directed him to model his characterization on Captain Ahab from Moby Dick.  He has plenty of kind words for castmates and the crew and even discusses his long-standing fandom for Dracula.Don't Get Off The Bus: an interview segment devoted to the actor who played the adult members of the sport entourage in the film.  Tarantini returns here along with Thom Gossom, Jr. and Diane Delano.  They all talk about how Salva is a genuine actor's director and get into the physical challenges of enacting the victim side of the film's monster attacks.  Delano also has a funny tale about a crew prank.A Day In Hell (26:43): a BTS featurette devoted to a single day of shooting, a challenging occasion that involved two units shooting simultaneously on a large soundstage.  Salva is the defacto host here and the piece gives a nice insight into the enormous technical complexity of capturing the film's effects and action on film.Lights Camera Creeper (14:23): a more traditional, EPK style featurette about the making of Jeepers Creepers 2.  Salva drives the piece with his comments, which are fleshed out by cast and crew soundbites and plenty of on-set footage.Creeper Creation (11:29): This is focused on the design and makeup effects involved in bringing the Creeper to life, with actor Jonathan Breck, conceptual artist Brad Parker and FX designer Brian Penikas.  It incorporates lots of cool footage from the FX lab as well as some excellent monster sketches by Parker.Orphanage Visual Effects Reel (5:23): a quick piece showing the development of some key VFX shots.  It gives insight into how CGI effects are built in layers.Creeper Composer (9:26): a music featurette that intercuts moments of composer Bennett Salvay being interviewed by Salva with lots of great footage of the score being recorded by a studio orchestra.  This offers some interesting material on the director/composer relationship.Storyboards (5:35): animated storyboards that interestingly focus on a pair of deleted sequences from the script.Deleted Scenes (15:51): Various snips dropped from the film are woven together into a montage here.  Much of it is devoted to extensions of existing scenes but there's an interesting nightmare-ish vision had by Minxie.Additional Extras: A cast and crew gallery, a behind-the-scenes gallery and the theatrical trailer.To read Schlockmania's film review of Jeepers Creepers 2, click here.