The 2001 horror film “Jeepers Creepers” is one of the few scary movies both set in and filmed in Florida. The plot revolves around an ancient demonic creature who rises up from a 23-year hibernation to feast on humans in an unfortunate rural Florida town for 23 days before returning to his ritual slumber.
Much of the film was actually filmed very close to where I once lived, which I find quite humorous!
The opening scene and most of the driving scenes were shot in none other than SW 180th Avenue Road, also known as High School Road, in Dunnellon.
The location for “Opper’s Diner” is 4629 FL-44, Lake Panasoffkee.
The “Poho County” Sheriff Department was actually filmed at what was formerly Reddick High School, at 15150 NW Gainesville Road. The school was in operation from 1927 to 1964.
The church, underneath which the Creeper stored 200-years-worth of his victim’s bodies, was formerly located in Ocala, but sadly was burned down. It was called the St. James Church but had been abandoned long before filming began.
Some people suspect it was the doing of former New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who had a horse farm just to the south of the church property, allegedly because he was tired of fans of the film coming to visit the church so frequently.
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