Town That Dreaded Sundown

 

 

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Being originally from rural, small-town, Georgia, U.S.A., I can easily relate to the similar, real-life setting of Texarkana, Arkansas. Anyone looking for a high-quality, gripping, intense and suspenseful story, need look no further. It's made all the more horrific because it is based on real-life, unsolved serial killings in 1946 Texarkana. It is maybe somewhat deceptive and misleading to those viewers who are looking for horror films to rent or to buy. It's packaging may give the appearance of being just another cheap slasher or stalker film. The real surprise awaiting many unwary viewers may come when they discover that it is not just another cheap Friday the 13th or Halloween imitation, but in fact, actually pre-dates both films and their countless sequels. Ben Johnson, as he always did, made acting look easy, was such a wonderful and fine, natural, vastly underrated actor and gives an impressive performance here as Texas Ranger, Captain "Lone Wolf" J.D. Morales. Andrew Prine, as Miller County, Arkansas Deputy Sheriff Norman Ramsey, is great in a key supporting role. Dawn Wells (Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island) is very lovely and is also excellent in all too brief role, as a would-be victim of The Phantom Killer, Mrs. Helen Reed. The violence, although while it is quite jarring and effective, is generally low-key and takes place, thankfully, mostly off-camera. The main exception is the infamous "trombone" scene, while it is maybe not as graphically bloody and explicit by today's gorehound's highly questionable standards, it is always very hard to watch and is much more disturbing than the goriest scenes in the Friday the 13th films. Perhaps this particular scene is made all the more unpleasant and is much more difficult to watch because it is shown from The Phantom Killer's sadistic point-of-view, as well as from the victim's. This film always makes me feel just a little bit uneasy about walking or sitting in front of the windows in my house at night, even to this very day. Perhaps the most unsettling thing of all is the knowledge that the film's basis is all too factual and quite chillingly, that The Phantom Killer was never caught and the most frightening thing of all is the undeniable knowledge that something similar could still happen today, anywhere, at anytime. The extremely unlikely and sometimes even surprisingly slapstick humor and comedy relief are both somewhat out-of-place for a film of this kind, are also inappropriate and overdone and are quite often too much, almost to the point of giving you the feeling that you are watching two different films at the same time, but maybe they do give the film a much-needed break and some pleasant and comforting relief from the otherwise, unrelenting and almost documentary-like, grim storyline. Not a huge budget or great production values (not unlike the original Night Of The Living Dead), except for a quite surprisingly authentic 1940's feel and excellent use of on-location filming. The acting (except for director Charles B. Pierce's own portrayal of a Barney Fife-like police officer, Patrolman A.C. "Sparkplug" Benson), is more than adequate and is generally, well-cast. Director Pierce did a mostly acceptable job behind the camera, but it would have been an even better film if he had been content with staying there, as he quite obviously should have done. Well worth a look just as it is, though, far from perfect it may be. Hopefully, it will also be made available on DVD someday, complete with some extras, such as the original film trailer and maybe some behind-the-scenes features. All-in-all, one of the very best adaptations of a fact-based story that has ever been done on film. As the film's narrator says early-on, "The story you are about to see is true, only the names have been changed........" (Maybe someone was a big fan of Dragnet!) My most hearty recommendation is a quite definite BUY IT NOW!!

i consider this to be one of the scariest movies i have ever seen, and i love horror movies. but this is not really a horror movie, this is based on actual events that took place in texarkana. granted by todays standards it is very tame for the simple fact that in order to get shocks today, there obviously has to be an over abundance of blood and gore. i completely disagree with that. movies can still shock and scare without blood. and in my opinion this was does the trick. the whole concept of a hooded killer and not ever knowing who it is scares me more than anything. jason (from the 13th films) has nothing over this killer. this one was real! not fantasy. the acting is kinda out there, but the movie still pulls it off. i was only 12 when this movie was released and now i am nearing 40 and i still will not watch it alone. the most shocking scene is the trombone sequence. it is a bit unsettling. i recently purchased it on a new vhs and am hoping it will be released on dvd in its widescreen format. to me this is a must have for anyone who likes horror or mystery. it was made by the same man who made the "legend of boggy creek". once again this movie is a true story which is probably why the scare factor is high for me and the fact i only live 2 1/2 hours from texarkana!!! i give it 5 stars.

The Town That Dreaded Sundown has always been a great film in my eyes. Ever since I was 9 years old and I borrowed it from my local library, I have loved this film. I have a hudge collection of dvd horror films and recently purchased this one on VHS. They never put it on dvd but I didnt care I wanted it anyways. This film deffinately needs to be added to the dvd library at some point. If you dont own this movie, you dont have a real collection.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Chilling
First an explanation: This movie loses one star for the lame attempts at humor inserted by director Charles B.Pierce, who should have known better. Read more

Published on Dec 17 2003 by D. Ullery

1.0 out of 5 stars Should have been rated XXX for violence
...This movie was EXTREMELY disturbing. During the murder of the girl, tied to a tree by a knife on the end of a trombone, the way it is depicted, it is like you are sitting on... Read more

Published on Jan 12 2003 by David Adams

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not great
This film, based on the real-life murders in Texarkana in 1946, is a, for the most part, historically accurate dramatization. Read more

Published on Jan 1 2003 by Ian Glavine

2.0 out of 5 stars My Grandfather was the Hooded Killer
I had the distinct pleasure of hearing the accounts of the "Town That Dreaded Sundown" from my 90 year old grandfather first-hand. Read more

Published on Dec 30 2002 by Don Hughes

5.0 out of 5 stars A Little Known 70's True-Crime Gem!
Based on a true story about a serial murderer that terrorized Texarkana in the 1940's, this film is definitely worth watching. Produced by Charles B. Read more

Published on Dec 13 2002 by zeppfan

4.0 out of 5 stars Unsolved Mystery
I am a true fan of horror movies. I love the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" series. I am a fan of "Halloween. Read more

Published on Nov 26 2002 by mykarenina

5.0 out of 5 stars True-Crime Horror Film, But They Withheld All The Facts
This excellent B-grade film portrays the reign of a masked serial killer who committed murders in Texarkana during 1946. Read more

Published on Aug 22 2002 by J. Reynolds

4.0 out of 5 stars The Town That Dreaded Sundown
The Town That Dreaded Sundown is a must see, must have for
any fan of true crime or story telling movies.
Based on a real-life serial killer .... Read more

Published on July 30 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars The Town That Dreaded Sundown....ROCKS!!!
I just now finished this movie, and I have just one word to say.....This movies rocks!!!
Sure their`s no gore...practicly no blood for that matter. Read more

Published on July 24 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars I first saw this back in 1976...
...and it is riveting. The acting is not always great, and the comic elements of the film are a fizzle, but the overall storyline of this movie can't be beat. Read more

Published on Jun 11 2002 by Ed Williams

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