The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976) User Reviews

A Film That Set Up Horror And Crime For Decades

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 15 December 2007]

Based on a true story, the phantom killer stalks Texarkana and kills couples who hang out at lovers lanes. Armed with some nasty weapons and a pillow case for a mask, he terrorizes this town to the point of near shutdown, causing police forces from all over the state to intervene. Who can stop his rampage?

I've never seen a film quite like this before. I've seen plenty of based-on-real-killer films (most of which are nothing like the original murders), and the recent David Fincher film "Zodiac" follows very much in the vein of this movie (and Zodiac has some similarities to the Phantom). And this film is a definite inspiration for "Friday the 13th" with the pillow case mask. So, in at least one way, this film really kicked off a trend of stalking psychos. And while the first real serial killer film may have been "Black Christmas", this film isn't one to ignore: there's a really good scene of a woman being chased through the woods that is not unlike what we'd see a hundred times in the next thirty years.

The film also offers two dichotomies I'll address briefly: crime versus horror, and comedy versus drama. Much of this comes across as a crime film, because we are following the police on their manhunt and get to know some of the officers personally and they are clearly the protagonists. We want them to win. But this film has a horror element that cannot be ignored -- we don't just see the aftermath of a killing. The director took great delight in showing the chase, the torture and the deaths of the women. A straight crime tale wouldn't do this. But a horror film would, because many horror films have us egging on the killer even when we know he or she is evil. This film offers both sides.

The serious and comedy balance is also striking. We have a documentary-style voice telling us the updates and we are offered dates of the killings and for the most part this story remains rather serious and we can sympathize with the town. But then, we also have some cheesy music (not quite "Yakety Sax" but the same idea) and a character who threatens old women, cross-dresses and drives a cop car (poorly) as if he was an officer in "Dukes of Hazzard". Horror films generally have a comic relief -- a dark one -- but this really pushes the silly factor.

All the acting is great, the plot is simple but effective (a police manhunt). The video quality isn't perfect (this film really deserves a remastering and a re-appraisal, as horror historians will have to recognize the importance of this single film). But you will like it, I can pretty much guarantee that. I was sucked in almost immediately and lost valuable sleep time, but don't regret a moment of it.

Memorable killer who does not speak ....................

[merklekranz · 6/10 · 15 September 2011]

Ben Johnson leads a Texarkana manhunt for a hooded serial killer. Aproximately every three weeks in 1946, random killings occurred, mostly in lovers lanes. The film has excellent post WW2 atmosphere, and is only weakened by voice overs, and some"Barney Fife" type humor that fails completely. The attacks are sometimes depicted rather darkly, but the hooded killer who does not speak, is memorable. One does sense a feeling of dread among the townsfolk throughout, and the police frustration is also well documented. Sometimes less is best, as is the case with "The Town That Dreaded Sundown". With no idea of who the masked menace is, his motivation, or as the open ended conclusion speculates, is he still out there, ones imagination is left to wonder. - MERK

Very Creepy!! YAY!!! Very Silly!! BOO!!

[josephbrando · 6/10 · 24 May 2013]

Half of this film is done like a creepy documentary with a "serious guy voice over" and killing reenactments which are utterly brutal, nasty, misogynistic, and very very suspenseful. That half of the movie I would give ten stars. However the other half which follows a bunch of dumb cops with silly, out of place comedic shenanigans, complete with silly out of place comedic music to boot is an awful eye- and ear-sore! But, oh those killing scenes!!! You've got a guy who looks just like Jason from Friday the 13th Part 2 killing, biting, torturing couples but unlike F13 the the camera lingers on the attacks. He doesn't just pop out, stab someone and disappear, we get to see the whole nasty affair! Then its back to "Barney Fife" and the bumbling cops charade. Blechhh! Cool ominous ending though. Any horror movie fan should definitely check it out!

In the Solid B-Movie Tradition

[dougdoepke · 14 June 2012]

The movie reminds me of one of those ace 1940's chillers, like Follow Me Quietly (1949). Based on fact, Sundown is about a phantom killer who stalks lover's lanes in Texarkana, and police efforts to catch him. Of course, without the heavy hand of a '40's Production Code, Sundown is much more graphic than anything from that earlier decade.

Importantly, however, this is not a slasher movie. There is some blood and violence, but the chief effect comes from the larger than usual sound department. The screams from victims are both unrelenting and unnerving. The girls really do sound terrified. Then there's the heavy breathing from the hooded killer, which are the only sounds he makes and about as chilling as the screams.

Credit producer-director Pierce with making shrewd use of a small budget. The Arkansas locations add both color and authenticity, along with the unforced drawls of southern born leads Johnson and Prine. The movie also does a good job of recreating a '40's milieu, even down to the girls' bobby-sox that brings back fond memories. My only gripe is with Pierce— he should stick to producing-directing because his turn as the inept patrolman Benson is too out of sync and silly for the movie as a whole.

Judging from some Google searches, it looks like the screenplay sticks pretty close to the general facts of a case that also appears to have entered the realm of regional folklore. Given the spookiness, I can see why. Anyway, the overall result is a nail-biter in the outstanding tradition of B-movie chillers, with a rather surprising outcome.

An accidental slasher?

[Devourment · 6/10 · 27 July 2011]

Two years before this film, the granddaddy of your typical slasher film, Black Christmas, was released. But it wasn't until Carpenter's "Halloween" that triggered the whole thing in the 1980's.

This film although not considered a slasher, does contain the elements of one. A masked murderer killing teens in sometimes bizarre ways, like attaching a knife to the end of a trombone and playing it while trying to stab somebody with it.

Based on real life events, the movie is set in 1946 in the city of Texarkana, Texas, and plays as a Docu-thriller the doings of "The Phantom Killer", a figure wearing a white mask over his head with holes cut out for his eyes(remind you of anyone?) who left the city of Texarkana in constant fear, or better yet, left the whole city dreading sundown.

The acting is pretty average, if not below average, sometime it may seem like Ben Johnson and Andrew Prine are carrying the burden of acting all by themselves.

The film does not feel like it's set in the 1940s, it seems like the director only decided to throw a couple of old Buicks here and there and call it 1946. Probably a budget thing.

It also unfortunately attempts at comedy in which it fails terribly.

These things however, do not interfere with the fun ride the film is.

Charles B. Pierce's "The Town that Dreaded Sundown", IS a classic and should be seen by everyone interested in the slasher genre.

7/10

A killer is on the loose in Texarkana in 1946

[Wuchakk · 6/10 · 18 March 2021]

The Texarkana Moonlight Murders and the ensuing investigation that took place from late February to early May, 1946, are chronicled with the names changed and details altered for dramatic purposes. Ben Johnson plays a renowned Texas Ranger on the case and Andrew Prine a formidable deputy sheriff. Dawn Wells shows up in the last act.

"The Town that Dreaded Sundown" (1976) is a crime docudrama that could be designated as an early slasher even though it's based on a true story. The sack the killer wears on his head was the inspiration for the mask Jason dons in "Friday 13th: Part 2" (1981).

Along with "The Legend of Boggy Creek" (1972) and "Grayeagle" (1977), this was one of B-film director Charles B. Pierce's more notable flicks and he appears in the movie as bumbling Patrolman Benson.

Speaking of which, there some curious attempts at comedy that are incongruous with the grave proceedings, which is reminiscent of the incompatible blundering cops in the original "The Last House on the Left" (1972).

I liked the 1946 setting with the old cars plus the fact that this basically happened in real life and inspires you to research the true story, just don't expect anything close to the greatness of "Bonnie and Clyde" (1967). Have mercy, the budget was $400,000.

The film runs 1 hour, 30 minutes, and was shot in Texarkana on the Texas/Arkansas border, plus The Jack Williams Ranch in Garland City, Arkansas, with the train sequence done in Scott, Arkansas.

GRADE: B-/C+

It's Zodiac meets Dukes of Hazzard.

[yusufpiskin · 7/10 · 9 November 2020]

The film has a 50s detective story feel to it that compliments nicely along side interesting shot choice. However, the film's inconsistent tone was far too distracting. It was never funny when it tried nor was it frightening, it simply was. Not to mention most of the performances having the ceiling of adequate and a floor of downright embarrassing. On top, the choices in sound were distractingly stock. In all, an ok movie.

A rather good and creepy slasher from the 1970's.

[Aaron1375 · 7/10 · 7 July 2009]

This movie was made in the 70's and is based off events of a 1940's night in a small town. This town was the location of a small, but I am sure no less scary murder spree. Five victims killed, others injured, and the only thing known about the killer to this day is that he wore a hood. Makes sense this occurred in the 40's as I can see someone doing this and virtually disappearing and getting away with something like that back then, especially in a small town. The murders are not very graphic or anything, but it still works quite well, in fact better than most slashers of the 1980's which is usually considered the decade of the slasher movie. The story is interesting and the fact that these crimes actually happened add to the eeriness of the film...that and the fact the guy never got caught. The movie is a bit limited thanks to the fact it is based off true events, but the filmmakers do a good job in presenting the story in a way that keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat. Most of my complaints stem from the ending which can not be helped as you never see the killer...this complaint is only minor as the fact the killer is never revealed also adds to the creepiness to the film. It also makes one glad this event took place so long ago so the killer in all likelihood is dead now. I am sure this movie is probably rather hard to find now, if found though it makes a nice addition to a horror library. I only saw it once myself as a child and I still remember it rather vividly, one of those old mom and pop rental store gems you luckily stumble upon.

Tonally Awkward

[injury-65447 · 4/10 · 18 January 2021]

A strange film indeed. It seems to start off as a horror but then bizarre moments of (unfunny) slapstick or silly comedy are inserted here or there. It really messes with the tone in an offputting way. The whole thing is a mess.

I enjoyed the trombone part though I have to admit. Just plain weird.

There is a moment during the chase alongside the train where a cameraman is clearly visible for a few moments. I have to give a lower score for such shoddy filmmaking.

The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)

[mfnmbvp · 7/10 · 15 January 2012]

Definitely glad I finally got around to seeing this, 'The Town That Dreaded Sundown' holds up against the rest of the 70's and 80's horror schlock. The movie is actually pretty violent for it's time, and was probably pretty unnerving to audiences who viewed it in 1976. The film moves along at a nice pace, has a nice sense of comedic relief that isn't often seen in the horror genre, has it's moments of suspense, and it all goes over nicely.

It has hints of Charles B. Pierce's other work, 'The Legend Of Boggy Creek', and reminds me of being the 70's version of 'Zodiac', which it was obviously an inspiration for, mixed with 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'. The film is by no means perfect, and it can come off as kind of campy at times, but all in all, it is a very well-made horror film, and should be essential viewing for the avid horror fan.

THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN ----- 7/10.

True Crime Drama Needed Bigger Budget, Better Screenplay !

[Kelt Smith · 5/10 · 7 September 2001]

I have always maintained that things that could or have actually happened are far scarier (than say space aliens, the undead, Jason etc ). THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN , therefore had a terrific basis for a movie. A series of murders, largely perpetrated on isolated couples on lovers lanes occurred in the town of Texarkana right after WWII. The killer was never caught. Great premise for a thriller ! Unfortunately, the budget, screenplay, and most of the acting is far from worthy. ANDREW PRINE, DAWN WELLS do fairly well with the little they have to work with. BEN JOHNSON, on the other hand, come off like he is royalty visiting The House of Commons. The whole production has the feel of one of the old IN SEARCH OF episodes with LEONARD NIMOY. Aside from the actors mentioned previously, the rest of the cast appears to have been locals with no acting ability, let alone projection.

The movie is scary at times, dull at others. Lackluster would be a good word to describe it. What could have been a very scary motion picture disappoints !

Women were Crying & Screaming in the Theater!

[legwarmers1980 · 10/10 · 31 July 2005]

I saw this movie when it first came out in Miami, Florida. When the 6feet 8inch. psycho killer wearing a potato-sack as a mask with the eyes cut-out, appears, and butchers the lover-lane couple, with his heavy breathing and the potato sack mask going in and out, a young woman in her 20s ran out of the theater hysterical, and a few other women were screaming! Made a few years before the slasher films of the 1980s, this film was way before its time. The killer was brutal, sadistic, and very realistic. The murders were done in a very realistic manner, and with a cast of almost complete unknowns, it had a documentary feeling to it. Veteran character actor Ben Johnson was excellent as usual, and a nervous looking Andrew Perine did a creditable job, but it was the killer who stole the show. Excellent movie, tame by today's standards, but a horror classic never-the-less.

a genuinely creepy, yet sometimes off topic film

[fargofan999 · 6/10 · 22 December 2014]

Spooky and atmospheric to its core, the town that dreaded sundown is an interesting little journey into a real life murder story. In the film, a masked killer stalks the populace of an idyllic Texarkana town, with a man hunt close behind. With out a doubt, the murderer is the most interesting and creepy character in the film. His simple yet terrifying hood is very spooky and imposing. During his scenes, the tension is often very thick, and the action is executed well. Less, however can be said for his pursuers, the police. With bumbling antics reminiscent of Barney Fife, they often ruin the atmosphere with their forced comic relief. This of course, takes away a great deal from the film. in fact, if they had made the police serious and on topic, then the town that dreaded sundown could have been a classic in te crime genre. Still, I can definitely recommend the film for the killer's scenes alone. They are creepy, atmospheric, and unsettling. I can give this film a solid 6.5/10, and say that this film certainly deserves a cult following.

A bit of a disappointment

[morezdunich · 3/10 · 13 June 2014]

A town on the border of Texas and Arkansas is terrorized by a vicious masked killer following WWII. A movie based on a true case in the town of Texarkana.

I had high hopes for this movie, having seen another Charles B. Pierce film, The Legend of Boggy Creek and having enjoyed that one. I was very disappointed. The acting was uninspired, the story did not draw me in, and felt no attachment to any of the characters.

I really wanted to like this movie. I did. I have a thing for horror movies from the time period of the 40s through the early 80s, and one about a very obscure serial killer (I had never heard of this still unsolved case until I watched the movie, which in turn caused me to google the real case).

Anyways, I just found it very boring. The actors were uninspired, and oh my god I've never heard more annoying screaming in any horror movie I've ever watched ever.

I ended up leaving it on as background noise while I did something else.

Unique, Original, Creepy: a forgotten classic.

[nfaust1 · 18 May 2004]

THE TOWN THE DREADED SUNDOWN is one of the most original horror films of the 70's. And that's saying a lot. It starts off as a square-footed documentary with voice over and all the rest. But in the midst of this rather sweet evocation of Texarkana, Arkansas, a hooded madman runs rampant, sadistically killing and killing and killing. The violence, though not particularly graphic, is disturbing because of the way Pierce places it within his documentary structure. The movie's goal, I think, is to show the unspeakable chaos that lies just beneath the facade of America's post war prosperity. How secure is the picket fence world when a hooded maniac may be lurking in the shadows? The mystery is never solved; we don't find out who the killer is, nor is there a climactic moment where all the action peaks. The killings just stop and the dread never really ends, it just recedes back into the city's shadows. What makes this movie so compelling is the straight forward and uncluttered way Pierce lays out his facts. He will dramatize certain situations, but not in the conventional way, not with a continuous rising and falling melodramatic plot. Pierce's approach circumvents the usual horror movie gestures to zero in on what is, in this case, a purely mythic concern: evil in our midst. The killer, not shown to be a "character" in the traditional sense, is a burlap hood with eyes looking through eye holes and black work boot. The killer's visual presence and violent actions are given no motive, no personality beyond the moments of mayhem we see and the destruction we hear discussed. This killer is merely a faceless force, a depiction of nameless chaos, and, because he exists in this removed state the viewer is instinctually compelled to make sense of his actions. Pierce takes the trappings of exploitation and weaves a creepy and, for me, unforgettable midwestern epic.

Charles B. Pierce, an independent producer- director, was the Otto Preminger of the drive-in market. Like Preminger, he was rarely taken seriously as an artist. One reason could be that his film subjects jump all over the place, from horror to Native American stories, to a movie about Vikings staring Cornel Wilde! He thought big and was not afraid to put his name above the title. Even in the post BONNIE AND CLYDE era, the idea that a regional film maker could both embrace and bypass the Hollywood system to actually get films like these made and shown must have seemed strange to most of the status quo.

The one that put him on the drive-in map, THE LEGEND OF BOOGY CREEK combines what appears to be genuine documentary footage with horror movie antics. At first, you think it's a joke, but as it goes on, a strange kind of unvarnished beauty emerges. I wouldn't say the movie's entirely successful (TOWN plays with the same concept and is more assured and less loopy), but it's bold and original and it reportedly made a lot of money. I've seen most of Pierce's movies, not all of which work as well as TOWN, but all of them exhibit a splendid sense of place and style. The late 40's vibe in TOWN hits the mark, and on shoestring budget, I'm sure. Charles B. Pierce was a true film maker, and I'll bet there's a lot to be learned by studying his work and the way he put together his productions. Where is he now, and what's he doing?

Not a slasher

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 30 June 2016]

This came out 2 years before the Grandfather of slasher movies (Halloween). Although some may claim there were at least one other slasher movie before the one John Carpenter did, Halloween put the slasher movie on the map. So what is this? And does it even qualify as slasher movie? Because the Killer that this is based on apparently did not kill that many people to begin with.

The story takes other liberties too and some things may qualify for the slasher genre (mask, some of the killings, the way the Killer "hunts" his victims, inventive killings, although the one with the trumpet I don't quite get), but overall it has so many other tones in it, it's tough to make a case of Carpenter having stolen a blueprint here. There are moment were this slides into slapstick too (car going too fast scene). That doesn't change the fact though that this is still a drama, dresses as pseudo documentary, with voice over and all, to make it more legit.

Good try overall, but maybe a bit too slow for audiences now (and who knows, maybe even future audiences in general). That's something you have to make your mind up yourself.

"If we catch him, it's gonna be a miracle".

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 9 October 2016]

I couldn't help feeling while watching this picture that it was an early forerunner of the slasher films that would soon make their presence felt with titles like "Halloween" and "Friday the Thirteenth". But this was a true story, which intensifies the horror element when you realize it could happen anywhere if some insane person with a sadistic imagination decides to run amok. It's an unusual picture, because even while it's nominally a crime story with horror elements, some comedic aspects are offered up as well, primarily in the person of Sparkplug Benson (Charles B. Pierce), a sheriff's deputy who has all the poise and self confidence of Mayberry's Barney Fife.

The setting of the story is Texarkana, Texas straddling the Texas-Arkansas border. The area came to a virtual standstill during the summer of 1946 when a series of night time attacks and murders occurred, defying attempts by authorities to solve the crimes. Even an intense manhunt under the supervision of Texas Ranger J.D. Morales (Ben Johnson) failed to identify and capture the 'Phantom Killer' as he became known, a case that remains unsolved to this day.

Despite it's unsatisfying conclusion, the picture never fails to hold one's attention, as the actions of the killer reaches strange and unusual proportions. The trombone stabbing of one of the female victims is particularly noteworthy of a sick and dangerous criminal, one who's not content with mere murder on his mind. Adding to the rural feel of the story's location are the mostly unknown members of the cast, led by the authoritative Ben Johnson in the principal role. TV fans of an earlier decade will certainly recognize 'Gilligan Island's' Dawn Wells as one of the Phantom Killer victims, though she was one of the fortunate few who survived her ordeal.

A pretty good independent production about a real case

[AlsExGal · 7/10 · 9 October 2016]

I'd never even heard of this case until seeing this film, and from viewing the Wikipedia article they pretty much got the facts straight, down to the name of the legendary Texas Ranger who came in to head the investigation after the local Texarkana police realized they had a serial killer with no motive on their hands.

I like how the film in the beginning takes the time to set up the atmosphere in Texarkana - heck, all across America - immediately postwar. There were plenty of jobs, people were optimistic, there was great growth in the need for houses and a marriage boom following the men coming back from overseas, yet Texarkana retained its small town charm.

The killer escalates in violence and bravado with each attack until he is almost caught, and then disappears as suddenly as he appeared. When the killer is attacking, you just see a homemade mask made from a sack over his head, and he never speaks, but his heavy breathing is scarier than anything he could say. When the film is insinuating that the killer is around town, hiding in plain sight, just a pair of shoes are shown. He carried a blunt instrument because he seemed to enjoy the act of bludgeoning and causing pain, but he also carried a gun in case he had to kill quickly.

Ben Johnson does a great job of portraying legendary Texas Ranger J.D. Morales, but I imagine law enforcement even in a big city would be hard pressed to solve what at that time was such an uncommon crime - a man who killed complete strangers just for the joy of inflicting pain. There were no FBI profilers, no DNA, criminal forensics was in its infancy. Thus nobody knows if the killer died, went to prison, or just "stopped".

The one thing I DID notice - and that is completely forgivable given the film's B pedigree - is that the women's hairstyles were often very 70s for this to be 1946. Part documentary, part suspense film, I'd recommend this one.

A Decent Effort

[sddavis63 · 7/10 · 17 June 2010]

This movie claims to be based on actual events, and the reading I've done on the case seems to suggest that - except for the ending and some extraneous comedy material focusing around a bumbling, Barney Fife-like local cop (which seemed totally out of place) - it's relatively true to the events that actually occurred in Texarkana in the spring and summer of 1946.One night, a young couple is parked on "Lovers Lane" when they're suddenly attacked by a violent, masked man. Both survive the attack, but this is the beginning of a season of terror in Texarkana which eventually leaves five people dead and the murderer unidentified. All five murders (and the original two attacks) are portrayed (not graphically, but clearly) and the setting of a wooded, swampy area late at night makes this a truly frightening movie at times.

The movie is pushed along by the use of narration, which filled in some details. The characters (except for the comedy cop named Benson) came across as realistically portrayed, although their names were changed. Some of the more graphic details from the real cases (especially the parts dealing with sexual assault) were left out. The record would seem to suggest that "Morales" - the Texas Ranger assigned to head up the investigation and whose real name was Gonzaullas - was not as warmly received by the local officials as the movie depicts. The biggest alteration from the facts seems to be the ending of the movie. Here, police find and chase a masked suspect into the swamp but never catch him, and the movie speculates that he may have died in the swamp. In truth, there was an arrest made in the case, but there was never a conviction, although many people believe that the man arrested was in truth the killer.

Overall, this is a decent movie - better than I was anticipating to be honest. It would seem to have had some impact on the "Friday the 13th" series - the mask the killer wore being very similar to the mask that villain Jason Voorhees wears in the first installment of that series. The performances here are pretty good, although the cast isn't exceptionally well known - the most familiar name and face is probably that of Dawn Wells (who played Mary Anne on "Gilligan's Island.") Apparently this isn't an easy movie to find - but it's worth taking advantage of the opportunity to see it if it should pop up somewhere.

Film is OK, but don't think it's accurate

[scrollkey1 · 5/10 · 25 January 2010]

Some people love this film, Some hate it.

I grew up in Texarkana, I was in the film as an extra in several scene. I dated one of the girls "killed" in the film and I was friends with the director, Charles B. Oierce.

It's not a bad film for what it is - a low budget drive-in film. There have been better and worse. Its enjoyable.

However, some people think it's the film depicts the Phantom Killings as they happened. It doesn't. The film takes a lot - and I mean a LOT - of liberties with the truth.

For the record, the Phantom Killer assaulted one couple and killed two other couples. The motive was robbery. He was caught - his name was Yuell Swinney - but there wasn't enough evidence to convict him of the murders. Much of what the police had came from Swinney's wife - she led them to items stolen in the robbery, was present at one set of killing - but she would not and could not be made to testify against her husband. They did convict him of car theft, his third felony, and he went away for life.

But one of his earlier convictions was overturned. He was released in the 1970s but was back in prison within a year. He died years later in Dallas, in a secure nursing home, suffering from dementia.

The last attack on a "farmer" and his wife - played by Dawn Wells - was not an actual Phantom incident. It was assumed to be at the time. But nothing fit the MO and the gun was different. Also, the "farmer" was a well-known local fence and bookmaker. It was most likely a local gangland killing - Texarkana had a lot of organized criminal activity back then.

Creepy story takes place in the year 1946 in the small Texas, Arkansas , border town of Texarkana

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 5 November 2021]

A suspenseful thriller with gory elements , grisly killings , twists and unsettling atmosphere shot in semi-documentary style , including a voice-in-off . B-entertainment with a fairly suspenseful and frightening story in which a disturbing serial murderer on the loose undertaking a criminal spree by means of slashing and other grisly executions . As a series of brutal slayings terrorized the small town of Texarkana, the "Moonlight Murders" . Captain J. D. Morales (Ben Johnson) and Deputy Norman Ramsey (Andrew Prine) become obsessed with finding the man referred to as ""The Phantom" . As the body count climbs and the carnage comes closer , Morales delves deeper into the mystery , following clues that point her toward the killer's true identity . The Town That Dreaded Sundown puts Texarkana back on the map for all the wrong reasons .cNot Everyone Who Comes to This Lover's Lane Has the Same Thing on Their Mind. A True Story .A True Tale of Texarkana Terror! .In 1946 this man killed five people... Today he still lurks the streets of Texarkana, Arkansas .

It starts in documentary style with a narrator describing the post-Second World War atmosphere , but soon gets to the horrible business of the Phantom , an ominous murderer who terrorizes the locals . This little film is set in the small town of Texarkana located on the state line of Arkansas in which the unfortunate citizens are soon drawn into a frightening horrible realm from brutally slain by a masked serial killer. Intrigue , tension , suspense appear threatening and lurking here and there . The fact that ¨The Town That Dreaded Sundown¨ is based on actual events makes this thrilling and effective movie all the more chilling . It packs inexplicable disturbing occurrences , shocks, thrills , suspense , chills , hair-rising events and surprising final . A sinister and unsettling flick that goes on growing more and more and developing step by step until the eerie ending . Followed by a late sequel 2014 , set sixty-five years after in which the notorious series killer suddenly begin again : starring Anthony Anderson, Gary Cole, Edward Herrmann, Joshua Leonard , Denis O'Hare, Travis Tope and Veronica Cartwright,

This medium budget was professionally written/directed by Charles B Pierce. This artisan directed all kinds of genres and made his own independent films, as Pierce was the star, writer, director and co-producer of ¨The Barbaric Beast of Boggy Creek, Part II¨, (1985), a sequel to "Boggy Creek" that was eventually re-titled ¨Boggy Creek II: And the Legend Continues¨ (1985) . And directing westerns in similar style , usually dealing with Indian issues , Terror movies and even a Viking movie , as he directed the following films : "Hawken's Breed" , "Grayeagle" , " Winterhawk" , "Sacred Ground" , "Town that dreaded Sundown", "The Evictors" , "Legend of Bobby Creek" , "Bobby Creek II" , "Norseman" , among others . The flick will appeal to terror fans .

The movie we dreaded would be released

[jrs-8 · 3/10 · 20 July 2002]

"The Town That Dreaded Sundown" is based on a true story about the brutal murders of some people in a small Arkansas town in 1946. Unfortunately, and much to the chagrin of the fine people of this community, it is also about the police force investigating the murders. The cops are portrayed as mostly idiots who make Barney Fife look like a top cop.

A killer wearing a cloth sack over his head stalks mostly teenagers in a lovers lane area and murders them. This in itself could have been the basis of an interesting thriller. But the filmmakers chose to play with the facts of the case and tried adding unneeded comic relief. Even the facts of the murders themselves have been changed in some cases. That would explain one absolutely ridiculous scene in which a woman is tied to a tree and the killer happens to find a trombone and ties a knife to the end of it and mimics playing it as he thrusts the knife into her.

Ben Johnson adds a touch of respectability to the proceedings as a Texas ranger called in to solve the killings. His adequate performance stands out in a movie filled with lousy performances.

As for the killer himself, he is menacing for a few moments wearing the cloth hood chasing the helpless teenagers. Those few moments are the most effective in the movie. But every time he breaths the hood moves in and out making him look ridiculous. Apparently the real killer had a hole for his mouth. Here the filmmakers choose only to give him holes in the eyes. It ruins the desired effect.

** SPOILER WARNING ** For those that care enough to watch this junk and don't want anything spoiled I suggest skipping this section. The killer was never caught. In real life investigators believe they knew who the killer was but couldn't charge him because his wife seemed to be the only one with damaging evidence against him. But in the film he simply gets away (in a ridiculous chase scene). His motives were never known. Perhaps the filmmakers should have tried to invent something to give the audience a decent explanation.

Or better yet, perhaps the filmmakers should have left the whole thing alone and moved on to another bad movie.

He still lurks the streets of Texarkana, Arkansas.

[Nightman85 · 9/10 · 29 January 2006]

Another chilling docu-thriller from director Charles B. Pierce (who made The Ledgend of Boggy Creek in 1972), this film being his best!

It's 1946, in the small town of Texarkana, Texas-Arkansas a hooded murderer is terrorizing the community and making the local law enforcement desperate.

Based upon the real events that surrounded one of America's most baffling serial killers, this solidly made film is a compelling and generally under exposed fore-runner of the slasher genre. Director Pierce gives this film a nicely authentic feel of the era as well as a great atmosphere of dread. The movies strongest scenes are the re-enactments of the murders, which are effectively heart-pounding! Among the memorable moments is a creepy 'murder-by-trombone' and an intense stalking sequence with a bloodied Dawn Wells. Along with these thrilling bits comes some mild comic relief with the local police that thankfully don't hamper the proceedings. The moody music score is also a good touch.

The cast does well, veteran actor Ben Johnson is good as a criminal specialist, as is Andrew Prine as a local deputy. Director Pierce himself appears as a bumbling police officer.

An entertaining thriller from its shocking opening to its haunting conclusion, The Town That Dreaded Sundown is a B movie winner.

*** 1/2 out of ****

Very good - could have been excellent

[Milk_Tray_Guy · 7/10 · 2 April 2022]

Entertaining horror/thriller, loosely based on the 1946 Texarkana 'Moonlight Murders', crimes attributed to an unidentified serial killer known as the Phantom. Great lead performances from Ben Johnson as the Texas Ranger leading the hunt, and Andrew Prine as the local deputy assisting. And nice to see the lovely Dawn Wells as one of the victims. There are some great attacks/kills, and some very atmospheric photography, complete with Texas Chainsaw-type grittiness. Unfortunately, it's marred by occasional lame - and very out of place - attempts at comedy; I really have no idea what director Charles B Pierce was thinking. 7/10 (without the 'humour' it would be an 8/10, easy).

A laugh a minute...

[Lary9 · 1/10 · 24 May 2015]

This movie was incredibly bad. It was literally an insufferably amateurish attempt at lurid, psycho-sexploitation cinema. For 1976, it was so anachronistic that it had the feel of a 50s B-movie. It featured Ben Johnson in a wooden role and the character of a local bumbling deputy, who was supposed to be comic relief, but his buffoonery was inserted so awkwardly that it simply added more pitiful misery to the town's overall effort. A truly horrible film...yet somehow, like a train wreck, I couldn't seem to stop watching as I prepared for the next ridiculous encounter with an inept, helpless screaming prom queen. Afterthought: where were all the guns? Texarkana...and no one had a gun until 4/5ths of the film was done?