The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014)

The long gone serial killer seemingly returned again.

Director:

Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

Writers:

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (screenplay), Earl E. Smith

Stars:

Addison Timlin, Veronica Cartwright, Anthony Anderson

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Addison Timlin	...	Jami
Veronica Cartwright	...	Lillian
Anthony Anderson	...	Lone Wolf Morales
Travis Tope	...	Nick
Joshua Leonard	...	Deputy Foster
Andy Abele	...	Sackhead
Gary Cole	...	Chief Deputy Tillman
Edward Herrmann	...	Reverend Cartwright
Ed Lauter	...	Sheriff Underwood
Arabella Field	...	Dr. Kelly
Denis O'Hare	...	Charles B. Pierce, Jr.
Spencer Treat Clark	...	Corey
Wes Chatham	...	Danny
Morganna Bridgers	...	Kendra
Jaren Mitchell	...	Johnny

Storyline

65 years after a masked serial killer terrorized the small town of Texarkana, the so-called 'moonlight murders' begin again. Is it a copycat or something even more sinister? A lonely high school girl, with dark secrets of her own, may be the key to catching him.

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Plot Keywords:

younger version of character | characters murdered one by one | hooded man | burlap sack | bedroom scene | 

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for brutal violence, grisly images, strong sexual content, and language

Did You Know?

Trivia

In addition to playing Charles B. Pierce, Jr. in the film, actor Denis O'Hare also voices the narration heard at the beginning of the film.

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Goofs

There is no Alamo High School in Texarkana. The four high schools that are in Texarkana are Texas High, Arkansas High, Liberty-Eylau, and Pleasant Grove.

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Quotes

Jami: I just don't understand why he thinks we deserve this;
Deputy Foster: Well, I'll tell you what, I wasn't born in Texarkana but I've been around long enough to know one thing: it's that just about everyone around here's got some kind of blood on their hands.

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Connections

Referenced in Killer Legends (2014)

User Reviews

Fun Reboot/Sequel

Many years after the killings in small town by a killer known as "The Phantom" resulted in the making of the 1976 film The Town That Dreaded Sundown, Texarkana is once again plagued by murders. Every Halloween, the town has a drive in screening of the original film depicting their own town. On this particular night, Jami (Addison Timlin) and her boyfriend Corey (Spencer Treat Clark) decide to bail on the film and go elsewhere. When they are attacked by an assailant dressed as The Phantom, Jami starts to suspect that history is about to repeat itself, and the new Phantom has certain plans for Jami and her small town.

It is difficult to say whether this version of The Town That Dreaded Sundown is a reboot or a sequel. But whatever it is, it works. The original film had its creepy moments, but this film has a lot more going for it. For starters, this definitely has more of a slasher film feel to it than the original. We are given a very creepy killer, plenty of great and spooky night time scenes with him, plenty of chase scenes, and excellent and bloody kills. Not to mention it is VERY well- filmed with a great atmosphere and nice splicing between this and the original film. It also keeps you guessing as to what exactly is going on. Our leading lady played by Addison Timlin, while definitely isn't legendary as far as a Final Girl, but she's likable enough for us to root for her. And she has very sweet scenes with her grandmother, played by Veronica Cartwright. The acting isn't bad, but it's not anything great either. Timlin does well with the lead role, and easily does give the best and only note-worthy performance of the film. The concept itself is very interesting in how it is trying to bring new life the original film, and bring in a new generation. However, the concept does have a few problems. It bares a very strong resemblance to Scream 4 in trying to re-create the events of a real story/film in the film's world. In fact, there's a few things that can be compared to with Scream in regards to this film. The twist is another one of its weak spots. When it's revealed, it's not so much shocking as it is that you don't see much point to it.

Despite the film's borrowing of ideas and strong resemblances to Scream/Scream 4 and the awkward twist, this reboot/sequel is ultimately a fun slasher film. Let's face it, there haven't been many good ones. So if you look for particular aspects in a slasher film like a creepy killer, chase scenes, a decent body count, and bloody kills, with a likable lead, you may just enjoy this. It doesn't take itself too seriously, which makes it all the more fun.

My Rating: 9/10

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 October 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Town That Dreaded Sundown

Filming Locations:

Louisiana, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Blumhouse Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Ryan Murphy Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1