The Town That Dreaded Sundown

1976

1h 26m

IMDb RATING

5.8/10

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Horror

Mystery

Thriller

Crime

When two young lovers are savagely beaten and tortured on a back country road in Texarkana, local police are baffled and must find "the Phantom Killer" before he can kill again.

Directors

Charles B. Pierce

Writers

Earl E. Smith(screenplay by)

Stars

Ben Johnson

Andrew Prine

Dawn Wells

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Watch THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN (The 1976 Original Cult Classic) Trailer

Top cast

Captain J.D. Morales

Deputy Norman Ramsey

Helen Reed

Sgt. Mal Griffin

Police Chief R.J. Sullivan

Charles B. Pierce

Patrolman A.C. Benson

Sheriff Otis Barker

Peggy Loomis

Linda Mae Jenkins

Dr. Kress

Roy Allen

Eddie LeDoux

Rainbow Johnson

Sammy Fuller

Emma Lou Cook

Buddy Turner

Capt. Gus Wells

The Phantom Killer

Directors

Charles B. Pierce

Writers

Earl E. Smith(screenplay by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

_**A killer is on the loose in Texarkana in 1946**_ 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+

Wuchak18 Mar, 2021