The Horror Show
The Town That Dreaded Sundown
by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
In 1976, a film was released entitled The Town That Dreaded Sundown. The film was loosely based on a series of gruesome killings known as the Moonlight Murders that occurred in the town of Texarkana in the 1940’s. I have yet to see the original film, but I can tell you that after seeing the 2014 remake (also titled) The Town That Dreaded Sundown, I can say with positivity that I am sure it is a fantastic horror film.
It’s extremely rare these days that one can sit down and watch a good slasher film. I was a bit weary when I pressed play on this one. I didn’t know much about it but when I looked it up on IMDB, I found out about the original. I also did a Google search and found out that the movies are, in fact, loosely based on a real life murderer known as “The Phantom.” So with these things taken into consideration, I figured it was at least worth a watch. And now that I’ve finished watching The Town That Dreaded Sundown, I can assure you that it is indeed worth a watch, and probably good for a few more viewings down the line.
The film is set in 2013, 65 years after the string of gruesome killings that scarred a peaceful town forever. Each year, near the anniversary of the first set of murders, the local kids all gather at the drive-in to watch a movie (within the movie) based on the Moonlight Murders. (Side note: This was one aspect of the film that I really admired. The fact that the movie pays homage to the original in this manner was a nice surprise. Periodically, throughout the film, there are bits and pieces of older footage shown, and while I’m not entirely sure that these are clips from the original, it was a nice way to break up the film.)
The introverted Jami agrees to go on a date with high school golden-boy Corey to the drive-in. Leaving a bit early to have some “alone time”, the two soon find themselves at the mercy of a hooded psychopath in the woods. After witnessing a traumatic incident and suffering through a terrifying chase through the woods, the killer catches up to Jami, leaping on top of her. With simply the words, “This is for Mary. Make them remember” the killer leaves Jami with her life and disappears.
With the local police on both sides of the city of Texarkana working the case, and the help of the Texas Rangers, it’s only a matter of time before the killer strikes again. The police must work quickly and, hopefully, with Jami’s help, they’ll be able to find the copycat “Phantom” that is terrorizing their town before it’s too late.
The cinematography in The Town That Dreaded Sundown, along with the soundtrack, was delightful throughout. The acting was absolutely stellar and some excellent casting decisions were made. While the movie was brutal, gory, and, at times, downright cringe-worthy, there were flecks of comedic lines thrown in courtesy of Anthony Anderson, who plays a Texas Ranger. Other members of the cast include Addison Timlin, Gary Cole, Edward Herrmann, Dennis O’Hare, and Veronica Cartwright. (I liked seeing Dennis O’Hare make an appearance in the film considering the director, Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, works with him on American Horror Story.)
There was absolutely enough gore, violence, and creative death scenes in this film to make it a true (and worthy of the title) slasher film. Over the last several years there have been few films that, in my opinion, could make the cut and be considered millennial slasher horror. Although the film is a remake, I put it right up there with My Bloody Valentine (also a remake) and Hatchet, truly great films that have done the slasher genre justice in the 2000’s.
With a very interesting scene involving a tuba (a nice nod to the original) and an ending that quite frankly surprised and delighted me, The Town That Dreaded Sundown comes with a high recommendation from this gal.
If you’d like to know about the real life, unsolved string of Moonlight Murders, check out this link and read up on some scary stuff!
Stevie Kopas, HMS
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