The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)

SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

Texarkana, 1946 a year that changed it forever. Things were going fine. Soldiers coming back from the war, work is booming, going to college,production is happening there. Texarkana was being like any other small American town. But all of a sudden, things get scary. When the sun goes down. When young people go out to lovers' lane, it ends up being a nightmare. A man in a white hood, terrorizes young lovers. The first victims survive the heinous attacks. But there were others who weren't so fortunate. This acts prompts the local law enforcement to build up the security of the town. Making the citizens very vigilant. The individual is known as "The Phantom" wreaked havoc. No one knows the true identity of him. Many have claimed to be "The Phantom", but they all seem to want the attention for their confessions. So what has become of "The Phantom"? He was shot. Some say that he was doing time. Others claims that the swamps have claimed him. Whatever happened back then, I hope he's gone for good. This is a movie that can be used for crime history. Because it's based on actual events, one much learn. Highly recommended. 4 out of 5 stars.

Ultra-Low-Budget-Drive-In-Movie that has Gained a Huge Cult Following. It has Now Been Recognized as Being Influential to the Slasher Genre and a Solid Addition and Early Entry to Films About Serial Killers.Obscure Director Pierce Known Also for The Legend of Boggy Creek (another Cult Fave) from 1972, Shows Signs of Talent and Embryonic Abilities. Here a Brutal Killer is Presented Without Much Restraint and Seems to be a Forerunner of "Slasher Movie" Type Detachment.The Director Doesn't Shy Away from Gore and Splatter and there are a Few Scenes that are Quite Unsettling. The Movie has Taken Many Slings and Arrows about its Decision to Incorporate Comedy Relief and in Retrospect it was a Mistake and Holds the Film Back from Greatness. Ben Johnson does His "Melvin Purvis" (Dillinger 1972) Bit, even Stopping to Buy Some Cigars, and is OK and Adds a Bit of Class. Andrew Pine as a Deputy is Solemn and Welcome. But Again, Director Pierce's On Screen Appearance as Spark Plug is Universally Acknowledged as a Big Error in a Film that Doesn't Have Many. The Docu-Style Adds Creepiness and Works Fine. The Film has Gained in Reputation Fast Because it is Finally Available in Pristine Prints on Blu-ray and Seeing it as Originally Presented Only Enhances the Experience and Brings an Appreciation for a Forgotten Film that has Lingered in the Memory of Drive-In and Grind-House Patrons and those that Only Know it by Word of Mouth or Awful Video Releases & Bootlegs.

This flick here is much spoken among the horror geeks. their are a few reasons why, because it's based (loosely) on the real Texarkana Moonlight Murders. A serial killer called the Phantom Killer that had never been captured even as their were survivors of his killing spree. So it was a hot thing for years in the city itself. On the other hand this flick never had a proper release digitally until in 2013 when it finally hit Blu Ray. Therefor it was out there only on VHS and a lot of bootlegs DVD's.A hot item indeed and liking flicks about real serial killers I had to catch me a copy to see what's it all about. Being made just before the slasher era but at a time horror was to become the next big thing, Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) just delivered the goods, it's a bit low on the gore site but still it is watchable. maybe for some it can be outdated because it moves slowly and the killings aren't that creepy at all but it's the killer who delivers the goods. His way of hiding his face is notorious and is seen in other flicks (Fridat The 13th part 2 (1981) and Nightbreed (1990). If you are into serial killers then this is a must see even as it is loosely based on the real killings still some parts did in fact happen back then. It's slow and doesn't has the scary parts like it should but worth picking up for many reasons.Gore 0,5/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 1/5 Story 2,5/5 Comedy 0/5

****SPOILERS**** True story of the notorious "Phantom Killer" who stalked the lovers lanes as well as homes of Texarkana Arkensas who ended up murdering five and wounding six, mostly teenagers, people in the late winter and early spring of 1946. Desperate to catch the elusive killer the town's sheriff office hired top Texas Ranger investigator Captain J.D "Lone Wolf" Morales, Ben Johnson, to track the "Phantom Killer" down. The killer dressed in baggy pants and wearing a burlap sack over his head seemed to have trouble breathing, he may have been suffering from asthma, but had no trouble out running the police or sheriff deputies! As well as him surviving getting shot and crawling into the nearby snake and alligator infested swamps or bayous where he was never seen or heard from again!In fact the truth of the matter is that the "Phantom Killer" was never shot or even seen, with his burlap shack off, by anyone and just disappeared, after his last shooting spree on May 3 1946, off the face of the earth. The movie has its share of suspense as well as terror as the hooded killer stalks the night and keeps the people in the town of Texarkana behind locked doors too terrified to wounder out, even to buy groceries, when the sun goes down. Capt. Morales together with Deputy Norman Ramsey, Andrew Prine, finally track the killer down walking , with his burlap sack on, down the road in broad daylight without a care in the world until he spots them and makes a run for it. Having no difficulty outrunning the pair, even after being shot, the "Phantom Killer" slips into the nearby swamps and, without any scuba equipment, goes underwater and makes his getaway!****SPOILERS**** The very unconvincing ending spoiled everything that was positive about the movie in turning the "Phantom Killer" into another, some four years before he made his film debut, Jason of "Friday the 13th" fame. In not being able to come up with a good ending it had to be fictionalized by the script writers to make it work. The film in fact ends some 30 years later in 1976 where we see the premier of the film "The Town that Dreaded Sundown" in the town of Texarkana and guess who's waiting in line to see it? The "Phantom Killer" himself, as we only see his well polished shoes or loafers, as he's limping on his way to buy his ticket at the box-office to see, I would assume, just how accurate the movie is about his exploits back in 1946!