The Town that Dreaded Sundown (2014)

A copycat killer is on the loose in Texarkana

It has been 67 years since The Texarkana Moonlight Murders of 1946 and a new “phantom killer” surfaces with copycat attacks, usually occurring during “lovers’ lane” scenarios.

“The Town that Dreaded Sundown” (2014) is not a remake of the 1976 B-flick, but rather a meta-sequel. It’s best to see the original first (if you’re not already acquainted with it) since there are so many references. This is a worthwhile companion-piece.

To be expected, the filmmaking is all-around better, particularly the excellent color & cinematography, as well as the gore factor; unfortunately, the editing is sometimes too manic, like in the cornfield sequence. There’s also a bit too much sleaze for my taste, including perversion (which was at least amusing).

This is basically an amalgam of the original movie with elements of “Freddy vs. Jason” (2003), the remake of “Friday the 13th” (2009) and “Scream” (1996), plus the raunchiness of “Psycho III” (1986).

Addison Timlin is effective as the winsome protagonist, Jami. Meanwhile Morganna Bridgers is on hand as Kendra, a girl that’s enthusiastic about her man coming back from oversees, and Lanee Landry appears as Ardele. All three women are worthy one way or another. Veteran Veronica Cartwright even shows up.

The film runs 1 hour, 26 minutes, and was shot in Texarkana on the Texas/Arkansas border, as well as Shreveport, Louisiana.

GRADE: B-/C+

After viewing "The Town That Dreaded Sundown," I had high hopes for a thrilling horror movie that would keep me on the edge of my seat. However, the film turned out to be a letdown, with a twist at the end being the only moment of intrigue. The rest of the movie felt drawn-out, absurd, and uninteresting.

As the plot unfolded, it became increasingly clear that the film was leading to nowhere, and the gradual decline in quality left me feeling disengaged until the final twist involving the murderer. Despite some horror elements being teased throughout, they failed to deliver any significant impact, leaving the viewer with a sense of unfulfilled expectations. Additionally, the film relied heavily on sexual themes that felt unnecessary and out of place.

Overall, "The Town That Dreaded Sundown" failed to live up to its potential as a captivating horror movie and instead ended up being a disappointing and unsatisfying watch.