The ‘70s are known for perfecting the slasher formula with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween, rightfully securing their place as all-timers. But there were some awkward steps along the way, like 1976’s The Town That Dreaded Sundown. Not a total misstep, but an odd entry that’s equal parts police procedural and horror thriller, trying its best to play it straight.
By leaning too heavily on its neo-noir vibe, The Town That Dreaded Sundown stumbles through unintentional humor, making it an oddly entertaining watch, whether you think it misses the mark or lands the story.
Hunch-Based Detective Work Takes Center Stage
Based on the real-life Texarkana Moonlight Murders, The Town That Dreaded Sundown follows a masked serial killer stalking couples in lovers’ lanes.
Deputy Norman Ramsey (Andrew Pine) and Captain J.D. Morales (Ben Johnson) are tasked with cracking the case, relying on grit, determination, and good old-fashioned police intuition.
With the story set in 1946, there’s no DNA testing or psychological profiling to lean on. Instead we get a scrambling, often bumbling police force trying to keep the community calm as hysteria takes hold. Patrolman A.C. “Sparkplug” Benson (Charles B. Pierce) even joins in on the action with his clumsy antics adding an odd streak of comic relief to the premise.
Unintentional Humor Hijacks The Premise
Though the setup is prime slasher fodder, The Town That Dreaded Sundown has some genuinely laugh-out-loud moments. Standard shootings and blunt-force beatings fit the bill, but “trombone stabbing” was not on my Bingo card. Paired with Sparkplug’s ineptitude as a driver during car chases, the film veers into absurdity in ways I couldn’t help but enjoy, even if I was expecting a straight-up thriller.
A Solid Proof Of Concept, But Not A Successful One
These days, horror thrillers blend seamlessly with police procedurals, and IPs like True Detective, Criminal Minds, Zodiac, and Longlegs prove this formula works when properly fleshed out. On the other hand, The Town That Dreaded Sundown misses the mark because its tonal shifts are inconsistent enough to take you out of the movie.
So while I can’t in good conscience recommend this flick as one of the greats, I’d still suggest putting it on your watch list if you want to see an early iteration – albeit an unsuccessful one – of a means of storytelling that eventually gets developed to perfection. The Town That Dreaded Sundown crawled so later generations of horror could run, making it worth your time if you’re a diehard fan of the genre.
As of this writing, you can stream The Town That Dreaded Sundown for free on Tubi.
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