| Artwork |
 |
| Film vitals |
|
· Year: 1976
· Director: Charles B. Pierce
· Writer:
· Cast: Ben Johnson, Andrew Prine
|
| Information |
|
· Based on murders that happened in 1946 Texarkana.
|
| If you liked this, try |
|
|
| Products |
|
Amazon.com
|
| Links |
|
|
|
| Synopsis |
|
A town is terrorized by a brutal masked murderer in this film based on events that happened in 1946 Texarkana.
| |
|
|
RATING
Out of 100 |
|
63
|
|
| COLD ANALYSIS |
|
ATMOSPHERE
|
|
GORE
|
|
HUMOR
|
|
SCARES
|
|
TENSION
|
While making a film based on real-life murders, I'd think it would behoove the filmmakers to take their subject as seriously as possible, if only out of respect for the victims' families. And for a while, The Town That Dreaded Sundown succeeds in doing just that--it is terrifying yet serious, and not exploitative. The murders are filmed in such a way as to be relatively graphic and yet not gratuitous; they're realistic and frightening. The story is passable, the writing consistent, the directing quite good. Everything is simple, tense, and effective. Then, for God knows what reason, a goofy subplot involving inept police officers is unleashed. It's so out of place--and inappropriate (and that's a judgment call, but I'm making it)--that I have the impression the writer threw it in because somebody told him the film was too serious. Town still manages to pull off a few good scenes at the end, but by that point, its stride has been thrown too far off. But well worth watching for the good directing and dark atmosphere that characterizes much of the film.
|
|
