The Town That Dreaded Sundown

The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)

  • 51% of users liked it
    (597 ratings)

This thriller -- based on actual events -- tells in a pseudo-documentary-style of the murders of five people by a man in post-WWII Arkansas. This mystery was still considered unsolved at the time of its release. ~ Kristie Hassen, Rovi

R, 1 hr. 30 min.
Directed By
Charles B. Pierce
Written By
Earl E. Smith
Genres
Drama, Horror, Mystery & Suspense
On DVD
Nov 6, 1995
American International Pictures (AIP)

Critic Reviews

  • Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com

    Most students of horror cinema will slap themselves awake solely for the murder scenes, which generally don't reward one's attention.

  • Dustin Putman, DustinPutman.com

    Leaves us with such striking moments of stark, raw terror, that it puts many less serious horror films to shame.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Tim S


    The Town That Dreaded Sundown is a semi-autobiographical story about the Phantom Killer who went on a murder spree in the 1940's in Texarkana, Texas. I seriously do not understand why this film has been heralded as much as it has. I wonder just how many people have actually seen… More

  • Stephen M


    A surprisingly successful low budget horror movie based on the true story of a hooded serial killer who terrorised Texarkana in the mid-1940s. Whether by accident or design, the occasionally wobbly supporting performances, the flat style of direction, the score and the authentic… More

  • Luke B


    Real life serial killer films probably owe a lot to this film. It's by no means perfect, but offers a lot of memorable imagery. The voice-over is too prevalent and ruins the pacing a bit, as does the frequent comical interludes. They are accompanied by slapstick music and palm to… More

  • Cassandra M


    I've seen this a couple of times now and really enjoy it. The first time I was right on the edge of sleep throughout, in fact I think I even drifted in and out a little, but despite not being fully clued in on the action I found the film to be pretty much totally gripping. I… More

  • El Hombre I


    A mood piece in which the characters don't stand out as much as the situation. It's too bad the comic relief was in either bad taste or just plain dumbed down which breaks the spell of being engaged in what could've been a truly terrifying movie. The fact that this… More

Read all 8 featured audience ratings

Cast

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