The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Charles B. Pierce

Writer:

Earl E. Smith (writer)

Release Date:

1976 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller | Mystery | Crime

Tagline:

In 1946 this man killed five people... Today he still lurks the streets of Texarkana, Ark.

Plot:

A Texas Ranger hunts for a hooded serial killer terrorizing the residents of a small town, set in 1946 Arkansas. Losely based on a true story.

Plot Keywords:

Arkansas | Serial Killer | Police | Sadism | 1940s

Cast

Ben Johnson	...	Captain J.D. Morales
Andrew Prine	...	Deputy Norman Ramsey
Dawn Wells	...	Helen Reed
Jimmy Clem	...	Sgt. Mal Griffin
Jim Citty	...	Police Chief R.J. Sullivan
Charles B. Pierce	...	Patrolman A.C. Benson
Robert Aquino	...	Sheriff Otis Barker
Cindy Butler	...	Peggy Loomis
Christine Ellsworth	...	Linda Mae Jenkins
Earl E. Smith	...	Dr. Kress (as Earl E. Smith)
Steve Lyons	...	Roy Allen
Joe Catalanotto	...	Eddie LeDoux (as Joe Catalanatto)
Roy Lee Brown	...	Rainbow Johnson
Mike Hackworth	...	Sammy Fuller
Misty West	...	Emma Lou Cook

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:R | Norway:15 | Norway:18 (original rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Garland City, Arkansas, USA

Company:

Filmways Pictures

Trivia:

This movie is a semi-documentary based on the real life string of mysterious killings that terrorized the people of Texarkana Texas in 1946. The murder spree became known as the "Texarkana Moonlight Murders" and ultimately would claim five lives and injure many others, the only description of the killer ever obtained was of a hooded man. To this day no one has been convicted and these murders remain unsolved.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When the cop grabs the suspect "Eddie LuDoux" by his belt and pulls him over to the police car, the cameraman's shadow is seen on them as they walk across the frame

Quotes:

Rainbow Johnson: That's him! That's him! Mister, you owe me a dollar for driving you today! And ten dollers for taking ya to Lefkin!
Eddie LeDoux: [to the cops] What's the matter with that donkey? He crazy? Get him outta here!

Movie Connections:

Edited into 42nd Street Forever Part 4 (2009) (V)

Fear Factor

Well I have to say that this movie is excellent. I was lucky to have my father be in this movie. I grew up in Atlanta,TX and moved from there in 1995. If you ever see the heavy set taxi driver, thats him, the officer at the police station dressed as a woman with the cigar, that was also him. My father did stunt driving and rebuilt the autos in the movie. You will be suprised what I can tell you that went on behind the scenes of the movie. Like when they tied Dawn Wells to the tree, well she was screaming not because of the phantom, but a snake that was on the ground in front of her. The snake came up during the shoot and they didn't tell Dawn about it, she just seen it. That is why her screams are realistic. One scene with the rain, look closey at the windshield wipers, if you notice its fast one minute, then slow, only because the motor went out and my father was on top of the car moving it by hand. Did you also know that most people that played in the movie did not know how to even drive or crank the vehicles? Back then there was push button starts, they kept breaking keys off in the ignition trying to crank it that way, but all the ignition does is unlock the collum. Needless to say they went trough alot of ignition switches. Boy what all I can say and not enough room to do it. I highy recommend this movie to anyone.