Fantastic Fest 2014: THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN – The Review

Texarkana is the home of several murders that occurred in 1946 by a masked killer that was given the name “The Phantom Killer.” It’s a city made up of two counties – one in Arkansas and one in Texas. Ironically, producers Ryan Murphy and Jason Bum have approached the film THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN in a similar fashion. On the surface the film is a sequel to the 1976 slasher of the same name, and yet, the film often feels like a remake as well including recreations of some of that film’s kills. A meta-sequel/remake is too much of a mouthful to say, so what do you actually call it?  Regardless of its label, this new TOWN is worth visiting simply for the sake of it taking a unique approach to bringing to the screen a killer we’ve seen before.

It’s 2013 and the people of Texarkana have gathered for the annual celebration to watch the 1976 film THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN. Jami (Addison Timlin) and Corey (Spencer Treat Clark) sneak off from the outdoor festivities to ignite there own fireworks, but the couple are quickly interrupted when Jami notices a figure watching them in the distance. You can bet that this isn’t just a peeping Tom. The couple is quickly chased through the woods and Corey is killed in front of Jami. What’s more horrific is that the masked killer who resembles the ’76 cinematic killer purposefully lets Jami go. As bodies begin piling up and copy-cat theories surface around town, Jami sets out on her own investigation which leads her to believe that there is more to this real life horror story.

I’ve never been to Texarkana, although I did drive through it to attend Fantastic Fest. It is what you would expect. Small, rural, and not necessarily of this time period. That being said, in the eyes of director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (GLEE, AMERICAN HORROR STORY) the 70’s are all the rage. Every shot, costume, and set drips with retro 70’s style. After seeing scene after scene of this, you are forced to wonder if Texarkana really does look and feel like a blast from the past. There are a few instances where we see a computer or other piece of modern technology. It becomes so desperate in its artistic choices that I rolled my eyes when I saw an old television with dials on the front of it. The fact that the film continually reminds of the date and year at the bottom of the screen doesn’t help this fact.

Cinematographer Michael Goi extends the throwback style even more with the way the film is shot. Soft focus, double-focus, and tracking shots make THE TOWN… look like it was shot by Brain De Palma’s second unit director. I actually enjoyed this aspect more than the preposterous set dressings. As a fan of 70’s thrillers, I couldn’t help but smirk at some of the visual nods and impressive camera work. More often we see modern horror films attempt to recreate the look and feel of the 80’s, so in a way it’s kind of nice to have someone acknowledge a time when movies looked slightly different than reality. The key word there is slightly.

THE TOWN… will appeal to fans of throwback horror and those looking for a grisly night at the theater. The opening scene is especially fun, brutal, and terrifying! The film doesn’t wink at the audience as much as recent remakes like MY BLOODY VALENTINE and doesn’t try to force any unnecessary humor into the story. Fans of the original film will no doubt spot similarities between this and the ’76 film. There’s no attempt made to hide the fact that this is a pseudo-remake, even though it’s a sequel by definition. What mainly sets it apart though is that the tone feels more like a grim murder mystery than a straight-up slasher. Detective work and tedious interviews bog down the last half a little bit, but the story holds your attention enough to keep you guessing who is behind the murders until the final reveal – even if the finale may be the weakest point in the whole bloody affair. It speaks volumes that the point in which the audience reacted the most to was when the classic Orion logo appeared before the film began – a burst of laughter and applause erupted from the crowd. THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN succeeds more at 70’s gimmicks than scares, but at the very least it reminds us of the good ol’ days.

Overall rating: 3 out of 5