The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)

The year is 1976, two years after "Black Christmas" and two years before "Halloween," and sandwiched between is a little known shlock gem entitled "The Town That Dreaded Sundown."

The significance of 1976 is fairly substantial in terms of the timeline of slasher films. "Black Christmas" is often regarded as the first true slasher flick whereas "Halloween" is often referred to as the first movie to perfect and define the slasher genre. Where does "The Town That Dreaded Sundown" fit into all this nonsense? To be honest, the film is not as terrifying as its aforementioned brethren, but the influence it had on the "Halloween" and "Friday the 13th" franchises is unmistakable.

Based on a string of serial killings in the town of Texarkana, Texas, the movie is part historical period piece and part slasher film. The narration is very much reminiscent of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" with its brooding all-points bulletin overtone. The killings themselves, although based on historical events, are sensationalized quite a bit for the sake of the movie. The killer himself (aka the Phantom) dawns a burlap sack over his face, which is eerily similar to that of Jason Voorhees in "Friday the 13th Part 2."

Left: the Phantom from "The Sun That Dreaded Sundown." Right: Jason Voorhees from "Friday the 13th Part 2."

When it comes to overall aesthetics, "The Town That Dreaded Sundown" has a notably schlocky vibe throughout. The movie is constantly on the verge of venturing into "so bad it's good" territory but always seems to right the ship at pivotal points throughout. Director Charles B. Pierce plays a Sheriff's deputy nicknamed "Sparkplug," a Gomer Pyle replica of sorts, who winds up being the biggest goofball in the entire cast. There's a particular scene in which Sparkplug has to go undercover dressed in drag in order to lure the killer into a trap. Scenes such as these set the movie apart from a film like "Halloween," which prides itself on being ominous throughout.

That's not to say that "The Town That Dreaded Sundown" is without its own eerieness. The Phantom is brooding in his own right; a hooded figure with no dialogue and little patience for the likes of teenagers. Unlike Jason with his machete and Michael Myers with his butcher's knife, the Phantom is more of an impromptu killer. In one scene, we see him tie a knife to the end of a trombone and stab a girl to death, and in another, we see him using a gun. Despite not being able to make up his mind, the Phantom is a well-rounded archetype of what many '80s slashers tried to replicate.

The quirkiness of the down-south twangy soundtrack mixed with the inexplicably amateur acting is reason enough for an honorable induction into the Schlock Vault, yet "The Town That Dreaded Sundown" proves to be more than a forgotten slasher movie. The basis of the film, although seemingly redundant, spawned an entire decade's worth of copycats. On the heels of a remake set for release sometime this year, there's no doubt why this hidden gem is finally getting the attention it deserves.