Going deep in the heart of this real-life horror reimagining
Jordan Peele’s anticipated follow-up to his groundbreaking debut feature, Get Out, has arrived in the form of Us. The movie has already chilled and wowed those who caught its SXSW premiere nearly three months after the trailer’s Christmas Day release first shook audiences. It seems that Peele’s standing as an innovative filmmaker will not only avoid the “one-hit wonder” curse most directors encounter, but the writer/director looks to be reaching new storytelling heights with his tale of an average family who come face to face with monstrous versions of themselves.
Us is also the latest in a winning streak for horror super-producer Jason Blum, who is currently enjoying a the kind of success most producers can only hope for thanks to last year’s Halloween reworking and this year’s hit sequels Glass and Happy Death Day 2 U. Those titles, along with Us, all bear the mark of a producer drawn to stories with intriguing and entertaining characters that stay true to their horror movie roots. Yet one Blum effort which managed all of the above, yet somehow eluded audiences, was his teaming up with TV horror writer/producer Ryan Murphy for the 2014 remake of The Town That Dreaded Sundown.
Loosely based on the shocking true story, The Town That Dreaded Sundown takes place in present-day Texarkana, TX; a quiet community whose legacy includes a murderous rampage from the late 40s known as the “moonlight murders.” The series of bizzare killings was carried out by a killer known as “the Phantom” and inspired a cult 1976 film. Now it looks as if a copycat is on the loose as a string of murders are taking place around town, leaving members of Texarkana, especially high school senior Jami (Addison Timlin), terrorized by a past that has come back for them.
Because Blum and Murphy both possess proven storytelling capabilities as well as a deep affinity for the genre their film belongs to, The Town That Dreaded Sundown offers up plenty of goods in terms of sheer horror movie fright. Sequences with the hooded killer stalking his victims are intense thanks to his relentless nature and (oftentimes) unorthodox methods of killing. The most unnerving and suspenseful of these is his chasing down a woman trying to escape his clutches in a sprawling corn field, culminating in the Phantom turning her into a scarecrow. Although you can see who will be killed and when, the deaths still come as a shock thanks to the way the Phantom toys with those in the audience watching him. Even the film’s very last moment, when all has seemingly calmed down to a “life goes on” feel, brings one final jolt. There’s also an intoxicating panache and flare about The Town That Dreaded Sundown thanks in large part to the long tracking shots and sweeping camera moves director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon employs. The mix of vintage late 70s production design and modern technology also adds a fun, unexpected quirkiness. If there are times when the movie feels as if its moving a little bit faster than it should, it more than makes up for by delivering a horror tale whose story is every bit as haunting as its realization.
As much of an unnerving fright fest as the movie is, it’s the shape shifting nature of The Town That Dreaded Sundown which really makes it stand apart from modern horror entries. The filmmakers waste no time in establishing the real-life story which inspired it through a stark documentary-like opening that firmly sets the tone before launching into the present day and the opening sequence of teenagers watching the 1976 original movie at the local drive-in. This remake of the story takes the very postmodern approach of not only revisiting the crimes of the 40s as new bodies begin to pile up, but also referencing the original movie. Any risk of gimmicks or confusion with such an edge are quickly forgotten as this version of The Town That Dreaded Sundown essentially feels even more real and less safe because of this method. It helps that the real events which inspired the film are handled carefully and sensitively as the movie offers up a further exploration into the true story. By the time the credits roll, The Town That Dreaded Sundown has shown itself to be a remake, a sequel, and a companion piece all in one; telling the tale of a town dealing with the aftermath of the events which have come to define it.
The Town That Dreaded Sundown is full of the kinds of character actors that film lovers are always pleased to see pop up, regardless of what they’re given to do. Here, the likes of Gary Cole, Edward Herrmann, Dennis O’Hare, Veronica Cartwright, Anthony Anderson, and Ed Lauter all provide their services, enhancing the quality of the film along the way. The group are such pros and eager to play (particularly a surprisingly moving Cartwright), that they oftentimes manage to take away from Timlin, who does some good work as the film’s lead.
It’s a shame that the clout of Blum and Murphy combined couldn’t have guaranteed more of a wide release for their movie. After playing at a handful of festivals, where audiences responded enthusiastically, The Town That Dreaded Sundown was given the most minimal of releases before finding a home in VOD territory. Surprisingly, most of the critics who saw the film heaped praise on the way it told a true story in an unconventional and innovative style, while select horror fans wasted no time in giving it cult status.
Because of the slant it chooses to take, The Town That Dreaded Sundown is a true reinvention in every sense of the word. Maybe it’s that reinvention factor that made it such a hard sell for some, leaving the film far more underrated than it should be. Still, there’s both a freshness and an affinity for nostalgia that never fails to come across, making the movie a horror hybrid which remains unparalleled thanks to the people at the helm. Yet the strongest, and certainly most chilling, element shared between this film and the original remains the unsolved mystery that inspired it. Even if The Town That Dreaded Sundown can’t claim to be an accurate representation of the true events themselves, the movie remains a comment on small town life and the maddening feeling of being trapped by its past.
