LFF 2014 - The Town That Dreaded Sundown

It's fair to say that in recent times the horror genre has become rather saturated with wholly familiar themes, whether they be found footage, paranormal presences or otherwise. Included within that list would be a barrage of remakes and sequels that never seem to recreate the magic of the original source material. One film looking to put it to the doubters of such films is an updated version of The Town That Dreaded Sundown, a remake/sequel that is much more creative than many would think.

It's 65 years since the events of the 'Moonlight Murders' in which the town of Texarkana was haunted by a masked killer hellbent on murder and chaos. With the annual Halloween anniversary once again under way, Jami (Addison Timlin), a young girl whose own past is as haunting as that of the murders, is forced to encounter another murderer on the loose.

Along with aid from the likes of Sheriff Underwood (Ed Lauter) and Lone Wolf Morales (Anthony Anderson), Jami must revisit her mysterious past as well as try to uncover whether the terrorising masked killer is in fact the original or a copycat.

Filmed in the same grainy presentation as the film it is based upon, the 2014 update of The Town That Dreaded Sundown is certainly a positive removal from the horror remakes of past. Under the wing of debut director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, and produced by recognised horror figures in Jason Blum and Ryan Murphy, the film almost becomes a hybrid of both sequel and remake, producing some worthy content in the process.

We've all seen slasher films and, in truth, they can appear rather repetitive and lethargic by the time we reach the halfway point, but with the newly regenerated 70s-based horror we get a rather different beast. Intent on showing a high level of respect for its original, Gomez-Rejon often merges footage of the 1976 film in with his own fresh scenes to create a rather interesting combination of new and old that you can't help but admire. Maintaining that old-school feel to the proceedings certainly adds that extra chilling element and really makes you feel like you are watching within the heyday of such cinematic offerings.

The story, however, is rather one-dimensional like so many slashers, and is the slight letdown of an otherwise fresh and ambitious project. With many slasher films, the predictability comes in the kills and ultimately the key components of the lead character's background story. This is no different and, while the deaths are at times rather inventive and well executed, the core elements are simply a little too obvious for a wholly diverse horror outing.

The film also falls into the general pitfall of the sexual kind, with some nudity and needless sex scenes thrown in for good measure like any cliched slasher movie, leaning a little too much towards that framework we all know too well in this day and age. Thankfully these scenes don't deter too much away from the positives that few other horrors of late have been able to garner.

The Town That Dreaded Sundown may essentially be a remake but in merging blissfully the new and old versions of the film, along with some truly inventive and eye-catching presentation and death scenes, this is certainly one horror that could stay on the radar for years to come. You never know, this may even have the steel to become a newfound cult classic...