When we talk about meta-horror, Scream is always at the forefront of the conversation.
Released in 1996, the first instalment of the iconic franchise was way beyond its years with its self-aware satire about horror stereotypes. It set the bar for marrying humour with genuine fear all the while blatantly taking a stab at itself, pun intended.
Many other films have tried a similar formula such as the tongue-in-cheek Happy Death Day, Ready Or Not and The Babysitter, but there’s one film that always seems to be absent from the discussion of meta-horror.
The Town That Dreaded Sundown appears to have largely gone under the radar despite releasing two solid entries; the 1976 original and the 2014 film that’s not quite a sequel and not quite a remake – so a requel, if you will.
However, it’s the second instalment that really elevated the brief franchise.
Considering the horror landscape 10 years ago included box office and critical hits like The Babadook, Ouija and Unfriended, it’s admirable that Alfonso Gomez-Rejon wanted to take such an ambitious approach with The Town That Dreaded Sundown.
Where the original – based on a true story – recounted a set of murders in a Texarkana town, the follow-up takes place 65 years after the masked serial killer’s spree. This time a high school student, who finds herself being taunted by a new Phantom killer, realises she could be the key to solving the latest murders.
Having the bagheaded killer replicate the original murders with a modern twist was a smart way to pay homage to its source material while being able to introduce a new serial killer by setting it several decades later. It’s fun and punchy with a pacing that keeps you on your toes, always wondering where it’s going to go next even though it intentionally follows the slasher formula of cat-and-mouse before the big twisty reveal.
Rewatching the Blumhouse take recently is some of the most fun I’ve had in a long time with horror.
It’s refreshing how Dreaded Sundown doesn’t take itself too seriously and fully takes advantage of its license to be creative despite being part of a series.
Dare I say, the requel is better than its predecessor.
Admittedly, it was a little tricky to navigate the time period the requel takes place in at first – it’s set 65 years after the 1946 murders but is drenched in the style of the 70s when the first film was released. The town itself doesn’t look as though it has developed much beyond that decade and it could easily have been shot with a 70s filter.
Ultimately, this is part of what makes Dreaded Sundown unique.
The requel certainly owes the foundations of its success to the original but it at least puts its own stamp on the series. A good example of that is its reframing of the iconic trombone scene, which deviates slightly from the OG version with a modern – translation LGBTQ+ – spin.
It would be so refreshing if more sequels and remakes were approached with the innovation of the Dreaded Sundown requel. It’s an even bigger shame that both films don’t get the level of appreciation they deserve.
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Due to the supreme icon status that Scream has rightfully earned over the past three decades, Dreaded Sundown is often grossly overlooked when it comes to praising horror that’s brilliantly self-aware. Simply put, Scream’s success completely overshadows it in that sense.
However, I have to admit, there is something sweet about enjoying a best-kept secret only a small number of you appreciate.
For now, The Town That Dreaded Sundown is ours to devour.
Book your ticket to see Wicked now!
The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014) is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.
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