Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • Shows by Decade
        • 1950s Television
        • 1960s Television
        • 1970s Television
        • 1980s Television
        • 1990s Television
      • Shows by Genre
        • Comedy
        • Drama
        • Kids TV
        • Variety
        • News & Sport
        • Advertisements
      • Shows by Country
        • UK TV
        • USA TV
        • Australia & NZ TV
        • Canada TV
        • Europe TV
        • Japan TV
      • Shows A to K
        • Shows A
        • Shows B
        • Shows C
        • Shows D
        • Shows E
        • Shows F
        • Shows G
        • Shows H
        • Shows I
        • Shows J
        • Shows K
      • Shows L to Z
        • Shows L
        • Shows M
        • Shows N
        • Shows O
        • Shows P
        • Shows Q
        • Shows R
        • Shows S
        • Shows T
        • Shows U
        • Shows V
        • Shows W
        • Shows X
        • Shows Y
        • Shows Z
      • Shows 0 to 9
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • 1950s Music
        • 1960s Music
        • 1970s Music
        • 1980s Music
        • 1990s Music
      • Music A to K
        • Music A
        • Music B
        • Music C
        • Music D
        • Music E
        • Music F
        • Music G
        • Music H
        • Music I
        • Music J
        • Music K
      • Music L to Z
        • Music L
        • Music M
        • Music N
        • Music O
        • Music P
        • Music Q
        • Music R
        • Music S
        • Music T
        • Music U
        • Music V
        • Music W
        • Music X
        • Music Y
        • Music Z
      • Music 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • 1950s Movies
        • 1960s Movies
        • 1970s Movies
        • 1980s Movies
        • 1990s Movies
      • Movies by Country
        • UK Movies
        • USA Movies
        • Australia & NZ Movies
        • Canada Movies
        • Europe Movies
        • Japan Movies
      • Movies A to K
        • Movies A
        • Movies B
        • Movies C
        • Movies D
        • Movies E
        • Movies F
        • Movies G
        • Movies H
        • Movies I
        • Movies J
        • Movies K
      • Movies L to Z
        • Movies L
        • Movies M
        • Movies N
        • Movies O
        • Movies P
        • Movies Q
        • Movies R
        • Movies S
        • Movies T
        • Movies U
        • Movies V
        • Movies W
        • Movies X
        • Movies Y
        • Movies Z
      • Movies 0 to 9
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Radio
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»1970s Movies»Movies 1976
    Movies 1976 Movies T 3 Mins Read

    Town That Dreaded Sundown, The (1976)

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    “The incredible story you are about to see is true. Where it happened and how it happened. Only the names have been changed”

    Eight months after the end of World War II, on the night of Sunday 3 March 1946, in the town of Texarkana, Sammy Fuller (Mike Hackworth) and Linda Mae Jenkins (Christine Ellsworth) – a courting couple out for a drive – are savagely attacked by a gun-toting maniac wearing a bag over his head.

    Deputy Norman Ramsey (Andrew Prine) finds them bloodied but still feebly alive, the woman with bite marks all over her body.

    Twenty-one days later the psycho strikes again, this time torturing then shooting a young couple dead after binding Emma Lou Cook (Misty West) to a tree.

    As panicked townsfolk board up their windows, stock up on guns and (as the title suggests) dread sundown, authorities welcome the arrival of Captain J.D. Morales (Ben Johnson), legendary “lone wolf” of the Texas Rangers, who aims to catch the killer dead or alive.

    Yet even with hard-bitten Morales dogging his trail, the masked maniac continues his murder spree. With a creepy mask and crazy eyes, the wheezing killer cuts a frightening figure and his murders prove genuinely unsettling.

    It is not an especially gory film yet the intensity of the murder scenes are disturbing as victims sob, squeal and beg for mercy while they are beaten to death.

    In the film’s most infamous scene, the killer ties a knife onto a trombone and repeatedly stabs Peggy Loomis (Cindy Butler) to death in a manner both ridiculous and horrifying.

    The killer’s gruelling pursuit of Helen Reed (the lovely Dawn Wells from Gilligan’s Island), is another taut suspense sequence.

    The film has proven somewhat influential, inspiring a like-named meta-horror sequel in 2014 while in a strange (and slightly unsettling) twist of fate, it has been fondly embraced by residents of the real Texarkana.

    Screenings of the film have become a Halloween tradition at Spring Lake Park near the town in a free event sponsored by the Texas Department of Parks and Recreation.

    Captain J.D. Morales
    Ben Johnson
    Deputy Norman Ramsey
    Andrew Prine
    Helen Reed
    Dawn Wells
    Sgt. Mal Griffin
    Jimmy Clem
    Police Chief R.J. Sullivan
    Jim Citty
    Patrolman A.C. “Sparkplug” Benson
    Charles B. Pierce
    Sheriff Otis Barker
    Robert Aquino
    Peggy Loomis
    Cindy Butler
    Dr Kress
    Earl E. Smith
    Roy Allen
    Steve Lyons
    Eddie LeDoux
    Joe Catalanotto
    Rainbow Johnson
    Roy Lee Brown
    Sammy Fuller
    Mike Hackworth
    Linda Mae Jenkins
    Christine Ellsworth
    Emma Lou Cook
    Misty West
    Buddy Turner
    Rick Hildreth
    Captain Gus Wells
    Jason Darnell
    FBI Agent
    Woody Woodman
    Dr Preston Hickson
    John Stroud
    Reverend Harden
    Mason Andres
    High School Principal
    Richard Green
    Suspect
    Don Adkins
    Phantom Killer
    Bud Davis
    Narrator (voice)
    Vern Stierman

    Director
    Charles B. Pierce

    Related Posts

    • Fourth Wish, The (1976)
      Fourth Wish, The (1976)
      Filmed in Adelaide, the Australian film The Fourth Wish is the story of a 12-year-old boy dying of leukaemia which…
    • Mad Dog Morgan (1976)
      Mad Dog Morgan (1976)
      Australia in the 1850s. Irishman Daniel Morgan (Dennis Hopper), like hundreds of other ex-patriots from the British Isles, has come…
    • Targets (1968)
      Targets (1968)
      Vietnam veteran Bobby Thompson (Tim O'Kelly) has a gun fixation. Ageing film star Byron Orlok (Boris Karloff) is planning to…
    • Likely Lads, The (1976)
      Likely Lads, The (1976)
      “I’d offer you a beer but I’ve only got six cans.” Written by comedy legends Dick Clement and Ian La…
    • Martin (1976)
      Martin (1976)
      Horror movies which encourage audiences to sympathise with the monster are nothing new, but that paradox has rarely been more…
    • True Story of Eskimo Nell, The (1975)
      True Story of Eskimo Nell, The (1975)
      In 19th-century Australia (which looks not unlike the Wild West), one-eyed peeping tom Deadeye Dick (Max Gillies) and cowboy stud…
    • Turkey Shoot (1982)
      Turkey Shoot (1982)
      Set in Australia in the totalitarian near future, objectors to the authoritarian rule are labelled 'social deviants' and sent to…
    • Picnic At Hanging Rock (1976)
      Picnic At Hanging Rock (1976)
      It is St. Valentine's Day in Australia, the year is 1900, and a party of schoolgirls from an exclusive finishing…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleTransformers: The Movie (1986)
    Next Article Spliffs, The

    Comments are closed.

    A Labour of Love

    Nostalgia Central has been a labour of love for me since 1998.

    If you find the site informative or enjoyable, please consider a donation – no matter how small – to help me with the running costs of the site and ensure I can keep Nostalgia Central running for your entertainment and education.

    Thank you so much, and please enjoy your trip in the time machine!
    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    You May Also Like
    • Foreign Intrigue (Cross Current)
      1 9 5 1 – 1 9 5 5 (USA) 170 x 30 minute episodes […]
    • Experiment In Terror (1962)
      Ruthless criminal Red Lynch (Ross Martin) launches a campaign of […]
    • Peter Blakeley
      Peter Blakeley – described by the founder of Atlantic […]
    • Crime Photographer
      1 9 5 1 – 1 9 5 2 (USA) The adventures of Casey, the crack […]
    • Big Joe Turner
      Joe Turner was born in Kansas City on 18 May 1911, and by the […]
    • Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)
      Michael Myers was shot at the end of Halloween, burned at the […]
    Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

    OUR LATEST FACEBOOK POSTS

    60 years of Billy Liar: how the Bradford locations have changed today ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    60 years of Billy Liar: how the Bradford locations have changed today

    theb.fi

    Not everything is at it seems about the shooting locations for this classic story of a Yorkshire daydreamer.
    3 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 7
    • Shares: 2
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    “I’ll tell you what Charlie, there’s always been a Holroyd at Holroyd’s mill and by god there always will be” Love this film.

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-65006801 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Terry Hall: Coventry scooter ride-out pays tribute to singer

    www.bbc.co.uk

    Hundreds of people ride through Coventry on what would have been the singer's 64th birthday.
    1 week ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 12
    • Shares: 2
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    metro.co.uk/2023/03/13/the-whos-roger-daltrey-thinks-theres-no-point-releasing-an-album-18434779/ ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    The Who's Roger Daltrey thinks there's 'no point' releasing another album

    metro.co.uk

    Bad luck.
    1 week ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 1
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-64963359 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Sir Michael Caine's first Rolls Royce sells at Duxford for £120K

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The Italian Job actor hired a chauffeur to drive the 1968 Silver Shadow, with its doors still intact.
    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 3
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64900348 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Mystic Meg: Astrologer dies aged 80

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The TV star, whose real name was Margaret Lake, was a well-known TV figure in the 1990s.
    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 1
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    Do you think she know it eas going to happen

    PlayTalk Teletext (1976) | BFI Replay

    Talk Teletext (1976) | BFI Replay ... See MoreSee Less

    3 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 8
    • Shares: 2
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    Gary Rossington: Lynyrd Skynyrd's last founding member dies aged 71.
    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Gary Rossington: Lynyrd Skynyrd's last founding member dies aged 71

    www.bbc.co.uk

    Guitarist Gary Rossington had survived a 1977 air crash that killed several of his bandmates.
    3 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 2
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    What a talented man. Lucky enough to see original band in concert. BRILLIANT.

    Rest in peace Dickie Davies. An absolute giant of British sports broadcasting.

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Dickie Davies, World of Sport presenter, dies at 94

    www.theguardian.com

    The broadcaster became something of a cult figure after fronting the ITV show for 20 years
    1 month ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 4
    • Shares: 1
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    Yes, one of the great presenters. R.I.P.

    For fans of the radio series Round The Horne (1965 - 1968) - starring the inimitable Kenneth Williams - there are several full episodes on Spotify. Some of the humour is still pretty close to the edge, even by modern standards. Bona! 

https://open.spotify.com/show/7DIM1wfGKwDis0uzsjHeP7?si=pG0_U0TjRKGzVDvrePs4vA

    For fans of the radio series "Round The Horne" (1965 - 1968) - starring the inimitable Kenneth Williams - there are several full episodes on Spotify. Some of the humour is still pretty "close to the edge", even by modern standards. Bona!

    open.spotify.com/show/7DIM1wfGKwDis0uzsjHeP7?si=pG0_U0TjRKGzVDvrePs4vA
    ... See MoreSee Less

    1 month ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 12
    • Shares: 1
    • Comments: 2

    Comment on Facebook

    For those interested, the complete “Jules and Sandy” is available on Audible…

    Bona to vada your jolly old eek. Lovely riah....

    RIP the beautiful Stella Stevens, who has died at the age of 84.

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Stella Stevens: Nutty Professor and Poseidon Adventure star dies at 84

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The co-star of Elvis Presley also worked in TV on series such as Murder She Wrote and Magnum, P.I.
    1 month ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    Load more
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Tag Cloud
    Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games British Invasion Britpop Bubblegum music Canada Civil rights Cold War Computer games Crime Disc Jockeys Disco Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Folk rock Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen James Bond JFK Kraütrock Labels Madchester Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave New Zealand Nixon Northern Soul NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Politics Power Pop Prog rock Pub rock Punk Radio Reggae Rolling Stones Scotland Ska Ska revival Skiffle Soul music Space Race Sport Surf music Video games Vietnam war
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central. Run by volunteers. Funded by donations.
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.