Review of The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976) by Shiela E — 25 Sep 2014

One of the first horror films I ever saw back in the day. watching it again for the first time in almost 40 years, it seems a bit quaint and dated. this film SCREAMS the 1970s. still it has a couple of suspenseful, eery moments, and overall, I enjoyed it. I feel it would have been more effective if it had focused more on the fear gripping the town rather than what the police were doing to catch the killer. the voice over TALKED about how everyone was afraid, but I saw little evidence of that in any of the characters, and so I wasn't afraid.

"zodiac" focused on the police and the press, but they contrasted that with genuinely chilling depictions of the murders themselves. the killer in THIS is distinctly on the sidelines, a mere bit player we barely see for most of the film, though the last two incidents are better, more suspenseful. am not saying I want more brutality and gore, just more scares.