The genius 70s horror sequel we all overlook because of Scream

When we speech astir meta-horror, Scream is ever astatine the forefront of the conversation. 

Released successful 1996, the archetypal instalment of the iconic franchise was mode beyond its years with its self-aware satire astir fearfulness stereotypes. It acceptable the barroom for marrying humour with genuine fearfulness each the portion blatantly taking a stab astatine itself, pun intended. 

Many different films person tried a akin look specified arsenic the tongue-in-cheek Happy Death Day, Ready Or Not and The Babysitter, but there’s 1 movie that ever seems to beryllium absent from the treatment of meta-horror. 

The Town That Dreaded Sundown appears to person mostly gone nether the radar contempt releasing 2 coagulated entries; the 1976 archetypal and the 2014 movie that’s not rather a sequel and not rather a remake – truthful a requel, if you will. 

However, it’s the 2nd instalment that truly elevated the little franchise. 

Considering the fearfulness scenery 10 years agone included container bureau and captious hits similar The Babadook, Ouija and Unfriended, it’s admirable that Alfonso Gomez-Rejon wanted to instrumentality specified an ambitious attack with The Town That Dreaded Sundown. 

Where the archetypal – based connected a existent communicative – recounted a acceptable of murders successful a Texarkana town, the follow-up takes spot 65 years aft the masked serial killer’s spree. This clip a precocious schoolhouse student, who finds herself being taunted by a caller Phantom killer, realises she could beryllium the cardinal to solving the latest murders. 

Having the bagheaded slayer replicate the archetypal murders with a modern twist was a astute mode to wage homage to its root worldly portion being capable to present a caller serial slayer by mounting it respective decades later. It’s amusive and punchy with a pacing that keeps you connected your toes, ever wondering wherever it’s going to spell adjacent adjacent though it intentionally follows the slasher look of cat-and-mouse earlier the large twisty reveal. 

Rewatching the Blumhouse instrumentality precocious is immoderate of the astir amusive I’ve had successful a agelong clip with horror. 

Are you a instrumentality of The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976 and 2014)? Comment Now

It’s refreshing however Dreaded Sundown doesn’t instrumentality itself excessively earnestly and afloat takes vantage of its licence to beryllium originative contempt being portion of a series.

Dare I say, the requel is amended than its predecessor.

Admittedly, it was a small tricky to navigate the clip play the requel takes spot successful astatine archetypal – it’s acceptable 65 years aft the 1946 murders but is drenched successful the benignant of the 70s erstwhile the archetypal movie was released. The municipality itself doesn’t look arsenic though it has developed overmuch beyond that decennary and it could easy person been changeable with a 70s filter. 

Ultimately, this is portion of what makes Dreaded Sundown unique. 

The requel surely owes the foundations of its occurrence to the archetypal but it astatine slightest puts its ain stamp connected the series. A bully illustration of that is its reframing of the iconic trombone scene, which deviates somewhat from the OG mentation with a modern – translation LGBTQ+ – spin. 

It would beryllium truthful refreshing if much sequels and remakes were approached with the innovation of the Dreaded Sundown requel. It’s an adjacent bigger shame that some films don’t get the level of appreciation they deserve. 

Due to the ultimate icon presumption that Scream has rightfully earned implicit the past 3 decades, Dreaded Sundown is often grossly overlooked erstwhile it comes to praising fearfulness that’s brilliantly self-aware. Simply put, Scream’s occurrence wholly overshadows it successful that sense.

However, I person to admit, determination is thing saccharine astir enjoying a best-kept concealed lone a tiny fig of you appreciate. 

For now, The Town That Dreaded Sundown is ours to devour. 

The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014) is disposable to ticker connected Amazon Prime Video.

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