• Login

    • BLU-RAY REVIEW

    Town That Dreaded Sundown, The

    Featured In Issue 199, September 2015

    Picture4.5
    Sound4.5
    WSR Score4
    Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
    (Studio/Distributor):
    Image Entertainment
    (Catalog Number):
    ID00305ZXBD
    (MPAA Rating):
    R
    (Rating Reason):
    (Retail Price):
    $$29.97
    (Disc Type):
    BD-25
    (Widescreen Edition):
    Yes
    (Full Screen Edition):
    (Running Time In Minutes):
    86
    (Color Type):
    Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access):
    Yes
    (Closed Captioned):
    Yes
    (Regional Coding):
    (Theatrical Year):
    (Theatrical Release):
    (Direct-To-Video Release):
    (Disc Release Date):
    7/7/2015
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):
    (Director):
    Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
    (Screenplay/Written By):
    (Story):
    (Music):
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer):
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor):
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers):
    (Co-Producers):
    (Producers):
    (Academy Awards):
    (Principal Photography):
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
    (Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
    (Disc Soundtrack):
    (Theatrical Sound):
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (DTS Bit Rate):
    (Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
    (Additional Languages):
    (Subtitles):

    Based on the true story derived by the 1976 cult-classic film directed by Charles B. Pierce, The Town That Dreaded Sundown picks up 65 years after a masked serial killer terrorized the small town of Texarkana, when the brutal “Moonlight Murders” suddenly begin again. While on a trip to Lovers' Lane, 17-year-old Jami (Timlin) watches as her date is brutally slain by a masked killer. Barely escaping with her life, Jami becomes obsessed with finding the killer referred to as “The Phantom.” As the body count mounts and the carnage comes closer, Jami delves deeper into the mystery with the help of the town archivist Nick (Tope), following clues that point her toward the killer's true identity. (Gary Reber)

    Special features include the trailer.

    The 2.39:1 1080p AVC picture is stylized in particular scenes and provides an intriguing visual experience. The color palette is nicely saturated with vibrant and rich hues and natural fleshtones. Contrast is well balanced with deep, solid blacks and revealing shadow delineation. The cinematography is definitely creative, with contrasting highlights and backgrounds. Resolution is effectively revealing of fine details in facial features, hair, clothing, and object texture. This is a terrific visual experience, though, the imagery is often intense. (Gary Reber

    The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is often frontal focused with predominant dialogue. The dialogue is generally well integrated spatially. Atmospherics and sound effects are more prominent during the more intense scenes, but some scenes deliver delicate atmospherics and sound effects. Of course, in the vicious scenes of murder the sonics are heightened with extended surround activity. The music score is varied and well recorded throughout, and provides surround energy during the more engaging scenes, as well as deep bass in the .1 LFE channel. This is a surprisingly engaging sonic experience, which is sure to please fans of the cult classic. (Gary Reber)

    Reason #114 Why Readers Love Widescreen Review:

    I appreciate the technical nature of your DVD reviews; that is, the way you rate the sound and picture quality of newly released DVDs. The reviews in most other magazines are concerned not with how good the DVD is, but with just the film itself: quality of the script, actors' performances, etc., all of which are subject to the critic's personal tastes, which may be wildly different from my own.

    Paul Mulik
    26864 Mandelieu Drive, Murrieta, CA 92562 • Phone: 951 676 4914 • Fax: 951 693 2960
    Copyright © Information • All Rights Reserved • www.widescreenreview.com • Web Site Established In 1995 • Privacy Policy • Partners