How Texarkana Honors 50 Years Of The Town That Dreaded Sundown

The 50th anniversary celebration of the iconic classic movie, “The Town That Dreaded Sundown," hosted by Set Cinema, is set for Sunday, March 16, 2026, in downtown Texarkana.

50th Anniversary Celebration of 'The Town That Dreaded Sundown' Movie

In a press release from Set Cinema, this special evening will be held at the historic Silvermoon on Broad Street near the McCartney Hotel and the Union Station building, where scenes of the 1976 movie were filmed. This screening will include the 1976 original film, which was inspired by the real-life “Moonlight Murders.”

In 1946, Texarkana was terrorized by a notorious, ruthless serial killer who became known as the Phantom Killer, who went on a rampage killing young couples. The Phantom Killer wore a hooded mask and brutally killed his victims in unconventional ways in some cases.

The Texarkana Phantom Killer Case Still Remains an Unsolved Case

Law enforcement officials, including a famous Texas Ranger, were brought in to Texarkana to investigate the killings. The Phantom Killer's case remains an unsolved case today, even after speculation throughout the years on who he was.

The original 1976 version of "The Town That Dreaded Sundown" was directed by Charles B. Pierce. The 2014 sequel movie will be shown at the Art Station on the Arkansas side, which served as a filming location.

Actor Who Played The Phantom Killer in 2014 Movie Coming to Texarkana

Stunt actor Andy Abele, who portrayed the Phantom Killer, will be a special guest at the showing, signing autographs, taking photos, joining the walking tour, and participating in a Q&A session. Abele was a stunt double in the movie "Logan."

The event will feature screenings of both the 1976 original film and the 2014 sequel, which were inspired by the real-life “Moonlight Murders” that terrorized Texarkana in 1946. The unsolved case involved a masked killer known as the Phantom Killer, who targeted young couples and people during the night.

Fans can participate in a walking tour of downtown Texarkana filming locations from both movies while learning about the history of the Moonlight Murders.

What made the 1976 original movie so special was that it featured many local people and extras like me, who had my first experience in a movie.