TEXARKANA, Texas -- At sundown on Thursday, The Movies in the Park Finale featured "The Town that Dreaded Sundown" on the big screen in Texarkana's Spring Lake Park.

A tradition that began in 2003, the movie is shown every October, close to Halloween, and is offered for free by the Texarkana Department of Parks and Recreation.

Tylon House was on a date with his girlfriend, Daimonika Mays, who recently moved to Texarkana.

"Yeah, show her around town, show her the events going on, and just get out," said House. "It's a good movie."

The horror mystery is based on a true story about a hooded serial killer who terrorized Texarkana with the so-called "moonlight murders."

The killings had taken place throughout the year in 1946, and the murderer was dubbed the Phantom Killer, who attacked eight people and killed five.

The original film premiered in 1976, and its remake was released in 2014.

The Phantom Killer is still a mystery because he was never identified or apprehended.

The number of people at the movie in the park event, sitting on lawn chairs and blankets, made it obvious that the story continues to mesmerize, especially the locals of the town that dreaded sundown.