Trilogy of Terror (1975 TV Movie) User Reviews (125)

Amelia

[laduqesa · 8/10 · 6 December 2021]

I don't remember the first two films but I must have seen them when the trilogy was shown on UK television in the 70s. The one that stuck with me, in fact terrified me, was the third one of the trilogy, Amelia. It's come up now to my mind from an article in the Guardian and I would never have known the name of it unless I'd read that article.

I was watching at my parents' house after they had gone to bed. I honestly didn't know what I was letting myself in for. That doll made me genuinely frightened. Whoever, in the props department, conceived of it was an evil genius. The way it moved, chasing its victim through her flat was perfect, as was the terrible noise it made.

I met some friends the next day who shared a flat. They had also watched the film and afterwards all slept in the same bedroom together as they had been so freaked out. I'm glad I hadn't been the only one to have been utterly spooked. I admit that when I went to bed, I was worried that that horrifying doll would come charging out from under a cupboard or out of a wardrobe.

I can still feel the frisson of terror forty five years later. It's one that I shall never forget.

Scary As Hell When Your 10yrs Old

[Blackace · 7/10 · 7 August 2004]

I first saw this movie when I was 10 and it scared the crap out of me. It came on Halloween night and even though I was told to go to bed by Mom, I thought I stay up and watch this scary movie with my sisters. HA!! Now I know why Mothers are always right. The first two stories weren't very exciting or scary. I was ready to go to bed, but decided to stick with it and watch the last story anyway. After seeing this African voodoo fetish doll come to life and start chasing Amelia around the house with a knife in hand. I was getting scared. I think the suspense of her searching aimlessly around the house, under the couch and inside the cabinets for this killer doll left me hiding under the sofa throw pillows. The dolls unique high pitched chatter (ie,yie,yie,yie,yie!!, iee,yie,yie,yie,yie!!) over and over again set the tone. The doll was creepier then Chucky and the twisted ending left me with nightmares for a few weeks. I literally was afraid of all dolls for a few years. Thinking one would somehow come to life, with an evil grin on it's face and try to harm me. Watching the Puppet Master and Poltergeist (that evil clown who dragged the girl under the bed) didn't help the situation either. After about 10yrs I watch the movie again and the ending still scared me, even though I knew what to expect. Karen Black did an excellent job in all three films. I wished the first 2 stories were as good as the last, but they just weren't. For the people reviewing this and saying, "It's not scary at all." You really would need to watch it back in the 70's to get the full effect. By today's standard, it's really not that scary at all. I've seen all the Chucky movies and even though some of it was shocking, none of these films scared me like Trilogy of Terror. Even the sequel wasn't as scary as the original. So if you can find this film at your rental store, definitely check it out. I give it a 7 out of 10 from my 70's viewing. If I viewed it for the first time today, I'd give it a 5.

When Karen was Queen...

[moonspinner55 · 6/10 · 21 January 2001]

In the 1970s, it was understood and accepted that some leading actors and actresses looked a little different from the box-office stars (they didn't just stand out to get attention, often they were embracing their own idiosyncrasies). Karen Black probably didn't intend to go mainstream, though her supporting performance in 1970's "Five Easy Pieces" was embraced by the counterculture and netted her an Oscar nomination. She's an offbeat actress who performs without vanity. Headlining this three-tiered TV-movie, Black plays plays four fascinating women, and her somewhat exotic cadence and her slightly-zonked overall manner gives the shuddery material an extra layer. Written by Richard Matheson and William F. Nolan, from Matheson's original stories, this "Trilogy" is well-cast and well-directed by Dan Curtis, who delivers some memorable moments--and the proof is that horror fans still refer to the film today. Curtis and Black really seemed to click, as the director quickly and efficiently zips through three creep-outs about complex ladies: "Julie", a dowdy teacher with nice legs who has naughty little minds in her classroom wondering what she's really like; "Millicent and Therese", two completely opposite sisters who live together; and "Amelia", a single woman who fights off the attack of a Zuni fetish doll in her apartment. This third chapter has incredible point-of-view camerawork as the enraged doll with sharp teeth swoops around furniture trying to get at his prey (he's at once comical and horrifying). The first two segments are psychological suspense studies of women holding power over men, while the finale turns the tables and makes woman the victim. The movie has a modest budget (it fit nicely on the tube) and might not have been considered so remarkable without the efforts of Curtis and Black. This was a scream-team made in horror heaven. **1/2 from ****

Karen Black Falls Prey

[BaronBl00d · 31 July 2001]

Dan Curtis directs this made for television anthology of three stories written by horror-meister Richard Mathseon. Matheson wrote the teleplay for the third story "Prey," while Richard F. Nolan(writer of Logan's Run and much more) did so for the first two stories. All of the stories star Karen Black in the lead and the stories are titled with the female names "Julie," "Millicent and Therese," and "Amelia." All three stories are to varying degrees effective. I really enjoyed the first story about a college student who seduces his seemingly coy college professor only to see things differently later. Curtis plays with his audience and shows scenes from The Night Stalker at a drive-in theater. Look for a very young Gregory Harrison at this episode's close. The second story has two sisters who hate each other finally settle their differences..in a very unique way. George Gaynes helps out in this episode as a doctor. The story works because of its acting even though I knew what was going to happen long before it did. Karen Black really gets to show her acting range in this one, and as Therese she is one real knockout. Easily the best of the trio is the third story of a woman bringing a Zuni fetish doll home only to somehow become the prey of this one-to-two foot doll. The special effects here might seem campy by today's standards but when this came out they were truly frightening...and still powerful I think today. The doll looks very scary and attacks with quite an intense ferocity. This story should put you on the edge of your seat, and is very different in tone and style to the first two. Trilogy of Terror is a good, fun-filled romp through the works of one of our best authors...Richard Matheson.

An ordinary terror movie formed by three segments nicely realized by Dan Curtis and well played by Karen Black

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 31 January 2022]

Three stories interwoven together and starred by the great Karen Black. All of them are filled with mystery , suspense , terror , grisly killings , twisted events and horrible happenings. The first, : ¨Julie¨about a college student infatuated with his teacher , as she is blackmailed by one of her pupils for a past indiscretion in which she played an unwilling part, but then things go wrong , and she turns the tables on him the first chance she gets . The second, ¨Millicent and Therese" a paranoid tale of two sisters - one good girl , the other bad girl , only their doctor who visits from time to time knows the real thing behind the scenario . And the the final story : ¨Amelia¨, equally starred by Karen Black in a solo terror story monologue concerning a woman who buys an African Zuni fetish , it results to be actually a Native American voodoo doll that comes to life and pursues and attacks on her own flat . An electrifying experience - you won't believe your eyes !

A vintage , bizarre horror film financed from producer/director Dan Curtis and written by prestigious writer Richard Matheson , formed by three episodes ¨Julie¨, ¨Millicent and Therese" and ¨Amelia¨, with full of creepy events , chills , surprises , thrills and horrifying scens . These tense terror stories all of which stars Karen Black in four different roles playing tormented women : a sexually-repressed college teacher who is blackmailed by a pupil , a reclusive woman who lives with her amoral twin sister and a woman who's terrorized after buying a doll that chases and mistreats her . It deals with three entertaining and chilling segments ; all of them competently performed by Karen Black , accompanied by a familiar cast , such as : Gregory Harrison , John Karlen and George Gaynes of ¨Police Academy¨franchise .

These three horror anthology stories of tormented women being compellingly directed and in limited budget , as shooting was completed in a few weeks . Being financed by the notorious producer/directed by Dan Curtis at his best . Curtis created the series about Kolchak or Night Stalker (1972) , in fact in first segment the starring appears at a drive-in theater where can be seen showing the movie "The Night Stalker", this is an in-joke reference to filmmaker himself . Dan was a good writer, producer and director of TV series , working from the 60s . Curtis was a specialist in terror genre as proved in ¨Dark shadows¨, ¨Trilogy of terror¨, ¨Night Stalker¨, or ¨Scream of wolf , ¨Night Strangler¨¨ and successful wartime series filmmaker as ¨Winds of war¨ and ¨War and remembrance¨ , among others . Trilogy of Terror(1975) rating : 6.5/10 . Better than average horror movie. THe flick will appeal to terror enthusiasts and Karen Black fans .

A childhood classic.

[pmtelefon · 7/10 · 10 November 2019]

"Trilogy of Terror" is one of the best remembered made-for-t.v. movies of my generation. It deserves to be. It scared all of us to death. Watching it now, It's still pretty good. The first story is way too short. It deserves a full ninety minute treatment. The second story is pretty obvious. The third story is, hands down, the best of the bunch. The last one was the cause of many bad dreams way back when. "Trilogy of Terror" is definitely worth the watch.

One of the best horror films ever made for network TV.

[capkronos · 7/10 · 30 December 2003]

Karen Black excels playing four different roles in this made-for-TV horror trilogy adapted from the works of Richard Matheson. In `Julie,' a meek college professor turns the tables on a student who drugs, rapes and attempts to blackmail her. `Millicent and Therese' details a pair of feuding sisters; a frigid, jealous brunette and a kinky, malicious blonde. Finally, 'Amelia' (also known as `Prey') details Black's horrific battle with a re-animated Zuni fetish doll inhabited by the spirit of a bloodthirsty African warrior. Although the first tale doesn't hold together very well and the second is too predictable, this is well worth sitting through for the final segment and, as always, Karen Black rocks in all four roles. `Amelia' is also available separate on video as TERROR OF THE DOLL, by the way. It was followed by an OK 1996 made-for-cable sequel starring Lysette Anthony.

Score: 7 out of 10

Zuni Fetish Doll is one scary mother!

[loomis78-815-989034 · 7/10 · 30 July 2014]

Dan Curtis directs this TV movie with 3 stories from Richard Matheson and all three starring Karen Black. The first story is about a prudish school teacher named Julie (Black) who is blackmailed into an affair with a scheming student (Burton) of hers. At first Julie seems dominated and completely controlled until a final twist shows she had the upper hand all along. Black is terrific but the story is a bit slow moving and very TV quality. "Julie" is watchable but not entirely engaging. The middle segment is "Millicent and Therese" has Black playing a dual role as a woman with a severe split personality. The twist ending can be seen from the beginning and even though the cast is good, this one is pretty weak. The third story is "Amelia" and is the segment that has reached true Classic status. This terrifying tale traumatized many young horror enthusiasts on late night TV for decades. Black plays the title character who has bought a fierce looking doll known as a Zuni Fetish Doll for her boyfriend's birthday. The evil looking doll has the spirit of a native hunter being held within it by a gold chain. When the chain slips off the doll literally comes to life armed with a spear and a large kitchen knife. The doll chases and attacks Amelia all around her apartment in a struggle of life and death that reaches horror highs. This classic tale has suspense to burn and is relentless in the doll's bloody rampage. This thing just won't stop and the audience is in for the same terror the character goes through. Curtis sets up the final shot of the short and movie in chilling fashion. Amelia is believed to have defeated the doll and invites her mother over to her apartment. When she gets off the phone, we see that Amelia has been possessed by the doll's spirit and is waiting for her mother! This final image of Black banging a large knife into a wooden floor is the best moment in the entire film and chills the viewer long after. The overall anthology is uneven with the first two segments being watchable but unspectacular. But the final tale makes this must see viewing for any Horror fan.

Karen Black - B-Movie Goddess!!

[Putzberger · 9/10 · 17 April 2006]

Karen Black is too frightening for mainstream cinema. You couldn't watch her in a romantic comedy without wondering whether she's going to kill and devour the male lead. But those freaky crossed eyes and that off-kilter sexuality make her a magnetic screen presence and we're all lucky that she found a handful of directors who were able to use her well without rendering her ridiculous ("Five Easy Pieces" by Rafelson) or shrewish ("Nashville" by Altman). Of all Karen Black's worthy star vehicles (an extremely short list), "Trilogy of Terror" is far and away the standout.

The first two pieces are mildly diverting -- the first, "Julie," has an entirely untelegraphed twist that feels like a cheap trick, so it's the weakest link. Still, it coasts along nicely on its creepy camera angles and Karen's dark-star power, and the last couple of scenes are just unsettling enough to whet your appetite for the delights to come. The second segment, "Millicent/Therese," is some standard mid-70s horror fare, laced with madness and hints of sexual perversity, that would be a "Flowers in the Attic"-style yawn if it weren't for the lovely Karen, who plays warring sisters: prim, evangelical Millicent and slutty, predatory Therese. As Therese, she wears a ridiculous blonde wig and sashays around the set like a drag queen, a fully intended foray into pure camp made even more bizarre by Karen's much more nuanced performance as repressed, mousy little Millie. Slowly you wonder if all of Therese's evil is a figment of . . . well, I don't want to spoil it for you.

Ol' Karen saves the best for last: "Amelia." As played by Karen Black, Amelia is a complex, very modern, very normal woman confronted with an utterly conventional dilemma: does she spend Friday night with her boyfriend or her mother? But this isn't a sitcom starring Valerie Harper, it's a horror movie starring Karen Black and something intensely weird happens -- the Zulu doll she has bought as a present for her boyfriend comes to life and starts chasing her around the apartment! (Sound familiar, "Chuckie" fans?) It sounds ridiculous, and it would be if it weren't for the magnificent Ms. Black. She believes. There is no ironic distance between actress and character, no winking acknowledgment of the absurdity of the situation, no excess of histrionics. Dammit, Karen is being menaced by a vicious, spear-wielding figurine and you are terrified for her! Maybe you could make the argument that the vignette is an attempt to juxtapose the civilized and the savage and to expose our true uncivilized nature. But no. It's an ugly doll attacking a cross-eyed actress. It's silly. It's stupid. It's pure entertainment. If you haven't seen it yet, go get it now.

Wildly uneven...

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 21 April 2010]

Not surprisingly, "Trilogy of Terror" is made up of three short horror films (wouldn't it be funny if they made a 'trilogy' with four or five tales!?). Each stars Karen Black and they are of wildly uneven quality--with the final tale being fantastic and the other two of very dubious quality.

The first story finds Black playing an emotionally constricted Literature professor. Despite being very repressed and severely dressed, a male student in her college class is bent on seducing her. In the end, naturally, there is a twist--though the twist, to me, didn't quite work. I'd give this one a 3.

The second is about an even MORE constricted lady (Black once again) who talks on and on about her 'evil sister' following their father's death. As I am sitting here right now watching the film, I think it's very, very easy to predict where the film is going next. My daughter and I assume it's a tale about a case of multiple personality (Dissociative Identity Disorder for you psychologists out there). It's all very, very obvious and Black's characterizations are NOT at all reminiscent of Joanne Woodward's "Three Faces of Eve"! In fact, though it was not intended, I found it very funny--something you DON'T want in a horror film! Her playing a vamp was, sadly, more comical than anything else! Subtle it ain't! I'd give this one a 2--at best. It'!s obvious and dumb!

As for the third, oddly, this one was great and is one of the most memorable made for TV performances ever! In fact, I've seen this sequence twice before today--and only today did I get around to watching the first 2/3 of the film. This finds Black playing the most normal character of the three films (though the lady IS a bit dumb). She is obviously dominated by her neurotic mother, as you hear Black on the phone--trying to appease an apparently difficult lady. Following this tense phone call, Black is getting ready to go to a party--and bring a special gift. She's apparently bought some sort of African idol--a hunting fetish of some type that is small but very scary. When the necklace around its neck falls off, BAD THINGS HAPPEN!! Not only is this episode scary but it's also intentionally funny and full of irony--and has a wonderful ending! The only quibble--Ms. Black's opening the oven near the end. Can anyone be THAT stupid?!?! Still, despite this small complaint, it's a mega-cool part of the film and not to be missed---even if today the special effects look a bit dated. I'd give this one a 9! While it ain't sophisticated, it IS fun! By the way, this third sequence is so iconic and famous that Michael Karol's book "The ABC Movie of the Week Companion" features a picture of this doll on its cover! It was definitely my most vivid recollection of any of the Movies of the Week!

Overall, my suggestion is that you skip the first two stories (they reeeeallly suck) and go right to the good stuff. It's sad, as with a bit of a re-write the entire film could have been terrific!

Three Stories? I Just Remembered One

[thesar-2 · 5/10 · 26 July 2013]

I will always remember my very first experience with Trilogy of Terror. I couldn't have been more than 5-6 years old when I first saw this and I will never, ever forget…the Zuni doll segment.

Even though I did watch them, the first two chapters of this made-for-TV, horror anthology collection completely left my memory. Probably because they were more adult suspense and I wasn't even in my double digits yet. But that horrible, scary, terrorizing, little doll….that's stuck with me since.

And now, watching as an adult, I can finally comment on the movie as a whole.

Chapter 1 – Teacher/Student Fatal Attraction…or: "Julie" was actually well done. I did NOT see the twist coming and loved it when it did.

Chapter 2 – Twisted Sisters…or: "Millicent and Therese" was actually a bore. I DID see the twist coming and it felt very long despite the short runtime.

Chapter 3 – Preying for Mother…or: "Amelia" was…well, forget the rest. THIS is what everyone wants to see.

In fact, I will just by pass the others and continue my review with Amelia Cutheart.

There's a fairly big difference in both watching this as child (and/or in the mid-1970s when it was televised) and as an adult in 2013. Thinking today, sure the special effects, namely, the handling of the doll as it "ran," looks cheesy. But, I believe it's still highly effective. And not all FX was bad in it – her teeth and the suitcase cut out…looked great.

Basically, Amelia's not too familiar with her newly subleased apartment and is trying to cancel her "Mom's Night In" in lieu of her new boyfriend's birthday party. Of course, all that's incidental to the Zuni doll she purchased as a birthday present. He comes alive and is viciously upset with anyone alive around him. He would make Chucky look PG.

Mr. Zuni chases Amelia around the apartment where she cleverly attempts to stop/capture said possessed doll. Putting yourself in her slippers, it's an enormously scary, thrilling attack that has an original and absolutely creepy ending that will stick with you.

As it did me.

Voted 9 on the Doll alone!

[Buskieboy · 9/10 · 31 July 2005]

EVERYONE I know that's ever seen it says the same thing. That doll freaked them out! The doll in the last story is worth it all! You watch this and you won't be able to go to sleep till you make sure any dolls in your house are locked away! I think the dolls face is so well done, so damned creepy that even with the somewhat limited "special effects" that were used to do the doll, it just freaks you out and afterward any little sound in your house will make you jump or send a shiver down your spine! For a made-for-TV movie from 1975 it is fantastic! I forget how much they paid to get the doll to work, but I think it was something like $100,000. Lots of money back then just for a single item for a movie, but well worth it! The stories are pretty good too! Worthy of the Twilight Zone, or Outer Limits! Karen Black is great in this. Of course, this was her time to shine in the mid '70's. If you like the Chucky movies, then you'll love this one.

Karen Black delivers where the film fails to

[jeanspillane · 6/10 · 2 March 2004]

Trilogy of Terror is a decent (but commonly overrated) anthology horror film directed by Dan Curtis (creator and producer of "Dark Shadows") and starring the great Karen Black. Although I have always enjoyed Karen Black's work, rarely have I seen her as impressive as in this film, which is primarily a showcase for her talents as an actress.

The first story of the film, "Julie", is by far the weakest entry. While well acted and directed, its dull plot of a black-mailed teacher goes no where and there isn't a chill or surprise to be found. Robert Burton gives a solid performance as the black-mailing student, but the unimpressive script gives the actors little to work with. Even Karen Black fails to impress on any level.

We move into much interesting territory in the second story, "Millicent and Therese". Even though I saw the twist coming a mile away, it was a good concept and an amazing set of performances by Karen Black. Watching her tightly move around the screen as Millicent in one scene and then seeing her seductively question George Gaynes as Dr. Ramesy in the next is a true testament to her charisma and skill as an actress. A mediocre tale is made very watch able by her performance.

The third story, "Amelia", is without a doubt the strongest of the three and the only frightening tale. Karen Black firmly places her self in the ranks as one of the strongest scream-queens of the 70s/80s with this role and it's a damn shame there aren't a few slashers in those eras with her playing the lead role. She frantically runs and screams around her apartment after an effective build up. While merely a "killer doll" story, it is a very well done one with a creepy looking (but funny sounding) doll. Despite a small amount of unintentional humor, there are some very solid chills to be found in this section.

While a little bit of a let-down for me, I did enjoy tales of terror and there are far worse ways to spend an evening. The first tale is boring, but the second picks up and the third is an excellent closing piece. Not the best anthology horror film, as some would have you believe, but definitely worth seeing of Karen Black's performance.

** / *****

I rated it a 5 but the last segment deserves better

[dalbrect · 5/10 · 20 May 2001]

I saw this show on TV when I was about seven years old and the evil totem-doll in the last segment stayed with me for years. Upon a new viewing, I realized there were two other segments in the show that I had completely forgot. This is totally understandable since their quality hovers somewhere below an the worst episodes of the old "night gallery" series. Ah, but the last tale is a true gem of TV-horror. Simple story: an African Totem/Doll arrives in the U.S. and begins terrorizing the poor lass who receives it. What sets this one apart is the truly ugly Doll and a nifty ending. As far as TV-horror goes, this is as good as it gets.

Great 70s TV Horror

[kagf36 · 5 October 2001]

I first saw this movie in '75 when I was 12 years old, along with my 9 year old sister. To this day, we both will never forget that last segment entitled "Amelia"! The entire movie itself is definitely done in the true, classic made-for-TV 70s flicks, but in and of itself is worth watching if you are interested in the horror genre and specifically from a hallmark standpoint. The movie consists of 3 different stories (hence "trilogy") and they all star Karen Black. The first segment is a clever piece about an uptight literature professor at a college who dons a bun hairdo and looks impenetrable on a personal level. However, her true vocation, so to speak, comes to light and we see there is much more to her than meets the eye. The second segment is your classic....well, I won't give it away. Good enough story, although somewhat lacking in suspense. The last story is the one that scared the pants off of me when I was a kid. Mind you, if you ever watch it, take a kid's point of view into account, but even as an adult, it has its moments! Very frightening for its time, and very original in plot. The ending scene is totally awesome. Take into account that this movie was 1975, so there are no computer graphics to assist in realism. I won't tell what happens in that last segment, but suffice it to say that it took my sister and I literally *months* before we'd get out of bed at night without running like mad across the floor! Karen Black does an outstanding job in all her roles.

Great Final Story

[jacobconnelly-47681 · 7/10 · 13 November 2021]

In spite of two less than thrilling stories to open the film, Trilogy of Terror more than earns its horror badge with the final story featuring Karen Black running away from a terrifying tiny doll.

Black is wonderful throughout the entire film, but does come to life during the film's final segment where she plays her weak and easily dominated Amelia with ease, putting the audience of her side in the 5 minutes before the doll starts wreaking havoc.

The other two stories aren't exactly garbage, but they don't pack the same punch and are more of character dramas. They have Black playing a spinster college professor who's taken advantage of by a sleazy student and then as polar opposite twins.

A Hat Trick for Karen

[sol-kay · 6/10 · 23 September 2004]

****SPOILERS***** One of the best made for TV horror movie ever made with Actress Karen Black shining in all three episodes of the mad macabre and murderous. Episode #1. Julie: Mousy college English teacher Julie Eldridge is no knock out to look at but for some reason handsome college student Chad is infatuated with her to the point where he gets her to go out one night with him to a drive-in movie and unknowingly slips her a drug in her root beer that knocks her out.

Chad takes Julie to a motel and undresses her and takes a number of photos of her in her birthday clothes and uses those photos to blackmail poor Julie to have an affair with him. You wonder why Chad is so struck by Miss. Eldridge? He can have any pretty girl on the campus just by asking her to go out with him so why does he want Julie so much where he can be arrested for blackmail abduction as well as possibly rape? What Chad doesn't know is that it's Julie not him who's pulling all the strings in this strange affair and it's her who's the spider and Chad is the fly. Not only that Chad isn't the first fly caught in Julie's spider web and will be far from the last.

Episode #2. Millicent & Therese. With Millie Larrymore's father dead she's now terrified to live alone with her evil sister Therese. Millie feels Therese will kill her like she killed her mother by poisoning her milk and her father by breaking his heart from the guilt she put on him by inducing him to have an affair with her at the age of 16. Desperately calling the family doctor Dr. Ramsey for help he's stopped at the door of Larrymore Estate by Theresa who tries to seduce him. After a few moments with the obviously sex starved Theresa he leaves felling that discretion is the better part of valor in this obscene situation.

Millie now alone by herself finally finds a way to combat her evil sister with the very power that she used to get her way all these years: Black Magic. Stealing nail clips from Theresa's fingernails and hair from her brush plus buttons from her dress Millie makes a voodoo doll of her sister and sticks it with a pin to kill her. Millie's plan worked to perfection but what she didn't know about her sister is that she was a lot closer to her then she ever thought possible.

Episode #3. Amelia. After leaving her mother to live by herself Amelia fell in love with her new boyfriend Arthur which made her mother more and more fearful that she lost her daughter forever. Amelia buys Arthur a Zuni fetish warrior doll for Arthurs birthday which happens to fall on a Friday the day of the week that she goes to see her mother.

Not knowing what to do, see her mother or her boyfriend, Amelia in the confusion loses the gold chain that's around the Zuni warrior neck which brings the cute little devil to life. With the determination and ferocity of a big wild jungle cat the Zuni warrior attacks poor Amelia over and over again with a stake knife it grabbed from her kitchen table. The rampaging Zuni warrior literally drives her insane with both fear and exhaustion from fighting the thing off. Amelia finally gets the Zuni warrior trapped inside the oven and turns on the heat burning it to a cinder.

With the danger over of being killed by the Zuni warrior Amelia calmly goes to the phone and calls her mother to come over for the night at her place so she won't be alone. Amelia is planing to cook dinner for her mom and is also planing to make a sharp and deep impression on her mom with her new found culinary skills.

Black in Black

[SampanMassacre · 7/10 · 17 March 2010]

Seeing Karen Black play four roles (or rather, three roles and four characters) in a TV-movie showcasing three scary tales is a great thing.

The first involves an uptight spectacle-wearing college teacher who's seduced by her handsome bad-intention-driven honor student. Without giving away the twist, it's a great episode because Karen's playing someone she's not, and you'll have to watch it a second time to truly get it.

The next tale deals with two sisters: one a crotchety sourpuss, the other a sexy blond. The twist is way too obvious: they're the same person. Blame the writer for this, not Karen, for she plays both roles well.

The third outing is what the movie's known for, dealing with Black's character who purchased a foot-high spear-donning Zuni Fetish Doll. If the waist-sash falls off the doll, it comes to life. Guess what falls off the doll? The little bugger chases Karen around the apartment sounding like the Tasmanian Devil on PCP; imagine Animal from the Muppets gone loco. It's beauty and the doll at this point, a battle that doesn't let-up.

This is the most entertaining and scariest of the bunch - dealing with a thing you just can't kill that can get you from beneath: the fear of snakes or spiders on hyperdrive.

But the first story's where Black's acting (as opposed to reacting) really shines, making it my personal favorite.

He Who Saws Through Suitcases

[GroovyDoom · 7/10 · 6 August 2000]

Fairly spooky 70s thriller anthology starts off lukewarm and then ups the ante considerably in the infamous final segment, where a terrified Karen Black is pursued by a small African hunting fetish doll that has come to life, intent on killing her.

The early two segments are mainly of interest to fans of Karen Black, who really makes the most of things. The twist endings are a little predictable, although in 1975 perhaps they weren't as overdone as they seem today. The final segment, "Amelia", was adapted by Richard Matheson from his own short story "Prey". It's still worth a look today.

Amelia is a slightly neurotic woman with some mother issues who buys a weird African hunting fetish for her boyfriend, an anthropology professor. The small wooden doll comes with a scroll that informs her that it contains the spirit of a genuine hunter named "He Who Kills", and that if the golden chain around its waist ever comes off, the doll will come to life. Of course the chain immediately falls off when she's not looking and pretty soon the doll is after her.

The puppet effects for the doll are dated but somehow it doesn't stop the delirious tone of the segment. After some daytime-style drama involving Amelia's mother complex and her boyfriend, the thing immediately becomes a survival situation after the ferocious doll steals a kitchen knife and really goes after her. Any child of the 70s will tell you about how this movie gave them nightmares. As I said, it's tame by modern standards, but...there was a unique synergy going on here that had a lot to do with the era in which this film was made. In 1975 this was just a movie-of-the-week on television, and I don't think anybody expected anything this shocking to happen in a TV movie. Some of the scenes really do pack a jolt. It's got some great camera-work too, with the lens swooping smoothly around furniture in pursuit of the terrified Karen Black. The winner for my favorite shot is a toss-up between the doll sawing its way out of a closed suitcase, or the doll climbing out of Amelia's bathtub with the knife clenched between its teeth. The final image of Karen Black crouching in the shadows is iconic and truly unforgettable.

The first two segments aren't really that bad, just not memorable enough to stand up to the killer doll segment. They do show off Karen's acting range, and fans of Ms. Black will be entertained by all three stories.

Whatever you do, don't watch this movie in the dark!

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 9/10 · 29 November 2003]

Trilogy of Terror is one of those movies I used to watch as a child and scared the ever loving you know what out of me. If my parents wanted me to punish me, they would just show me the ending of the third story Amelia, chilling! So finally thinking after all these years, I could maybe buy the movie and watch it, the whole thing, beginning to end, without closing my eyes, and still to this day, I can't do it! These are three chilling tales that no horror fan should ever go without seeing.

The first story: Chad and Eddie are university students who admire their English teacher, Julie Eldrich. During one class, Chad is distracted by Julie's low cut shirt and begins to daydream about her. At home, Julie's housemate encourages Julie to get out and meet more people. The next day at university, Chad asks Julie out on a date, and after initially refusing, accepts Chad's offer. During the date at the drive-in, Chad spikes Julie's drink, rendering her unconscious. Chad drives to a motel where he checks in with Julie as husband and wife, where he photographs Julie in a variety of sexually provocative positions. Noticing Julie beginning to regain consciousness, he then takes her home, explaining that she fell asleep. After developing the photographs in his darkroom, Chad shows the pictures to Julie, who is furious and threatens to call the police. Chad blackmails Julie and she agrees to see Chad whenever he demands. But he may not realize that the joke is on him.

The Second Story: A tale of two sisters, one being the prudish Millicent with curly brown hair and large glasses, and the easy going Therese with long blonde hair. Millicent is determined that Therese is evil, and plants a voodoo device to kill her. When Millicent's friend Dr. Ramsey enters the house, he finds Therese dead on her bedroom floor with the doll next to her. After speaking with the family doctor, Dr. Ramsey reveals that it was Millicent acting in a blonde wig and make-up in a dual personality manner.

The Third Story: Amelia is living on her own in a high-rise apartment building. She arrives home after shopping and unwraps a Zuni hunting fetish, equipped with razor sharp teeth and a spear. A scroll accompanies the fetish, claiming that the doll contains the actual spirit of a Zuni hunter known as "He Who Kills", and that the gold chain adorning the doll keeps the spirit trapped within. As Amelia makes a call to her mother, we learn that she is slightly neurotic, suffering from her mother's overbearing behavior, she wants to cancel their plans for the evening because she has a date. The moment Amelia leaves the room, the Zuni doll's golden chain falls off without her knowing. Later, Amelia is preparing dinner, using a carving knife. She enters the darkened living room, and realizes the doll is not on the coffee table. A noise is heard in the kitchen and when investigated, the knife is missing. Lured back into the living room, she is suddenly attacked by the doll, bloodied and terrified, Amelia flees, and manages to get in her bedroom and calls the police, but the doll enters the room, prompting her to keep running, shutting the bathroom door behind her. She runs into the kitchen, and disarms it with a kick, and receives a nasty bite to the neck. She manages to hurl it into the oven and listens to it howling and screaming as it catches fire. Soon the screams die down and eventually stop. Wondering if her ordeal is over, she opens the oven and you have to see this scary as heck ending!

Trilogy of Terror has always scared the heck out of me, granted there are some incredible cheesy moments, I'm not going to lie, the last segment is just a bit too much to handle where this stupid woman has locked the creature in a suitcase and is cutting his way out of the top of the case and for some reason Amelia tries to grab the BLADE! What the heck? Not to mention she keeps tripping around in her own apartment when running away from the doll. A lot of people also forget the two first stories, granted that they're nothing special, but still pretty effective tales. I highly recommend this movie if you get the chance to see it, it's a lot of fun, just don't watch it in the dark.

9/10

Classical Horror anthology TV-Movie

[parkerbcn · 7/10 · 29 May 2021]

One of the most famous horror TV Movies, basically just for the third of its trio of stories. What makes the film work better than other anthologies is the cohesion of having the same actress in the three stories (the great Karen Black, who unwillingly became a horror star) and the same literary starting point in three short stories from the also great Richard Matheson. All the stories are quite charming little spooky tales, but the last one has a ferocious to it, not very seen in TV outings (and an iconic design of the little murderous creature) and it's easy to see the reason of its lasting appeal.

Dull. Dull. Doll.

[BA_Harrison · 4/10 · 26 January 2011]

Ask anyone who has seen 70s TV anthology Trilogy of Terror and they'll no doubt mention the evil Zuni Fetish Doll that goes on a bloodthirsty rampage in the last of the three stories: with his beady little eyes, rows of savage teeth and wild black hair, he certainly is an unforgettable character. Sadly, there is nothing else about Trilogy of Terror that is anywhere near as memorable.

The problem lies primarily with the stories, which are surprisingly weak considering that they come from the pen of Richard Matheson, best known for classic sci-fi novel I Am Legend and his work for The Twilight Zone. Tales one and two are extremely mediocre, devoid of either chills or thrills and saddled with extremely lame 'twist' endings that neither shock nor surprise. Story number three is also has a pretty feeble narrative (one which amounts to little more than an extended chase/battle in an apartment) but at least it has that wicked little Zuni doll to liven things up a bit.

Star Karen Black puts in some decent performances throughout, ably playing a total of four very different roles, and there is adequate direction from Dan Curtis, but this film simply isn't as good as some seem to recall.

When TV movies were great

[Mccadoo · 10/10 · 23 October 2021]

TV movies ruled in the 70's and new ones came out on a weekly basis. Because so many were made and because they had limited budgets and shooting schedules it's understandable that most have faded into the obscurity of TV history.

A handful however have not. They've stood the test of time and decades later are still as entertaining as they were on their first airing and as popular as they ever were.

Elizabeth Montgomery's portrayal of Lizzy Borden is a great example. So is Crowhaven Farm with Hope Lange and the Richard Chamberlain pair of Man in the Iron Mask and Count of Monte Christo. And of course one of the first and one of the best; Duel with Dennis. Weaver.

And this movie, Trilogy of Terror deserves to be on that list as well. In a way it's even more impressive because while there are three stories the film remains popular today for only one, the third installment. Truth be told the first two are not that good. But the third, in which Karen Black is terrorized and finally possessed by the spirit of a Zuni warrior is a classic that's stood the test of time. Proven by the fact that you can still buy the doll online today, forty-six years after this movie first aired.

The third segment entitled Amelia, is frightening even though it's not even 30 minutes long and even though by today's standards the methods used to bring the doll to life are crude and rudimentary. None of that matters, it still chills today. Kudos to Karen Black for her work through all three segments but especially for her making her battle with a 12 inch tribal doll believable, and for the awesome final scene of that segment.

If you haven't seen it watch it, even if you weren't even alive in 1975, I guarantee you won't forget it.

something new under the couch

[jonathan-577 · 7/10 · 2 April 2009]

I had the unusual privilege of watching this just as I was finishing "Shock Waves", the Richard Matheson short story collection which contains the latter two of these three 'imaginative fictions'. Matheson is such a precise craftsman in these stories, his devices so explicitly literary, that it seems like a bad idea to even try to render them visually. And that is absolutely true of "Therese", which is derived from a three-page gag story and whose twenty-odd minutes feel both underdeveloped and overextended as a result. I also suspect that even neophytes could see the trick ending coming. The same cannot be said of the first episode, because the trick, in this rendition, comes off as preposterously arbitrary in spite of the momentary foreshadowing; however I was perversely entertained by the utter loathsomeness of the male lead, which takes the edge off Karen Black's cruel designs. Karen Black, Karen Black - how did I get this far without acknowledging Karen Black? With four roles (ok, three and a half) in three episodes, this is as much a showcase for her as for Matheson, and while she can't fully redeem the iffy stuff, she carries us over the dumb bits and into episode three, the legendary Zuni Doll incident, which deserves it's reputation. Truth be told, it's pretty dumb too, but it is also tremendously energetic and surprising. Especially in the context of the whole anthology - and in the broader context of made-for-TV horror - we are set up to expect a 'slow build', 'power of suggestion' kind of thing; instead we get a full-bore, ferocious onslaught. This is risky - will it be terrifying or laughably silly? Both at once, if you can believe that, in equal and mutually supporting measure, thus transcending the camp that is Black's metier and becoming something...almost...NEW. And unlike the first two, Matheson adapted this one himself - he knew damn well he had a winner.

Was this movie ever scary?

[jcaraway3 · 5/10 · 4 March 2012]

Made in 1974, Trilogy of Terror was made for ABC, included in their "Movie of the Week" series.It features three Dumbed-down-for-TV versions on short stories by Richard Matheson. It is definitely not as good as another Matheson ABC movie, "Duel", which starred Dennis Weaver, and was directed by Stephen Spielberg.

Now, I can see you might be frightened by this film if you were a 10 year old kid in 1975 who had turned the TV on to the Zuni doll story by mistake, but the first two stories just don't cut it, and even the Zuni doll seems more funny than scary today (as it probably was in 1975 too.) There is even a post on a message board on this site that claims you must be in denial to even say that this movie isn't scary, and that you are scarred on the inside from fear. But I just don't think this movie was the least bit frightening.

Let's have a look at the first story "Julie". (spoilers ahead). It features a woman with some sort of demonic powers who lures men into a seductive deathtrap. I wasn't exactly surprised by the ending of this story, mostly because I had already read the original short story by Richard Matheson. Now, maybe people who haven't read the story before might find it clever, but certainly not scary.

The next story, "Millicent and Therese" has an ending so predictable, a blind cave fish trapped in an oil spill would have seen it coming.

And the last story, "Amelia", the only story that anyone remembers, was written by Matheson himself, and is the only one that even comes close to being scary. But even here, there isn't as much suspense as one would expect, and even less jolts. However, it does manage to be entertaining, and even a little gory.

I do have to give credit to Karen Black, though. She does a fine job juggling four (or is it three?) completely different characters in one movie.

But while the first two stories do have their moments, I felt they were really only there to build up to the last, and best story, which isn't all that great in itself.