Trilogy of Terror (1975)

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

I can't imagine what might go through the mind of someone watching this for the first time in the present day, as an adult, who might be trying to take it seriously. I saw it as a kid on TV back in the 70's, and my brother and I laughed all the way through the final segment with the now-infamous Zuni doll. It had a couple of pretty good jump-scares, but nothing that was really going to frighten anybody, not even two kids up past their bedtimes. For years afterward, we'd come at each other waving an invisible spear and yelling "hi ya ya ya ya!" in our salute to Mr. Zuni. Memorable, certainly. Scary, not even a little bit. And the other two segments are 100 percent forgettable.

Trilogy of Terror (1975) *** (out of 4) Dan Curtis made a number of made-for-television films but none of them has survived as long as this one as it continues to gain new fans each and every years thanks in large part to its final story. In the film, Karen Black appears in all three stories and plays four different parts and her acting certainly helps make TRILOGY OF TERROR so memorable.The first story has Black playing a professor who pretty much stays alone in her room but she reluctantly agrees to go on a date with a student who ends up drugging her and taking some sexual photos of her. He then plans on blackmailing her but there's one thing he doesn't know. JULIE is a good film to start off on as it's certainly slow-moving but at the same time it delivers a nice little twist that actually works quite well. This segment certainly flows very well and keeps you entertained throughout.In the second story, "Millicent and Therese" Black plays both characters. One is a oh- too-serious woman and the other her more sluty sister. They are both well aware of a doctor who has taken care of them from childhood but the wiser sister makes a plan to take care of her evil sister for good. This is the least entertaining of the three stories because it really takes a while for it to get going. The twist itself isn't as good as the first story and you should see it coming from a mile away but Black is certainly wonderful in both roles.Finally, "Amelia" has Black playing a woman who decides to stay home alone when a Zuni doll she bought for her boyfriend comes to life and starts to stalk her. It's funny and easy to see why this story scared so many people and it's really the main reason the movie is remembered today. The impact this portion of the film had on people is quite great to read about and it's certainly the best of the three. Black is terrific as the tormented lady but the Zuni doll easily steals the picture with its screams and incredibly ugly teeth. I certainly won't ruin the final shot but it's a classic.TRILOGY OF TERROR had all three stories written by Richard Matheson so the quality is certainly there. It's funny but the first two stories are a lot more laid back compared to the third so it almost seems like the third should have been in a different series of films but it really doesn't matter. That third story is just pure madness from start to finish and it works extremely well. Black is certainly the main key here because she plays four different types of characters and does justice to them all. Curtis certainly handles all of the material perfectly and helps makes this one of the better made-for-TV movies.

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.

Trilogy of Terror (1975)3 tales of horror and not one of them that were that good.The first story was called "Julie" A student who fancy his teacher in this story (Why people in the early 30 acting like teens in this movie?) the cast just seem wrongThis short little bland, I didn't like it, it was boring and I didn't get point of the whole thing, the story was too predicable and I knew how the story would ended way before it did,The acting was decent but that about it!Millicent and Therese"(I found this really funny, so two different movies and yet both second ones were ended the same way)I could not get into this segment at all, I found lead too annoying and was acting way of the top in some scenes .I swear, I already forget what happened in this segment, the whole think i liked was ending of that short (I saw this done before by another movie on same day, which also saw for first time)"Amelia" This was best of the worst segments, I didn't really all that greatAmelia come home find Some kind of dolls that razor sharp teeth and with some kind weapon the doll holding. she find there is a actual spirit in, the gold chain that keep in locked in the doll but soon it's fall off the doll and as Amelia leaves the room.There she get attacked by the doll, there some good moment in this segment but some stuff felt little muddle.The attack scenes were handle really well, I liked how moved in some scenes but some scene were bit bland.I liked the very last scene of the movie, That best scene in the whole movie.I going give this movie 4 out of 10