Horror Extreme Movie Catalog

Trilogy of Terror, as the name suggests, is a collection of three short horror stories by Dan Curtis put to film. All three of the tales star the now more renowned horror veteran Karen Black who puts on an impressive show playing completely different characters in each story. Each tale is titled after the character that Black portrays.

Julie- For the thrill of it, a malicious coed pursues his introverted english professor. After she reluctantly accompanies him on a date, he slips her a rufie and takes demeaning photographs of her, which he then uses to blackmail her into doing whatever he wishes. This tale has a nice twist ending that I won't spoil, it makes for an interesting little story.

Millicent and Therese- The story of two sisters, the prudent Millicent who is determined to stop the evil ways of her tramp sister Therese. After refusing further assistance from Therese's psychiatrist, she decides to take matters into her own hands and use Therese's witchcraft and voodoo literature against her. This tale has another twist ending that's even more clever than the first and is a little more enjoyable.

Amelia- Easily the best and the most iconic chapter of the movie involving a woman named Amelia who buys her boyfriend a Zuni Fetish doll. When a chain that prevents Zuni warrior spirits from inhabiting the doll slips off, the trouble begins. The ravenous, vicious doll then wreaks havoc upon Amelia inside her apartment. Once again there's a little twist at the end putting this final chapter miles ahead of the previous two.

Overall, this is a very good horror anthology movie. My gripes? Well, the first two stories, albeit enjoyable, really don't incorporate much horror. They struck me as drama with some dark elements thrown in for a little spice, which is fine, but judging from the word 'TERROR' in the movie title, I kind of expected it to be a little more straight forward with the horror. But really, that's about it. At a mere 75 minutes, the movie ends on a good note long before its welcome is worn out. Karen Black really shows her versatility as an actress here, and it's clear as to why she went on to do more horror related movies. Not to mention the final tale about the Zuni Fetish doll is classic, and well worth looking into this movie even by itself. If you like horror anthologies like Tales from the Darkside and Tales from the Crypt, Trilogy of Terror is a must see.

Dan Curtis, brain child behind such 70's telehorror hits as "Night Stalker," "The Norliss Tapes," and "Dark Shadows," scores another success with "Trilogy of Terror." This anthology showcased Karen Black's versatility as a superb actress. She portrays four different women in three tales of terror. These women range from plain and conservative to wild and sensuous. The three tales are all based on short stories written by Richard Matheson, the best-selling author of I Am Legend, which spawned three theatrical versions; the last one starred Will Smith.

Supernatural deception is the theme in "Julie." A handsome, young college student decides to blackmail his English professor, Julie, into dating him. Naturally, there are deadly consequences. This tale has a nice downbeat ending that is rather shocking.

Identical twins hate each other in "Millicent and Therese." Initially, it appears that one twin is good and the other is evil. However, when the good one begins plotting to kill her sister, it becomes obvious that both are evil. The ending was very predictable; I saw it a mile away. This is my least favorite tale.

"Amelia" is emotionally abused. She can't date a man on his birthday without feeling guilty about cancelling an evening with her overbearing mom even though they see each other three times a week. She buys a Zuni fetish doll as a gift for her boyfriend. When the chain around its body falls off, the spirit inhabiting the doll is freed. The doll comes to life and is relentless in attacking poor Amelia. This was the best of the three stories and clearly influenced future horror films such as "Stephen King's Cat`s Eye," "Chucky," and "Tales from the Hood."

Karen Black (Rob Zombie's "House of 1000 Corpses") gave excellent performances in all three stories; it isn't surprising why Dan Curtis requested her to be a part of his next theatrical film "Burnt Offerings" - a film centered around a secluded country manor that demands human sacrifices in order to be rejuvenated. It was nice to see former stars of "Dark Shadows" such as John Karlen and James Storm. Look for Gregory Harrison in a cameo appearance.

"Trilogy of Terror" is a must see for fans of Dan Curtis. Also, if you enjoy horror anthologies from the 70's such as "The House That Dripped Blood," "Torture Garden," and "Asylum," then you must see this one. The Zuni fetish doll returns in "Trilogy of Terror II," but this film has not been released yet on DVD.