Trilogy of Terror (1975) (TV)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Dan Curtis

Writers:

Richard Matheson (screenplay)
Richard Matheson (story)
(more)

Release Date:

4 March 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Plot:

Three bizarre horror stories all of which star Karen Black in four different roles playing tormented women.

Plot Keywords:

Student | Doll | Teacher | Anthology | Twins

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Karen Black	...	Julie / Millicent Larimore / Therese Larimore / Amelia
Robert Burton	...	Chad Foster
John Karlen	...	Thomas Amman
George Gaynes	...	Dr. Chester Ramsey
Jim Storm	...	Eddie Nells
Gregory Harrison	...	Arthur Moore
Kathryn Reynolds	...	Anne Richards
Tracy Curtis	...	Tracy
Orin Cannon	...	Motel Clerk
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Walker Edmiston	...	Voice of Zuni fetish doll (uncredited)

Directed by
Dan Curtis

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Richard Matheson		screenplay
Richard Matheson		story "Prey"
William F. Nolan		writer

Produced by
Dan Curtis	....	producer
Robert Singer	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Bob Cobert

Cinematography by
Paul Lohmann

Film Editing by
Les Green

Art Direction by
Jan Scott

Production Management
Robert J. Koster	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Art Levinson	....	first assistant director
George Wagner	....	second assistant director

Special Effects by
Erik von Buelow	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Simpson	....	assistant camera
Bob Rose	....	key grip (uncredited)

Music Department
Frank Kulaga	....	music recordist

Production Companies

• ABC Circle Films
• Dan Curtis Productions

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1975) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Dark Sky Films (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• MPI Home Video (USA) (VHS) (as "Terror of the Doll" and "Tales of Terror")

Other Companies

• Screen Time Images  film restoration

Also Known As:

Tales of Terror (USA)
Terror of the Doll (USA)

Runtime:

72 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Unrated | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Company:

ABC Circle Films

Trivia:

During the "Julie" segment, a drive-in theater can be seen showing the movie "The Night Stalker". This is an in-joke reference to director Dan Curtis's TV movie The Night Stalker (1972) (TV).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Amelia puts the dinner in the oven it is on the top rack, about 4" from the top of the oven. Later when she throws the doll into the oven, the dinner is still smoldering in there but now it is on the bottom of the oven and there are no racks (allowing room for the doll to dance around and scream).

Quotes:

[last lines]
Amelia: This is Amelia, mom. I'm sorry I acted the way I did. I think we should spend the evening together, just the way we planned. It's kind of late though. Why don't you come by my place and we'll go from here? No, I'm all right! Good. I'll be waiting for you.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Nightmares and Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King" (2006)

three is definitely company here (and you'd better believe that #3 is the charm)

I've read about how the '70s saw several TV movies (e.g., "Brian's Song" and "Sybil"). It seems that when people make the list, they often forget about "Trilogy of Terror". This one has three vignettes, each featuring Karen Black in the midst of something horrific. What's really fascinating is how they manage to make it so scary without having gore or special effects (actually, maybe that's why it's so scary; gore and special effects would make it silly).

In the first segment, Black plays a literature teacher forced to have an affair with a lecherous student (Robert Burton)...but boy, does she have a surprise for him! In the second segment, she plays two sisters - one laid-back nebbish and one evil floozy - and the nebbish wants to get rid of the floozy...however, there's another side to the whole predicament. The third segment is no doubt the most famous, where she gets terrorized by the killer Zuni fetish...and wait until you see what ends up happening! Anyway, this just goes to show what you can accomplish with simple horror. I certainly didn't see any of those endings coming. But also, "Trilogy of Terror" shows that Karen Black is a better actress than we give her credit for. Truly worth seeing.

And remember, be careful with those chemicals!