Trilogy of Terror (1975)

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

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.

I'm just poking fun at the sounds the Zuni doll makes.Released to TV in 1975, "Trilogy of Terror" features three stories by Richard Matheson, the only memorable one being the last, "Amelia," which involves a creepy Zuni doll. All three stories star Karen Black:1. "Julia" (25½ minutes): PLOT: A sinister college stud seeks to manipulate a mousy English teacher whom he thinks is hot underneath her drab demeanor. EVALUATION: This one's not bad, but it's nothing great either. GRADE: C+ 2. "Millicent and Therese" (20 minutes): PLOT: Two sisters, one puritanical and the other satanic, are evaluated by a doctor. EVALUATION: This is the dullest and most predictable of the three, but it's so short it's over before you know it. GRADE: C- 3. "Amelia" (25½ minutes): PLOT: A woman living in a high rise apartment brings home a Zuni doll that she bought for her boyfriend, an anthropology teacher (the Zuni People, by the way, are a Native American tribe, most hailing from the Pueblo of Zuni in western New Mexico). The doll comes with a scroll claiming that it contains the spirit of a Zuni warrior named "He Who Kills" and that the gold chain adorning the doll keeps the spirit trapped within. When the chain falls off horror ensues. EVALUATION: While I busted out laughing for several minutes when the doll initially goes on the rampage (more for personal reasons than because the film's unintentionally humorous), this segment becomes legitimately harrowing and is quite creative, not to mention the F/X are effective for a TV movie from the mid-70s. The ending is memorable and Karen is outstanding. GRADE: A The film was shot in Los Angeles, CA, including 20th Century Fox Studios.

Three stories and each story gets better than the last. And yes the last story is the creepiest - freakiest - the Zuni fetish doll. The first story "Julie" and the second "Millicent and Therese" are suspenseful thrillers that are well worth watching. The third story "Amelia" is horrifying - it will scare the pants off of you.If you have not seen "Trilogy of Terror" do so!! It is one of the best made for TV horror movies that you will ever see.By the way, the Zuni fetish doll you will see in the third story of "Trilogy of Terror" makes Chucky look just like "Child's Play". Chucky cannot hold a candle to the Zuni. Zuni rules, Chucky drools.9/10

Trio of stories starring the late Karen Black in three different roles.First has her playing a shy teacher who is desired by one of her male students, but gets more than he expects from her...OK story is watchable, but not particularly memorable in itself.Second story about two entirely different sisters(?) is far too predictable, though still not bad, just obvious.Third tale however is a knockout, and the stuff of legend. Evil African tribal doll is accidentally brought to life by a woman in her apartment, who desperately tries to escape from, then destroy the thing. Does she succeed? Chilling, knock you out of your shoes ending gave children nightmares for years; segment is incredibly suspenseful and tense, a true masterpiece that redeems the whole film. Watch out for that doll!