1975’s Trilogy of Terror frightened audiences when it was first released, and while it has not held up too well to the test of time, it still counts as a cult classic in the Horror genre.
What Is It?
This horror-themed television movie offered an anthology of three tales, all with the same lead actress (Karen Black). “Julie” focuses on a teacher who is being followed by a predatory student. “Millicent and Therese” tells the story of twin sisters whose hatred for each other escalates dangerously. “Amelia” centers on a woman who unknowingly purchases a cursed Zuni fetish doll. Each of the tales delivers a twist at the end.
Aired: ABC, March 4, 1975
Cast: Karen Black, Robert Burton, John Karlen, George Gaynes
Crew: Dan Curtis (Producer/Director), Richard Matheson (Writer), William F. Nolan (Writer)
Legacy:
In a time when the movie-of-the-week was a Prime Time staple, Trilogy of Terror delivered one of the most terrifying collection of stories on television–particularly “Amelia”–and it is still remembered as a cult classic by those who watched it when if first aired.
A Closer Look:
During the 1970s, the movie-of-the-week became a fixture on the schedule for the three broadcast networks, providing them with the opportunity to test new talent while presenting teleplays that had the potential to evolve into ongoing series. Quite a number of horror entries hit the small screen in this format during that decade such as Gargoyles, The Horror at 37,000 Feet, The Screaming Woman, and The Night Stalker. But one in particular stood out, and it is still remembered as a high point for TV horror in the 1970s: Trilogy of Terror.
That film offered three horror/suspense tales that were linked together by the fact that Karen Black played the lead role(s) in each story. Dark Shadows creator Dan Curtis produced and directed the TV movie, bringing some horror-cred to the production (he also previously gave us The Night Stalker and The Night Strangler). In addition, all three of the tales were based on stories written by Twilight Zone veteran Richard Matheson who had also penned the proto-zombie-pocalypse novel I Am Legend. Matheson himself wrote the teleplay for “Amelia” while William F. Nolan (Logan’s Run) adapted the other two, so the film had some notable talent involved.
The first two segments–“Julie” and “Millicent and Therese”–are mostly suspense tales with subtle supernatural undertones. But they are certainly solid genre entries with a spot-on performance by Black and good twist endings, and they would have easily fit in with episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Thriller, or possibly even The Twilight Zone. But it is the third segment that stood out the most and has carried the legacy of this TV Movie over the years.
“Amelia” delivers twenty-plus minutes of sheer horror that starts early in the episode and does not let up until the final credits role. I recall watching this when it first aired (yes, I am that old) and being terrified as Black’s character was pursued by the horror she accidentally unleashed. Sure, this one may not hold up as well today because the practical effects seem rather quaint, the overly melodramatic music verges on camp, and the doll’s voice sounds like Beavis on one of his “Cornholio” rants. In addition, the cursed doll trope has since been done to death to the point that it has become self-parody. But to less jaded eyes in a simpler decade, “Amelia” was one of the most terrifying things you could watch on television.
The legacy of Trilogy of Terror has faded over the years, with some saying that the first two segments do not deliver on the terror and the third one has not dated as well, now counting more as a camp classic. But the fact is that all three stories offer some good, psychological horror, and “Amelia” holds up better than some give it credit for, especially that final scene. You have to give it some leeway for its low-cost television production, but this movie still counts as a cult horror classic.
Why Did It Not Continue to Series?
I have not been able to find any confirmation that this was planned as pilot for an ongoing series, but it sure seems to set up that possibility. I don’t know if they would have continued with the recurring lead actor/actress, but if they put this in rotation with other movies-of-the-week (a common practice at that time), they could have done more in the same, three-story format. Or it could have been an hour-long series with three shorter tales or just two per episode. The TV movie did get some good reviews from critics when it was released, but apparently did not draw strong enough ratings to justify additional movies or an ongoing series. Dan Curtis did direct a similar film for NBC in 1977 titled Dead of Night which also had three horror/suspense tales. That one did not have the recurring lead role, though.
The Story Continues:
Two decades after Trilogy of Terror first premiered on ABC, a sequel film aired on the USA Network titled, appropriately enough, Trilogy of Terror II. Dan Curtis returned to direct the TV movie, and William F. Nolan was onboard once again as writer. Richard Matheson was not directly involved this time, though the second segment was a reworking of the “Bobby” story from Dead of Night (see above). The third segment in Trilogy of Terror II was written by William F. Nolan and it acted as a direct sequel to “Amelia” from the first film. Lysette Anthony was the lead actress that appeared in each segment, and while this TV movie is not as well-regarded as the 1975 film, it is still considered a decent follow-up.
Should It Be Rebooted?
Yes. This is the perfect candidate for a reboot as a modern take could improve upon the dated look of the original while delivering a truly terrifying film. They should start with a reworking of the 1975 TV movie that shows it the proper respect but tailors it for an audience spoiled by modern production values. Not that it needs to go the CGI-overload route, just a less campy version of the original. And perhaps then they could follow a path similar to Hulu’s horror-movie-of the month series Into the Dark and do multiple Trilogy of Terror entries throughout the year. They could get a different actor/actress as the lead for each film and attract known horror writers and directors to the production. And this does not have to be a high-dollar series like so many productions the networks and streaming services are pouring money into these days. A revival could be done on a modest budget and could turn into a big hit with the niche horror audience, similar to what American Horror Story accomplished. This is definitely a low-hanging fruit that some of the creative talent out there like Mike Flanagan or Jordan Peele should consider snatching.
Interesting Facts:
Karen Black believed that Trilogy of Terror was responsible for typecasting her and leading to work mostly on low-budget B-movies for the rest of her career: “I think this little movie took my life and put it on a path that it didn’t even belong in”.
The voice of the Zuni doll was provided by Walker Edmiston (uncredited) who had a long history of voice roles in television and who played Enik in the 1974 TV series The Land of the Lost.
Where Can You Watch It?
Trilogy of Terror has been released on DVD and Blu-ray, though both are now out of print and fetching pretty high prices. It is available for streaming with a subscription to Darkroom and Flixfling. Trilogy of Terror II has also been released on DVD and Blu-ray and is still available.
