Trilogy of Terror



Trilogy of Terror is a 1975 Made for TV horror anthology film. Directed by Dan Curtis, it consists of three segments which are based on short stories by Richard Matheson.


 * 1) Julie - A University English teacher is blackmailed into a relationship with her student.
 * 2) Millicent and Therese - Two sisters hate each other with a passion. The older sister decides to deal with the younger one once and for all.
 * 3) Amelia - A woman with an overbearing mother accidentally releases a murderous spirit within a Zuni Fetish doll free and must fight for her life. The film's most popular and best remembered segment.

Dan Curtis released a sequel in 1996, which also had three segments.


 * 1) The Graveyard Rats - Two lovers decide to kill other's husband.
 * 2) Bobby - A woman tries to bring back her dead son.
 * 3) He Who Kills - The Zuni Fetish doll returns for more murder and mayhem.

Overall tropes:

 * Abusive Parents: It's implied that Bobby's mother is/was one.
 * Acting for Two: Karen Black plays the lead in all three segments.
 * Used again in the sequel, this time with Lysette Anthony.
 * Agony of the Feet: The Zuni Fetish doll begins its attack on Amelie by stabbing her feet.
 * Anthology Film
 * Big No
 * Blackmail: Chad uses pictures he took from the unconscious Julie to blackmail her.
 * Came Back Wrong: Bobby.
 * Character Title
 * Comic Book Time: The first film was made in 1975 and the second in 1996; the sequel's third story is seemingly a direct continuation of the original's third story, despite there being a good bit of technology in the sequel not existing in the original's time.
 * Creepy Child: Bobby.
 * Creepy Doll/Perverse Puppet
 * Cutlass Between the Teeth
 * Defictionalization: The Zuni Fetish doll became very popular and several toy companies started manufacturing it.
 * Demonic Possession
 * Drive-In Theater: Featured in the "Julie" segment.
 * Driven to Suicide: It's suggested that Bobby didn't drown by accident, but that he killed himself to escape his mother's abuse.
 * The Glorious War of Sisterly Rivalry: Between Millicent and Therese.
 * Hollywood Voodoo: Millicent decides to get rid of of her sister via Voodoo.
 * Hot for Teacher: Chad develops an unhealthy obsession with his teacher.
 * Impending Doom POV
 * Kill It With Fire: Amelie finally gets rid of the Zuni Fetish doll by locking it in an oven.
 * Kill It With Water: Before that Amelie tries to unsuccessfully drown the doll.
 * Knife Nut
 * Manipulative Bastard
 * My Beloved Smother: Amelie's mother.
 * Name and Name
 * No-Tell Motel: Chad drags the unconscious Julie into one.
 * Numbered Sequels
 * Out-Gambitted:
 * Parental Incest: According to Millicent, Therese seduced their father when she was 16.
 * Pilot Movie: The film was intended as the pilot for a new horror anthology tv-show, but it failed.
 * Powerful Pick: Amelie uses one against the Zuni Fetish doll.
 * Slasher Smile
 * Slipping a Mickey: Chad drugs Julie during their date at the Drive-In Theater.
 * Split Personality:
 * To the Pain
 * Twist Ending: Each segment ends with one.
 * The Vamp: Therese.
 * The X of Y