10 TERRIFYING Made-For-TV Horror Movies
5. Trilogy Of Terror (1975)
By 1975, the 'anthology' movie had gained considerable traction, particularly in the magnificent Amicus movies that effectively took over from Hammer. In this case, the gimmick is three tales, written by Richard Matheson and starring one actor - the horror legend herself, Karen Black, who showed up in Rob Zombie's love letter to seventies horror, House Of 1000 Corpses.
Tale number one concerns creepy student Chad, who has his eyes on wallflower teacher Miss. Eldridge and despite her reluctance, she agrees to a date. Chad however has no clue that perhaps Miss. Eldridge has more to hide than her neckline...
Easter egg spotters take note - Chad checks into the motel as Jonathan Harker, a character from Dracula and the 'French' vampire flick they catch at the drive in is actually 1972's the Night Stalker, also written by Matheson.
Black shows up next as a beleaguered puritanical twin who fears for the reckless ways of her sister. When people start showing up dead, Dr. Ramsay (George Gaynes) realises that perhaps they are not twins at all...
The third tale is really the highlight - Black plays Amelia, a woman who has bought a rather gruesome carved wooden doll (of a highly questionable design by today's standards) that is said to contain the spirit of a demon.
What follows is an unadulterated pleasure; this slapstick sequence isn't exactly terrifying but has the quality of a proto-Evil Dead film, as the little scamp makes Amelia's life a misery, flinging itself around the room, armed with a miniature sword and cackling like Salacious Crumb.