Review of Trilogy of Terror (1968) by Lotti K — 13 Jan 2010

So I downloaded and watched "Trilogy of Terror" last night. I think I'll start with the negatives.

To be honest, parts of this movie made me laugh out loud. Like in the third story, called "Amelia" or something, the leading lady, let me see...Karen Black, that's right, trips on nothing (the carpet maybe?) like four times. But then when you've seen as many horror movies as I have, little things like that are almost expected. There's a part in Texas Chainsaw Massacre 4 where Leatherface is hacking through a door with an axe, and the damsel in distress is standing on the other side, waiting. The problem is that ridiculous-ness may make bad horror movies better, but it makes good horror movies worse, and "Trilogy of Terror" is definitely aspiring to be a good horror movie. The only other complaint I have is that the 2nd story was a little predictable... but then this is 1975. I'm sure I've already seen, and gotten bored with, all the movies that were made after this and completely ripped it off.

Undoubtedly the best part of this film is the amazing acting from the star of all three stories, Karen Black. I was blown away in the 1st one, when at the end she completely changed personalities, and morphed from a doe eyed school teacher into a black widow seductress (that's my own metaphor/analogy! yay me!). Her dual portrayal of sisters in the 2nd story was equally as memorable. I was impressed.

Overall, I would probably give this movie a 7.5/10, and that's only because it's alittle slow in parts. And the ridiculous tripping.