I do love a good Anthology

 I was chatting with a YouTube podcaster and horror novelist about Dan Curtis when he came up in conversation between him and guests (horror show hosts) brought up the great Horror Television producer, creator, writer, and director, renowned mostly for "Dark Shadows", but there are other works he gave to genre fans. I think his most popular work outside "Dark Shadows" is Trilogy of Terror (1975), an anthology of three tales all starring Karen Black. Black, to her credit, was multi-faceted and talented enough to pull off four different roles, and all were very different, unique characterizations. And because of her work and how Curtis capitalized on the interesting twists on the stories available to him, even the supposed "smallness" of television couldn't diminish the impact and developing cult following since "Trilogy of Terror" first premiered. We are fortunate different forms of media have kept the film alive, but I do hope the film continues to find an audience generations ongoing.

Why I remain mesmerized by Black is the distinctive characterizations. Just watching her work is incredible. There is a phone conversation in "Amelia" at the end, based on Matheson's "Prey" where it is just her with no voice on the other end and you see this young woman, having moved out just a few months, still so trapped by the demands of a clearly suffocating parent that she can't seem to avoid her for one night with an anthropologist scholar boyfriend she bought the infamous Zuni warrior spirit doll for. She stutters, is completely flummoxed, and ensnared by the mother's refusal to accept that her daughter might want some time to herself with her beau on his birthday. And that attack on her when a chain accidentally falls from the doll unleashing the rampaging little monster, equipped with a tiny steak knife, and how Black has to convince us she's in a fight for survival, it is a mix of performance and careful editing. The second tale where Black has to offer a spinster personality and seductive bimbo with blond wig (and revealing dress showing off her legs) personality once again gives the actress the opportunity to really chew all the way through the meat to the bone. She's an absolute gem to watch weave these two supposed twins with the reveal hurling at voodoo doll and witchcraft at us as the doctor is hardpressed to tell the paramedics what happened. The first tale has us believing that a mousy academic, a poetry/literary teacher supposedly preyed upon by a college creep who roofies her root beer at a drive-in, is a victim of date rape but the later revelation after she finally tires of her "boredom" that *she* is the predator! The anthology by Curtis is quite a showcase for Black, giving her plenty of room to act her heart out. Sadly, the anthology I watched on YouTube (and user comments on the IMDb) had comments shitting on "Trilogy of Terror", but that's to be expected. Can't win them all. I personally LOVE this mainly because Black is just a real treasure to me. I love her so. 4/5


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