Being as old as I am… let’s just say early 40's, there are a lot of older films that I still hope will eventually make it onto the DVD market. Not all of these films are classics, and in quite a few cases they are more guilty pleasures. Some of them were 'Made for TV', and in the case of those I know the chances are fairly slim that any kind of release will ever se the light of day. But on rare occasions I see that one has come out, and if I don’t miss the release I grab one. Such was not the case with 1974's "Trilogy of Terror", which used to be a kind of Holy Grail for some horror fans. The film was released on DVD some years back, but finding a copy today usually comes with a high price on Ebay. That is all changing this month as Dark Sky Films, who previously gave us the long sought after Anthony Hopkins film "Magic", is releasing an all new DVD version of "Trilogy of Terror."

Complete with a bunch of great extra features, it will quickly squelch any need to shell out the big bucks for the original release (which I'm sure won’t make some Ebay sellers happy at all…).

"Trilogy of Terror" was a Dan Curtis production (of "Dark Shadows" fame) and featured Karen Black in three separate stories as four different characters. Most of us who saw the film back when it originally aired barely remember the first two stories, but the third one is the one we all still talk about. The stories were all based on the writings of Richard Matheson, who I still consider to be one of the premiere authors of great science fiction and horror. In the first story, "Julie", Black plays a quiet college professor who is blackmailed by a student, while "Millicent and Therese" gives her the opportunity to play sisters who hate each other vehemently. This hatred is kept in check until after the death of their father.

Both of these stories are pretty good and have unusual twists, but it is the third story "Amelia" that really sticks in people's minds. Black delivers one of those solo tour de force types of performances as she is terrorized by a Zuni fetish doll. It seems that the small wooden doll contains an evil spirit, and when the chain that binds the spirit falls off, the doll goes ballistic. Black spends the majority of the story fighting off he diminutive and relentless killer. This became such a cult favorite that you can actually buy replicas of the Zuni fetish doll (it's on my Christmas wish list by the way… hint, hint).

A few years later Stephen King would write a similar story where an assassin is terrorized by a toymaker's set of plastic soldiers, and in turn this story was made into an episode of the recent "Nightmares and Dreamscapes" (the best of the series I might add). I mention this mostly because it was made a point in the TV version to show that the assassin would collect little mementos of his kills… and on top of one of the shelves was a replica of the Zuni fetish doll. This got a big laugh out of me!!

What the new DVD offers that the earlier release doesn't, aside from an affordable price, is some terrific special features. Actually, there are only a couple, but they are far more entertaining than most. The first is a commentary by Karen Black, who is joined by the screenwriter of the first two segments, William F. Nolen. Unlike most commentaries, which can be bland and boring, Black is quite… outspoken… and possibly a little vain. She overpowers Nolen with her commentary and at times come across as a little more than just enamored with herself. Quite a few of her comments had me smirking. There is also a featurette about Black's career, where she further compliments herself going so far as to credit herself with e lot of "Trilogy's" better ideas. Lastly, there is an interview with Richard Matheson, who unfortunately age has slowed considerably. He talks quite a bit about his career and the sorry state of modern horror movies.

"Trilogy of Terror" is long overdue for this type of DVD treatment. It's an often overlooked or underestimated film, and truth be told the first two stories are every bit as good as the last. I heartily applaud the people at Dark Sky Films for finally giving the due it deserves.

Directed by: Dan Curtis
Starring: Karen Black, Robert Burton, John Karlen, George Gaynes
Extras: Commentary by Actress Karen Black and William F. Nolen, Karen Black Featurette, Interview with Richard Matheson
Specifications: Full Screen,
Studio: Dark Sky Films
Release Date: 8/29/2006
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Trilogy of Terror an A.