Trilogy of Terror

Three bizarre horror stories all of which star Karen Black in four different roles playing tormented women.

• Director: Dan Curtis
• Genre:Horror / Thriller
• Runtime:72 minutes

Cast

Karen Black : Julie / Millicent Larimore / Therese Larimore / Amelia
Robert Burton : Chad Foster
John Karlen : Thomas Amman
George Gaynes : Dr. Chester Ramsey
Jim Storm : Eddie Nells

Chad (Robert Burton) and Eddie (James Storm) are university students who admire their English teacher, Julie Eldrich (Karen Black). During one class, Chad is distracted by Julie’s low cut shirt and begins to daydream about her. After revealing his fantasies to his friend Eddie, Eddie responds by describing Julie as “ugly” and discourages Chad against becoming romantically involved with teachers.

At home, Julie’s housemate encourages Julie to get out and meet more people. Later that evening, when undressing alone in her room, Chad is seen watching through a window. The next day at university, Chad asks Julie out on a date, and after initially refusing, accepts Chad’s offer.

During the date at the drive-in, Chad spikes Julie’s drink, rendering her unconscious. Chad drives to a motel where he checks in with Julie as husband and wife, where he photographs Julie in a variety of sexually provocative positions. Noticing Julie beginning to regain consciousness, he then takes her home, explaining that she fell asleep.

After developing the photographs in his darkroom, Chad shows the pictures to Julie, who is furious and threatens to call the police. Chad blackmails Julie and she agrees to see Chad whenever he demands. After several weeks of Chad and Julie becoming romantically involved due to Chad’s threats of revealing the photographs, Julie announces “The game is over”.

Julie asks Chad, “Did you really think that dull, little mind of yours could possibly have conceived any of the rather dramatic experiences we’ve shared? Why do you think you suddenly had the overwhelming desire to see what I looked like under ‘all those clothes?’ Don’t feel bad… I always get bored after a while.”[2] Chad realises his own drink has been poisoned. Chad dies, and Julie drags his body into the darkroom where she sets fire to the offending photographs. Chad’s death is later reported in local media as a house fire. Julie adds the newspaper story to a scrapbook containing students who met similar fates. Suddenly, there is a knock at the door, and another student (played in a bit role by Gregory Harrison) in need of a tutor enters.Read more