Tag: Trilogy Of Terror

Where is… The Zuni Fetish Doll from the Trilogy of Terror Now?

I did a few “Where is” posts a year or so ago and they were fun. I thought I would add this to the list. Most 1970s kids know this doll from the 1975 TV horror Trilogy of Terror. Karen Black starred and played 4 different charters in this horror anthology. Three stories are interwoven together. The first is about a college student infatuated with his teacher. The second is a paranoid tale of two sisters – one good, the other evil, and the third one is about a tribal doll that comes to life and terrorizes a woman in her apartment when it’s golden chain comes off. 

Zuni Doll - Trilogy of Terror - Imgflip

It’s the third one that most people remember although the first one is really good also. This doll terrorizes Karen Black’s character Amelia in her apartment and they did a good job on the special effects. They showed the doll just enough and not too much to make it look real. The story was based on Prey Prey written by the great Richard Matheson. In this presentation…this story is called Ameilia. 

I watched this again for the 6th or 7th time and I wondered…did one of the dolls they used to film this survive? Yes, one survived and it was sold at auction. According to different sites… In 2019 when the Zuni doll went up for auction at “Profiles in History” a few years ago, it was expected to go for a price in the $12,000 to $15,000 range. Instead, it sold for more than $200,000! Including the buyer’s premium, the doll was purchased for a total of $217,600.

If you want one of these dolls (a copy of course) a little more affordable…you can get one on ebay. It would be a good conversation piece…just don’t turn your back on it. 

If you want to see the other “Where Is” objects…go to https://powerpop.blog/70s-games-items-and-events/

Here is the doll now…he doesn’t look bad for being 47 years old. 

Zuni Doll Now

The Complete Anthology… if you want to see JUST Amelia…go to 45:50

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r7UcKm2xnk

Trilogy of Terror 1975

This TV movie scared a lot of kids in the 1970’s…including me… It is an anthology horror movie but the last story is the one that is remembered. For years I tried to find this movie and when I finally did I wasn’t disappointed. I knew going in that there was no CGI and it was a TV movie so I wasn’t disappointed seeing it at an older age. I assume this movie help inspire the Chucky movies of the late 1980’s. The story was written by  Richard Matheson.

Karen Black plays Amelia who lives in an apartment. She comes home with this voodoo warrior  looking doll. The doll is said to hold a killing spirit inside and there is a gold chain around it to supposedly hold the spirit in.

Amelia calls her mom and is fighting with her and finally lets her go…she notices that the chain is off of the warrior doll. Amelia goes to cook dinner and comes back and the doll is gone.

This is when all the fun begins. After this the doll starts chasing her around and she chases the doll. After a lot of cuts, biting, bruises, stabbing and fire we get a surprise ending. Amelia’s mom is coming over but to what?

With special effects being what they were in the 1970’s…they did a really good job. They show just enough of the doll to look real. They know their limitations and work within that.

Anyone who enjoys the Chucky movies should enjoy this but it will not have the effects those movies have in them.