Why ‘Trilogy of Terror’ and that ‘incredibly creepy’ doll still horrify

nypost.com:

Trilogy of Terror,” a Movie of the Week starring offbeat actress Karen Black (in all three episodes) that aired in 1975 and still elicits gasps and shivers.“[The wooden doll episode] was incredibly creepy, and it was great that it aired third in the trilogy because it really was a showstopper,” “Trilogy of Terror” co-producer Robert Singer told The Post in an exclusive interview.“[Producer-director] Dan Curtis was great,” Singer said. “He knew how to get scares.”Boy, did he.

In the episode, “Amelia” — based on “Prey,” a short story by fantasy-horror guru Richard Matheson — Amelia (Black) lives in a high-rise apartment and breaks off a dinner date with her mother because she’s bought a “genuine Zuni fetish doll” called “He Who Kills” for her boyfriend’s birthday.“He Who Kills” has a giant, skull-type head with wild hair, a set of white, razor-sharp choppers, holds a long spear and wears a golden chain that, according to its accompanying scroll, is there to keep it from coming to life. “Boy, are you ugly,” Amelia says to the inanimate doll. “That face.

Even your mother wouldn’t love you.”Amelia’s mother hangs up on her in disgust and, as Amelia slams the doll down on a table, the golden chain falls off — unleashing He Who Kills in all his pure evil.Later that night, Amelia notices the doll is missing and, before you can say “Look out!,” she’s attacked by the now-living Zuni warrior doll, who stabs her with his spear, bites her and chases her around her apartment screaming with guttural cries. “This was long before visual effects are what they are today,” Singer said. “We had to build a set about 8 feet above the stage floor to get the doll moving and chasing after [Amelia], then construction would cut out a path the doll.