KAREN BLACK IN TRILOGY OF TERROR

year: 1975 cast: Karen Black, Karen Black, Karen Black rating: ***1/2

Seeing the wonderfully versatile Karen Black play four roles (or rather, three roles and four characters) in a TV-movie showcasing three Night Gallery style stories is a great thing. The first involves an uptight spectacle-wearing college professor who's seduced by her handsome, nefarious honor student. Without giving away the twist, it's a great episode because Karen's playing someone she's not, and you'll have to watch it a second time to truly catch all her quirks and mannerisms.

The next deals with two sisters: one a crotchety sourpuss, the other a sexy blond. The twist is way too obvious. Blame the writer for this, not Karen, for she plays both roles well.

The third, and most entertaining, is what the movie's known for, dealing with a woman (Black again) who purchased a foot-high spear-donning Zuni Fetish Doll. If the waist-sash falls off the doll, it comes to life. And guess what falls off the doll? The little bugger chases Karen around the apartment sounding like the Tasmanian Devil on PCP – imagine Animal from the Muppets on a killing spree and there you have it. So while this final outing is the scariest tale of the bunch – dealing with a thing too small and quick to kill but that can kill you… the first story's where Black's acting (as opposed to reacting) really shines.

KAREN BLACK TRILOGY OF TERROR INTERVIEW