MovieChat Forums > Trilogy of Terror (1975) Discussion > My God, I Still get friggin' goosebumps ...

My God, I Still get friggin' goosebumps when I think of that damn doll

posted 20 years ago by bigbenjr48
24 replies | jump to latest

I'm In the dark as I type this. Normally that wouldn't scare me, but thinking of that damn doll makes me (LITERALLY) glance down at the floor every now and then. Its crazy, I know, but there are only a few movies in the worlds that can do that sort of thing to me. Trilogy of terror (THE FINAL STORY ABOUT THAT DAMN DOLL) is one of them. I was seven years old when I saw this movie. My parents allowed me to watch it because they figured it would be tame because it was made for television. BOY WERE THEY FRIGGIN' WRONG! I can't began to express how that movie made me feel without stuttering. EVEN TODAY. Maybe I feel that way because I saw it as a kid. You know how easily scared a kid of that age can be. And that movie was like childhood trama to me. And it has stuck with me...even though I have seen horror movies since then that were much scarrier and probably would have frightened me even more if I had viewed them as a kid. Salems Lot also frightened me as a kid almost as much.
Hey guys. Trilogy of terror. Salems Lot. Satan's School for Girls. These movies were made for tv and still managed to scare a lot of people years ago. Some of you may not agree with the last two movies, but my point is, that's kind of unusual for a made for tv movie, don't you think? Its something that's not really suppose to happen. Television was tame and unrated back then, so I wonder how those few movies manage to slip past those bad-taste executives of the late seventies early eighties. Its been over twenty-five years since those films first aired, and since then tv hasn't frightened me again. What happened, did they tap into something back then that they can't tap in today. I believe that Salem's Lot and Trilogy of Terror could rival a lot of box-office movies as far as giving goosebumps.
Oh, and p.s.
Before some of you guys and girls start jumping on me for the 'SATAN'S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS' mention, that movie didn't really scare me. It really wasn't that good. I brought it up because it scared my sister. I think what really scared her was the 'SATAN' word in the title. So if you're going to respond, please don't waste it ripping me about the crappy Satan's school for girls.

[–] rtcpenguin 20 years ago

Wow, I totally feel for you. Even though I wasn't born when this came out, my father showed it to me when I was 6 or 7. I pissed myself watching it, and I had bad dreams about it for several years. It is seriously one of the scariest things you could possibly show a child.

I've never been scared of anything else of that nature. Chuckie/Puppetmaster don't bother me whatsover...but that "Zuni Monster"....Oh god.

[–] backdatthang1 20 years ago

I totally agree with you! I watched it when I was five and I can still vividly remember most of it. I even remember looking at the TV guide with its special section on the making of the doll, weird! The really weird thing is I had dream/nightmare this past week about that part of the movie and I haven't seen or even thought about it in ages, it must have come out of my subconscience for some reason. So I looked online for info on Trilogy of Terror and wound up here checking it out, I even looked up the link for the "Zuni Warrior doll" you can purchase. Theres no way I'm buying that ugly thing. ha, ha, Part of me wants to see it again, but it still gives me the creeps, I still have the same feeling about the movie "Magic" with Anthony Hopkins and the ventriloquist dummy "Fats."

Peace out.....

[–] Innsmouth_Clay 19 years ago

Wow! Fats the Dummy, I haven't thought of that in years! My brother and I used to sing the creepy harmonica music from Magic to each other and say, "Kill her, Corky!" I was very creeped out by that film, but let's face it, ventriloquist dummies are just freakin' creepy.

Trilogy of Terror I saw when I was a little kid and watched most of it over the tops of my knees. I would have covered my eyes with my hands, but my hands were busy covering my ears.

It was pretty clever for the time it was made, and although I crack up when I watch it now I still wouldn't have that turdly little doll in my house.

The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.

[–] EddieAP 19 years ago

I loved that little doll! Especially crazed expression!

Open it. Today might be your lucky day.

[–] Innsmouth_Clay 19 years ago

There's a reason you loved it, Eddie Old Bean...

The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.

[–] EddieAP 19 years ago

Is that an indication that I am the Doll?!

Well I don't think that's true!

Open it. Today might be your lucky day.

[–] Innsmouth_Clay 19 years ago

SPOILER:

Maybe I meant the end where Karen Black is crouching there with her sharp pointy teeth and her knife, waiting for her mother to show up...

Well, the telephone is ringing...is that my MOTHER on the phone?!

The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.

[–] EddieAP 19 years ago

"Touche!"

Point taken!

Open it. Today might be your lucky day.

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] NYAngel122191-1 18 years ago

Why are people so scared of this Zuni doll? I just watched this yesterday and I thought it was entirely stupid, not terrifying at all. I actually was laughing when I first saw the doll screaming and running towards Amelia. Chucky and the dummy from Magic are certainly more scary. I still get afraid whenever I look at a porcelain doll.

[–] LadyDi4476 18 years ago

Here's a lovely little image of the doll from the movie.

http://www.horrordvds.com/reviews/n-z/trilogyot/tot_shot6l.jpg

I am a 30 year old adult and I found myself feeling very uneasy and frightening when looking at that image above. I don't know how I'm going to be able to watch the movie again! It still scares me sooooo much. I saw it when I was a very young girl as well. It traumatized and terrified me to no end. I'm sure if I were watching this for the first time now it wouldn't bug me, but it's like burned into my memory that I cannot get over it. I am dying to buy the dvd and check out the commentaries and all that but what is the point? It's not like I can just casually pop it into my DVD player and watch it! This movie really upsets me....I know it's just a stupid fake little doll that clearly is being tossed around by someone off screen but it's still FRIGHTENING. It's the doll itself that is so creepy. Ugh..I'm glad I'm not alone on this!!

"There's never enough time, never enough" ~ BBM

[–] russellp20012001 18 years ago

I know what you mean. I was reading lists of scariest films and a few people had the trilogy of terror on it. I went out and rented it and I thought I was watching a very cheesy 70's film. Then that tiki scene came on and it was pretty scary. It was ashame that the rest of the movie wasn't that good. LAdyDi do you have a list of your fav scary movies?

[–] LadyDi4476 18 years ago

Well Trilogy of Terror is not on my list. It's very effective but I would never say I love that movie. I don't hate it, I'm just terrified of it :)

My fave horror flicks are:

Halloween (one of my fave movies, ever)
Carrie
Fright Night
The Lost Boys
Nightmare on Elm Street (first one only)
Creepshow
The Fog
The Return of the Living Dead
Dawn of the Dead
Child's Play
Christine
Misery
The Fly

I can't think of anything else right now but I'm sure there's more. I love horror movies.

"There's never enough time, never enough" ~ BBM

[–] russellp20012001 18 years ago

I am a huge horror fan. I have about 125 horror movies on DVD. If you would like to email me [email protected] we could chat :-)

[–] anthonycashmere 12 years ago

Lady,

Check out the THE SCREAMING SKULL for a really scary time!!!
You will never answer a knocking door the same way again!!! MWAHHAHAHAHA!!

anthony

[–] hhswn1 18 years ago

That's picture's hilarious!!!!!!
I never found the Zuni Doll scary though.
JUST PLAIN FUNNY!!!
I love that annoying battle cry of his: Aiy yi yi yi!!!
Except I STILL jump for the bed.
Not becuase of the doll though.
Let's just say I'm aracnaphobic, and have a REALLY creepy imagination that can create thing MUCH MUCH worse the the Zuni Doll!!

PS: I still wouldn't want some replica of it in my house though.
You'd have to pay me ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD just for me to spend a MINUTE near that thing!!!

WAR!!!

[–] LadyDi4476 18 years ago

huh? you never found it scary, but you wouldn't spend a minute near the doll?

so which is it? are you scared of it or do you find it hilarious?

"There's never enough time, never enough" ~ BBM

[–] hhswn1 18 years ago

Well seeing it on the TV screen is LOL FUNNY!!!
But for it to actually be in escence around me, would be VERY creepy.
Seriously, seeing SOMEONE ELSE have it is funny (and for it to attack :P), but for YOU YOURSELF to have it. Eghhh... :(

WAR!!!

[–] Isaac5855 17 years ago

I was a junior in high school the year this movie premiered, but believeme, it scared me just as badly as it scared you. That doll was terrifying. I don't even remember what happened in the first two stories.

[–] zephyr-123 17 years ago

I think you'd have to have been a kid in the 70's to appreciate how scary it was. Out of all the horror movies I saw back then, this one made the biggest impression on me (I could still remember specific scenes to this day). I still remember watching it with my brother and sister (my mom wasn't home), I was about ten and it scared the b'jesus out of me. On viewing it today for the first time since then, I just thought "Buffy'd snap his neck in two minutes." and found myself laughing at the whole thing.

There's none heart so black as the black black heart of the phony leper!--Monk

[–] efs2 17 years ago

Amazing! It's 32 years later, and people are still talking about that doll. I watched the movie/episode as a kid and remember it well. It was scary and creepy, and I loved every minute of it. It didn't terrify me like it did some, but it has sure stuck with me.

Has it actually been 32 years since I saw it? Or was it re-broadcast after its original airing?

Also, thanks to LadyDi4476 for posting the photo. It's great. Where did you get it?

What an awful dream. Ones and zeros everywhere. And I thought I saw a two!

[–] happipuppi13 17 years ago

I've found the best way to deal with the memory of this,is to ind the movie wherever you can,watch it all these years later and realize,"I was scared of that?"

I got lucky and it came on TV one afternoon a few years ago and it actually depleted the negative feelings I had from before. I reccomeend trying Ebay,Amazon.com,your local library's Interlibrary loan program (for VHS films).

I still remember but I'm no longer scared too.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] omoxus 15 years ago

I agree.I saw this as a pre teen and it effed me up. I shoulfnt even went to this message board. Its resurfaced my phobia for manniquins.

Im the Alpha and the Omoxus. The Omoxus and the Omega