User Reviews

Horror Anthologies (or omnibuses) were quite popular from the 40s to the 70s. Especially in the 60s, numerous Horror films told three or four tales within one film. The British production company Amicus even specialized in exclusively making Anthology Horror films. The TV Show THRILLER (aka. BORIS KARLOFF'S THRILLER), which was hosted by none other than Horror icon Boris Karloff in the early 1960s, can be seen as an anthology series as such. This particular episode, TRIO FOR TERROR (Season 1, Episode 25), is an anthology itself (as are two other episodes from Season 2). Directed by the famous actress Ida Lupino, TRIO FOR TERROR tells three tales, two of which are wonderfully eerie and macabre. As many Anthology Horror films, this one has a 'funny' middle episode, the focus of which lies on the humor rather than creepiness, and which, as usual, is the least interesting of the pack. However, it is admirable that out of the three episodes packed in the 49-minute-span of a THRILLER episode, two manage to build up a highly macabre and creepy atmosphere. The first tale, "The Extra Passenger", is about a man who murders his uncle, unaware that the uncle is a warlock. The second tale, "A Terribly Strange Bed", is the somewhat silly humorous one. The third tale, "The Mask of Medusa" plays in a Wax Museum, which is always great in a Horror film (or episode). As usual for THRILLER-episodes, TRIO FOR TERROR is atmospherically shot, well-acted and supported by a moody score. Recommended.

First episode to be split up with three different tales, which are:

'The Extra Passenger' - A young man(Richard Lupino) murders his elderly and rich uncle, little realizing the magic power he practiced will avenge him as he flees on a train. Best of the three, a real treat.

'A Terribly Strange Bed' - A gambler(Robin Hughes) is lucky at roulette, but finds his life threatened later by the titular bed. Mediocre tale doesn't amount to much.

'The Mask Of Medusa' - A strangler(played by Michael Pate) flees into a wax museum, where the owner(played by John Abbot) tells him how he acquired his infamous models. Nice atmosphere let down a bit by inadequate Medusa makeup.

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"Trio for Terror" would be the first of THRILLER's 3 multi-story episodes, the other two being "Dialogues with Death" (featuring Karloff in both tales) and "The Lethal Ladies." The strongest tale here is the first, "The Extra Passenger," which stars director Ida Lupino's cousin Richard as a greedy, scheming nephew who establishes an alibi on a train as he travels to his wealthy uncle's home to do away with the old man (Terence de Marney). He meets his comeuppance on the ride back home, due to a mysterious second passenger in his private compartment. Story two, "A Terribly Strange Bed," features Robin Hughes as a gambler on a lucky streak who breaks the bank but soon regrets it. This weak tale does benefit from a strong cast, including Reginald Owen and Peter Brocco, while Hughes is probably best known for "The Howling Man" episode of TWILIGHT ZONE in 1960, and the title role in 1958's "The Thing That Couldn't Die." The third and final story also has a strong cast: "The Mask of Medusa" stars Michael Pate (1959's "Curse of the Undead") as a notorious strangler on the run who hides out in a wax museum with a number of lifelike statues of famous criminals on display. John Abbott (1945's "The Vampire's Ghost) stands out as the proprietor although the ending is a bit of a letdown. All in all, Ida Lupino would helm a total of nine THRILLERs, and even script one as well, in collaboration with her cousin Richard ("The Last of the Sommervilles," which featured a rare acting role for host Karloff).

Karloff's intros to each of the segments are very engaging. The look and feel of these 3 tales tell us that the great "Thriller" horror style has now been firmly established, including the fact that Morton Stevens is now beginning to create truly atmospheric stuff, light years beyond his "Dr. Cordell" score.

1.) The director's brother Richard turns in a nicely controlled performance in the first show, and our friend Terrence de Marney's rag-doll physique and generally cadaverous appearance provide a truly creepy moment, as he is discovered sitting silently in the train compartment. Shades of the great climatic scenes from "Curse/Night of the Demon", with the darkened train and those ghostly, high-pitched whistle blasts.

2.) Robin Hughes was an OK actor, but his rare screen roles are always interesting. Check him out in the 1958 Rosalind Russell feature "Auntie Mame", his career highpoint, where he totally commands the screen with his Mephistophelean presence (in full tails), or his signature role as TZ's "Howling Man". Old Reginald Owen (Scrooge in the 1938 "Christmas Carol" with Gene Lockhart) was a great choice for his role, and the "happy ending" of this episode is amusing, especially with Stevens' jaunty little closing tune. The descending bed is a neat idea, but overall this episode is pretty weak stuff.

3.) I wish that the Thriller effects guys would have come up with a more convincing solution for the big climax in the final episode. Otherwise, it's a remarkably effective chamber play, beautifully staged and filled with truly frightening imagery. I had to replay the shot after the commercial break, where director Lupino starts with the image of the rope, then follows it down to the woman's figure/corpse in the noose; now THAT'S hideous! It looks like they used an actual live model made up to look stone-y for the shot. I can't understand why I didn't freak at this image when I first saw this episode as a rerun in summer of '61.

Wonderfully cramped, claustrophobic feel to this 2-man show (oh...wait a minute...yep, it's actor Richard Peel (as the cop) AGAIN in a Brit-themed Thriller; I think they used him in every one). John Abbott is brilliantly eccentric and almost mesmerizing to watch; one of the series' standout performances; Michael Pate is also very convincing--the mark of an expert director.

Multi-part anthology shows like this one are always risky, since the individual stories are rarely consistent in quality, nor do they add up to a satisfying whole. "Trio" is definitely second-tier Thriller, but still a good example of the series' unique creepiness. LR

I've seen too many of these things, so I am not easily surprised. These are pretty average. The first involves a man who successfully plots to kill his uncle, but the uncle is a dabbler in black magic and, well, you know things are going to be tough at best. The second involves a man who is drawn to a kind of fin de siecle casino where he wins a fortune. Unfortunately, the people who run the place are not very friendly to big winners. The third involves a man who has a secret, a violent secret. He ends up in a kind of wax museum and spends time with the curator. There is the obligatory twist at the end of each. It is remindful of the series "Night Gallery," where Rod Serling would introduce paintings that told a brief story. Sometimes there were as many as four separate offerings. There are several wonderful character actors here and though predictable, it is quite atmospheric and well crafted.

Three short horror stories hosted by Boris Karloff sitting in a London pub. For some reason they all take place in 1905. The first has a man who murders his uncle for his money. Too late he finds out his uncle was a warlock. The second has a man who wins BIG at a casino...but may not live to use his money. The third has a murderer hiding out at a wax museum...but are the figures really wax? Well-acted and well-directed by Ida Lupino. An OK episode of the "Thriler" TV series.

The style of "Trio for Terror" is very different from other episodes of "Thriller". Instead of the usual hour-long show, this one was broken into three short stories. Unfortunately, none of them are particularly compelling or ironic or scary.

The first story is "The Extra Passenger". A man is goaded on to kill by his girlfriend and it all seems pretty easy, sneaking onto a train afterwards to create an alibi. The second is "A Terribly Strange Bed" and it's about a man who wins a lot of money in a gambling house...only to nearly be murdered there by a mechanical bed that squishes people. The third is "The Mask of Medusa" and it's about a man with a murderers museum and all the killers were turned to stone by Medusa's head.

While these stories could have worked, none of them were made especially well. Normal story elements seem strangely missing and each is a misfire. Odd and unsatisfying....like receiving nothing but white underwear for Christmas instead of cool presents!