Segment one we have Karen Black starring as conservatively dressed teacher Julie. In the beginning, one of her students sees her and decides she will become the target of his affections. He begins to chip away at her calm and controlled exterior, asking her out on dates, getting to know her. Eventually he date rapes her (!) and now we have a dynamic of control... But, there's something about Julie the student would have never suspected.
Segment two it's Karen Black as twin sisters Millicent and Therese. They're polar opposites of each other. Millicent is very much like Julie from segment one, conservative and contained, she is trying to get help from a doctor to control Therese. Therese is a swingin' cat, interested in sex and power and money, and pretty soon Millicent gets the idea that Therese will have to be killed. The doctor finally catches on to what's happening but is he going to be too late?
Segment three, Karen Black stars as Amelia. Amelia is a frustrated woman with a lot going on in her life and an over controlling mother. She has finally got a man in her life, and he's an archaeology teacher, so she found a weird Zuni fetish doll to give him for his birthday. But, as she reads from the scroll the doll came with, it's revealed that if the gold chain comes off the doll, the spirit of the warrior will come into the doll. Soon enough the chain slips off, and then it's Karen Black versus a 8 inch fetish doll with a spear. It's vaguely racist and crazy shenanigans from there on in!
This is a fast paced, easy flick to digest. There's nothing too crazy or weird about it, except the last part of the anthology. There's actually quite a bit of the last story to get into, but suffice to say it's the only part of the film which could be interpreted as "bad" but it would be bad in a hilarious way. The tones shift drastically between the first two and the last one, and I'd be hard pressed to think the last Zuni short was not made to be intentionally funny.
Karen Black pulls off the roles and is easily 90% why you'd want to check this film out, she is a good actress but I will say... Well, I've seen her work better than this, and I think partly it is due to the material present, and not herself. Director Dan Curtis we just saw in Scream of the Wolf, and I mentioned he did Burnt Offerings. He largely worked in made-for-TV movies and the Dark Shadows show, which I've never seen.
It's a fun time, a bit uneven sure, but a culty drinky smoky movie you'll enjoy decently. 2.5 stars.
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