Evil Puppet

July 30, 2005 5:37 PM

What's the name of the British horror/suspense movie made around 1948 that consists of four separate stories, the last one of which is about a ventriloquist whose dummy starts talking to him?

The movie is an ensemble of four short stories. I thought it was "Tales After Dark / Midnight" or some variation, but I've drawn a blank in two weeks of sporadic searches. The more recent film, "Magic" is an expansion on this plot device, but the one I'm looking for is much older and in B/W.

posted by warbaby to media & arts (10 comments total)

Is it Dead of Night?
posted by iconomy at 5:46 PM on July 30, 2005

It wouldn't be the crapulicious Trilogy of Terror, starring the inimitable Karen Black in four -- count 'em, four -- roles, perhaps?
posted by rob511 at 8:09 PM on July 30, 2005

Most definitely sounds like Dead of Night. Terrific ending on that one.
posted by Sticherbeast at 8:13 PM on July 30, 2005

Actually, "Trilogy of Terror" (though not the movie warbaby is thinking of) was impressive and highly regarded movie. There are still plenty of people who vividly recall Matheson's 'Zuni Doll' after having only seen the movie once ... back in 1975!
posted by RavinDave at 8:17 PM on July 30, 2005

It is definitely "Dead of Night," and there are FIVE stories!
posted by grumblebee at 9:15 PM on July 30, 2005

(Six counting the "frame story.")
posted by grumblebee at 9:16 PM on July 30, 2005

Trilogy of Terror was, as I recall, an ABC Movie of the Week. And yeah, I remember the little Zuni Doll guy. Scared the shit out of me and I was 12 at the time. Old enough to get freaked out by adult stuff, but not experienced enough to have seen some of that kind of stuff before and therefore not conditioned to tolerate it.
posted by Doohickie at 9:32 PM on July 30, 2005

What grumblebee said.
posted by mwhybark at 10:11 PM on July 30, 2005

Yeah, it's Dead of Night, which scared me half to death as a kid. (Beware though: when I saw it again several years ago, it was a bit of a disappointment.)
posted by CunningLinguist at 6:23 AM on July 31, 2005

Yup, that's the one. It's been 20+ years since I've seen it.
posted by warbaby at 9:00 PM on July 31, 2005