The Toolbox Murders (1978)

Director:

Dennis Donnelly

Writers:

Neva Friedenn (writer) and
Robert Easter (writer) ...

Release Date:

March 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Bit by bit..By bit he carved a nightmare!

Plot:

Ski-masked maniac kills apartment complex tenants with the contents of a toolbox.

Plot Keywords:

Apartment Complex | Maniac | Flight Attendant | Female Flight Attendant | Knife Murder

Cast

Cameron Mitchell	...	Vance Kingsley
Pamelyn Ferdin	...	Laurie Ballard
Wesley Eure	...	Kent Kingsley
Nicolas Beauvy	...	Joey Ballard
Tim Donnelly	...	Detective Jamison
Aneta Corsaut	...	Jo Ann Ballard
Faith McSwain	...	Mrs. Andrews
Marciee Drake	...	Debbie
Evelyn Guerrero	...	Maria
Victoria Perry	...	Woman in Apartment
Robert Bartlett	...	Man in Apartment
Betty Cole	...	Middle Aged Woman
John Hawker	...	Middle Aged Man
Don Diamond	...	Sgt. Cameron
Alisa Powell	...	Girlfriend

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:Refused Classification | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Norway:(Banned) (1978-2003) | Norway:18 (2004) | Sweden:18 (video rating) | UK:18 (video rating) (2000) (cut) | UK:X (original rating) (cut) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Tony DiDio Productions

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: In the scene where we first see Laurie Ballard tied up in the bed and Vance enters the room, the shadow of a boom mic is clearly visible on the wall behind them.

Quotes:

Joey Ballard: I'll be home for dinner. What are you fixin'?
Laurie Ballard: Ah! La specialty of the house; chicken à la TV dinners.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Final Exam (1981)

The Rodney Dangerfield of Horror films

The great Cameron Mitchell is a masked maniac who kills the inhabitants with nail guns, screwdrivers & hammers, before kidnapping Laurie Ballard, a typical yet innocent 15 year old (played by Pamelyn Ferdin who is such a vegetarian that apparently she didn't even accept meaty roles). I really don't understand the general disdain for this fine grind-house film, especial by horror aficionados. The first 30 minutes are classic bloody grind-house shenanigans, while the rest is fun in a hokey, unintentionally humorous dialog type of way. And there's no doubt that Cameron played great nut cases in his career. Better than Tope Hooper's drab and lifeless 2004 re-make (or re-imagining, rather)

Eye Candy: Marciee Drake gets topless; Kelly Nichols gets fully nude; and extra nudity in the DVD menus & Extras

My Grade: B-

Blue Underground DVD Extras: Commentary with producer Tony Didio, cinematographer Gary Graver and actress Pamelyn Ferdin; an interview with actress Marianne Walter (AKA Kelly Nichols); Poster & still gallery; movie poster reproduction; Cameron Mitchell biography; TV spot; 2 Radio spots; and Theatrical trailer