The Toolbox Murders (1978)

Director:

Dennis Donnelly

Writers:

Neva Friedenn (screenplay) &
Robert Easter (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

March 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | 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 | Multiple Murder | Saw

Cast

Cameron Mitchell	...	Vance Kingsley
Pamelyn Ferdin	...	Laurie Ballard
Wesley Eure	...	Kent Kingsley
Nicolas Beauvy	...	Joey Ballard
Tim Donnelly	...	Detective Jamison
Aneta Corsaut	...	Joanne 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
Kelly Nichols	...	Dee Ann (as Marianne Walter)
Robert Forward	...	Screamer Man
Kathleen O'Malley	...	Screamer Woman
Gil Galvano	...	Man
James Nolan	...	Bartender
George Deaton	...	Preacher
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dennis Donnelly	...	Bar Patron at Table (uncredited)
Robert Leh	...	Policeman (uncredited)

Directed by
Dennis Donnelly

Writing credits
Neva Friedenn		(screenplay) &
Robert Easter		(screenplay) and
Ann Kindberg		(screenplay)
Robert Easter		story

Produced by
Tony DiDio	....	producer
Jack Kindberg	....	associate producer
Kenneth Yates	....	associate producer (as Kenneth A. Yates)

Original Music by
George Deaton

Cinematography by
Gary Graver		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Nunzio Darpino
Skip Lusk		(uncredited)

Production Design by
D.J. Bruno

Set Decoration by
Leamon Adams

Makeup Department
Edward Ternes	....	makeup artist (as Ed Ternes)

Production Management
Ann Kindberg	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ann Kindberg	....	assistant director
Gary LaPoten	....	second assistant director (as Gary M. Lapoten)

Art Department
Frank Armas	....	leadman

Sound Department
Bob Dietz	....	sound mixer (as Robert Dietz)
Beau Franklin	....	boom operator
Ron Moler	....	sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Jean Clark	....	electrician
Catherine E. Coulson	....	second assistant camera (as Catherine Coulson)
Hedy Dietz	....	still photographer
Michael Ferris	....	assistant camera
Gary Strange	....	key grip
R. Michael Stringer	....	gaffer (as Michael Stringer)
R. Michael Stringer	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michele Logan	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Michelle Logan)

Editorial Department
Mario S. Anthony	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Walt Cunningham	....	music arranger: keyboards
Zeke Dawson	....	music arranger: strings
George Deaton	....	conductor
Frank Evans	....	music engineer
Frank Evans	....	music mixer

Transportation Department
Charles Franchimone	....	driver
Thomas A. Gordon	....	driver (as Tom Gordon)

Other crew
Tony Didio Jr.	....	production assistant
Maria Dillon	....	production secretary (as Maria C. Dillon)
Nancy Hansen	....	script supervisor
Patty Koehnen	....	production assistant
Jim Magglos	....	bookkeeper
Ann McDonald	....	production assistant (as Anne McDonald)

Production Companies

• Cal-Am Productions
• Tony DiDio Productions

Distributors

• Cal-Am Artists (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• Creswin Distribution (????) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Blue Underground (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Blue Underground (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray)
• DMEG (2004) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Hollydan Works (2004) (Serbia and Montenegro) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Supersounds Films (2011) (Finland) (DVD)
• United Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Video Instant Picture Company (VIPCO) (2000) (UK) (DVD)
• Video Invest AB (????) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Video Media (198?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• X-Gabu Film (2006) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• A.B.E. Sound Innovation Studio  music recorded at
• Consolidated Film Industries (CFI)  color
• T.V. Recorders  sound transfers

Also Known As:

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

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 | Australia:Refused Classification | Finland:K-18 (self applied) (2006)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Cal-Am 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 Body Double (1984)

Soundtrack:

Pretty Lady

Makes you almost feel guilty

The stars of this film are Cameron Mitchell (232 performances in film), Pamelyn Ferdin (71 roles, including The Beguiled), Wesley Eure, and Kent Kingsley.

But, the real star of this mystery is Marianne Walter, who started her film career in the King Kong remake. You thought you were seeing Jessica Lange's breast's didn't you? No, they were Marianne's, and she really puts them on display here in her first film role. She gets nailed by the slasher after a long masturbation scene in the bathtub. Someone must have noticed her talent, as she changed her name to Kelly Nichols, and made 84 more films, most of them rated X.

This movie has some gruesome murders using tools, but it is not overly bloody. The real interest, aside from Marianne, is who the slasher is, and the reason for the murders, and how it ends. It has some real interesting twists and is made all the more interesting by the fact that is it supposedly based on a true story.

You will feel a little guilty watching this misogynistic trash, but it is cinematic history as this is one of the 74 video nasties banned in Britain. It was released with 1 minute and 46 seconds cut in 2000.