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:

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

Cal-Am Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: After Kent kills Vance in the kitchen there is a dish rack to the right of the sink touching the edge, but when Kent washes the bloody doll in the same sink a few seconds later the dish rack is missing (removed to make room for the camera).

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 The Death King (1990)

Soundtrack:

I've Got Everything It Takes to Be a Fool

Don't believe the hype! Lame "video nasty".

"Banned since 1982" screams the video box. After sitting through an hour and a half of this crud you'll be lining up to have it banned for another twenty years. Not because it's controversial, too violent, or objectionable in any way (except perhaps aesthetically), but simply to save your fellow movie watchers from having to experience this incoherent, pointless mess. And it is a MESS. Badly written, directed and acted, with no redeeming features. And I LIKE horror folks.

The first 20 minutes or so features a series of murders of young women by various items from a toolbox - drill, hammer, nail gun,etc. (why a toolbox you ask? Good question...). The victims are all attractive and seem to share a taste for MOR country music. The killer wears a ski mask and sometimes hums to himself. (Maybe he's a country purist and is offended by their lack of Hank Williams?)

Anyway, after that the movie rapidly gets duller and duller, a girl gets kidnapped, some inept cops investigate the murders and are baffled, even though you'll pick the killer as soon as you see him. B-grade legend Cameron Mitchell hams it up sucking a lollipop and singing spirituals, and the faceless supporting cast are as bad as the stinker of a script. If you haven't seen 'The Toolbox Murders' well, you haven't missed anything much. Not even bad enough to be funny.