Toolbox Murders (2004)

A historic Hollywood hotel houses a supernatural evil. It's been subdued for decades - but when renovations start, a series of murders take place. It's up to our heroine to solve the mystery.

Director:

Tobe Hooper

Writers:

Jace Anderson, Adam Gierasch

Stars:

Angela Bettis, Brent Roam, Marco Rodríguez

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Angela Bettis	...	Nell Barrows
Brent Roam	...	Steven Barrows
Marco Rodríguez	...	Luis Saucedo (as Marco Rodriguez)
Rance Howard	...	Chas Rooker
Juliet Landau	...	Julia Cunningham
Adam Gierasch	...	Ned Lundy
Greg Travis	...	Byron McLieb
Christopher Doyle	...	Coffin Baby (as Chris Doyle)
Adam Weisman	...	Austin Sterling
Christina Venuti	...	Jennifer
Sara Downing	...	Saffron Kirby
Jamison Reeves	...	Hudson
Stephanie Silverman	...	Dora Sterling
Alan Polonsky	...	Philip Sterling (as Allan Polonsky)
Charlie Paulson	...	Hans

Storyline

Nell and her husband Steven are looking for a business, as well as a home, when they come across the Lusman Arms apartment block. They move in and begin renovating the building, in which a series of weird killings begin to take place. When she finally discovers the supernatural evil behind it all, she gets more than she bargained for!

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Plot Keywords:

murder | neighbor | violence | flashlight | thunderstorm | 

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Taglines:

Another legacy begins.

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence and gore, language, some sexuality and brief drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [uk]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 September 2004 (Israel)

Also Known As:

The Toolbox Murders

Filming Locations:

Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alpine Pictures, Scary Movies LLC, Toolbox Murders Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min 91 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The tools in the toolbox belong to Tobe Hooper.

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Goofs

When Ned is in front of the elevator it opens and Julia comes out. A front shot of Ned shows him with his hair all over his face. Then another shot shows his hair to the sides and then it changes back to cover his face.

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Quotes

Luis Saucedo: Here you go, catch.
[tosses water bottle to Julia]
Julia Cunningham: You're a lifesaver.
Luis Saucedo: Hey, it's a full-time job with you, isn't it? All this huffin' and puffin' and runnin' around in circles to get back to where you started.
Julia Cunningham: One of these days I'm gonna get you to come with me.
Luis Saucedo: Oh no, I'm a stand-in-one-place kinda guy.
Julia Cunningham: It's working
[does a spin]
Luis Saucedo: Oooh Yeah!
Julia Cunningham: Night Louis.
[...]

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Crazy Credits

Every years thousands of people come to Hollywood to pursue their dreams. Some succeed. Some move back home... And some just disappear.

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Connections

References The Wizard of Oz (1939)

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Soundtracks

"California (Back To Hell)"
by Shithead

User Reviews

Tobe Hooper's Return to Greatness?

A young woman (Angela Bettis) and her husband move into an apartment complex in Hollywood, but from day one things are not going well. People disappear, screams come from every corner and there is pounding in the night. What is the secret of the Lusman Building?

This could be Tobe Hooper's return to form. Starting off strong with "Texas Chain Saw Massacre" and "The Funhouse", he took a nose dive for a while. He has always had a sense of blandness mixed in with his subversive side... and this film breaks that mold. No blandness here.

Adam Gierasch, the film's writer, appears as the apartment manager Byron, with great voice modification. And I think Gierasch may have been this film's savior, writing Hooper a script that is well thought out, original, esoteric, and breathes new life into the dead slasher genre.

Angela Bettis is one of today's best horror actresses... is she weirdly hot or just weird? The Julia character... not sure why, but she's the sexual object for Ned, the strange handyman and murder suspect. Even Sheri Moon shows up for some reason.