Toolbox Murders (2004)

Director:

Tobe Hooper

Writers:

Jace Anderson (written by)
Adam Gierasch (written by)

Release Date:

9 September 2004 (Israel)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

Another legacy begins.

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Neighbor | Violence | Flashlight | Thunderstorm

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

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
Eric Ladin	...	Johnny Turnbull
Sheri Moon Zombie	...	Daisy Rain (as Sheri Moon)
Price Carson	...	Officer Daniel Stone
Carlease Burke	...	Officer Melody Jacobs
Bob McMinn	...	Shadow Man
Ralph Morris	...	Nell's Father

Directed by
Tobe Hooper

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jace Anderson		written by
Adam Gierasch		written by

Produced by
Ryan Carroll	....	executive producer
Tony DiDio	....	producer
Adam Gierasch	....	associate producer
Gary LaPoten	....	producer
Terence S. Potter	....	producer
Jacqueline Quella	....	producer
Frank Strausser	....	executive producer
Ronnie Truss	....	executive producer
Straw Weisman	....	associate producer
Mark Wooding	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Joseph Conlan

Cinematography by
Steve Yedlin		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Andrew Cohen

Casting by
Mark Sikes

Production Design by
Yuda Acco

Art Direction by
Steven R. Miller

Set Decoration by
Peggy Paola

Costume Design by
Shon LeBlanc

Makeup Department
Justin Apone	....	special makeup effects artist
Dean Jones	....	makeup department head
Starr Jones	....	makeup artist
Mark Shostrom	....	additional makeup
Cerina Silvestro	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Victor Ho	....	unit production manager
Abbie Ludwig	....	production supervisor
Nick Smirnoff	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Todd Hilyard	....	second assistant director
Dean Jones	....	second unit director
Starr Jones	....	second unit director
Jonathan Giles Zimmerman	....	first assistant director

Art Department
David Delvalle	....	set dresser
Emily Lawless	....	painter
Peter Mayer	....	on-set dresser
Tommy Paul	....	set dresser
Wade Randolph	....	art swing
Brian Young	....	assistant property master

Sound Department
Jon Ailetcher	....	sound mixer
Bryan Arenas	....	consultant: dolby sound
Nathan Atkins	....	assistant sound editor
Karma Barber	....	foley artist
Robby Bartholomew	....	adr mixer
Jason England	....	dialogue editor
Bill Fox	....	background sound editor
David Hadder	....	boom operator (as Dave Hadder)
Stanley Kastner	....	sound re-recording mixer
Micha Liberman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Donald Lyles	....	sound recordist
Brian B. Murray	....	supervising sound executive
George Nemzer	....	sound designer
Kurt Peterson	....	boom operator
Vic Radulich	....	adr editor
Vic Radulich	....	dialogue editor
Eddie Rogers	....	adr mixer
Eddie Rogers	....	foley mixer
John Rotondi	....	sound engineer
Doug Schaffer	....	utility sound
Don Thomas	....	second sound mixer
Clancy T. Troutman	....	supervising sound editor

Special Effects by
Dean Jones	....	special effects
John Roth	....	special effects
Eddie Surkin	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Ygal Doron	....	computer animation
Dave Matherly	....	animator
Dave Matherly	....	digital compositor

Stunts
Justin Apone	....	stunt double: Luis
Jane Austin	....	utility stunts
Caron Colvett	....	stunts
Christopher Doyle	....	stunt coordinator
Tom Morga	....	stunt double
Jimmy Romano	....	stunt double
Cheryl Rusa	....	stunt double
Caron Colvett	....	stunt performer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ross Addiego	....	grip
Andreas Burgess	....	electrician (as Andrea Burgess)
Jon Callesen	....	electrician
Michael Charbonnet	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Matthew Deetsch	....	electrician
Gary DeGalla	....	still photographer (as Gary De Galla)
Alfredo Denila	....	best boy grip (as Alfredo Denial)
John Doherty	....	second assistant camera
Sergei Egoshine	....	grip
Christian Grosselfinger	....	electrician
Vesa Holle	....	best boy electric
Daniel Kauahi	....	grip
Roy Kwalk	....	key grip
Steven A. Lundgren	....	grip
Ama MacDonald	....	gaffer
J.C. Matsuura	....	still photographer
John C. Matsuura	....	still photographer
Rudy Melendez	....	electrician
Ryan Meyer	....	grip
Justin Pagel	....	best boy grip
Joel Potter	....	electrician
Jaron Presant	....	camera operator: second unit
Jaron Presant	....	cinematographer: second unit
Kelly Price	....	grip
Ben Thompson	....	dolly grip
Peter Villani	....	grip
Michael Weeks	....	electrician (as Mike Weeks)
Wade Whitley	....	first assistant camera
Greg Wilson	....	grip
Andrew Kasch	....	grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Christina DeMasi	....	set costumer
Kendel Mineo	....	set costumer
Tisha D. Nagel	....	key costumer (as Tisha Jahnke)

Editorial Department
Julian Blom	....	editorial consultant: Aquarius Films
Tricia Chiarenza	....	color timer
Debbie Weisman	....	post-production operations

Music Department
Michael Aarvold	....	music scoring mixer
Stephen Cohen	....	composer: songs "Welcome", "Vicodin", "Humbility" and "Negatore"
Richard Fox	....	composer: song "California"
Lauren Yason	....	composer: song "California"

Transportation Department
Gina August	....	driver
Jim Martell	....	transportation coordinator
Bruce McCullogh	....	driver
Benjamin Rivera	....	driver
Bonnie Wiley-Martell	....	driver

Other crew
Nathan Atkins	....	additional avid assistant
Steve Berman	....	completion guarantor: Film Finances Inc.
Jonathan Blair	....	legal services: UK
Cory Byam	....	production assistant
Roland Carroll	....	production executive
Gary DeGalla	....	location manager (as Gary De Galla)
Stacie Dekker	....	key set production assistant
Kimberly Edwards	....	post-production accountant
Sandy Flowers	....	craft service
Addleshaw Goddard	....	legal services: UK
Kent Hamilton	....	production insurance
Lew Horwitz	....	production financing: The Lewis Horwitz Organization (as Lewis Horwitz)
Jason Inman	....	medic
Deborah Leyba	....	assistant production coordinator
Gerald Malonda	....	production financing: The Lewis Horwitz Organization
Ralph Morris	....	stand-in
Bill O'Neal	....	medic
Ryan O'Quinn	....	adr voice
Adrian F. Roscher	....	legal services
Suzanne Santos	....	assistant: Mr. Hooper
Suzanne Santos	....	production assistant
Paula Schmidt	....	completion guarantor: Film Finances Inc.
Andrew Sears	....	production accountant
Amy Shew	....	production assistant (as Amy Shaw)
Nick Staller	....	assistant location manager
Arthur Stashower	....	legal services
Mark S. Thomas	....	script supervisor
Rene Torres	....	production executive
Brian Trinidad	....	production assistant
Truman Van Dyke	....	production insurance
Max Vega	....	production financing: The Lewis Horwitz Organization
Adam Weisman	....	production assistant
Kimberly Williams	....	completion guarantor: Film Finances Inc.
Mathea Zimmerman	....	stand-in
Shannon Zimmerman	....	production assistant
Justin Apone	....	double (uncredited)

Thanks
Samuel W. Gailey	....	special thanks (as Sam Gailey)
Jonas C. Matz	....	special thanks (as Jonas Matz)
Lucky McKee	....	special thanks
Bob McMinn	....	special thanks
Elizabeth Rial	....	thanks
Ernst Etchie Stroh	....	special thanks (as Etchie Stroh)

Production Companies

• Alpine Pictures
• Scary Movies LLC
• Toolbox Murders Inc.

Distributors

• Artecinema (2005) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Future Film (2005) (Finland) (theatrical) (DVD)
• Gussi Artecinema (2005) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Lions Gate Films (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• MegaVision (2004) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• 21st Century Video (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• Atlantic Film (2007) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (Spain) (2005) (Spain) (DVD)
• PlayArte Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• PlayArte Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Toolbox Murders Inc.

Special Effects

• Precinct 13 Entertainment (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Addleshaw Goddard  legal services: UK
• Airwaves  special thanks
• Avon Truck Rental  special thanks
• Background Players  special thanks
• City National Bank  special thanks
• DeLuxe Laboratories  developed by
• Digital Dreams Sound Studios  adr recording
• Digital Dreams Sound Studios  foley re-recording
• Digital Dreams Sound Studios  post-production sound and design
• Eastman Kodak  film raw stock
• Enterprise Post  adr recording
• Enterprise Post  digital mixing facility
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Hollywood Intermediate  digital intermediate services
• Imperial Capital Bank  production financing provided by
• J.L. Fisher  dollies provided by
• Leonetti Company  grip and electric equipment
• Lewis Horwitz Organization, The  production financing provided by
• Lurchese Catering  catering
• Magic Film and Video Works  digital and video Dailies
• Magic Film and Video Works  negative conforming and data management
• Magic Film and Video Works  telecine
• Marquee Productions  post-production
• Mel Underwood Water Truck Inc.  special thanks
• NES Studio Equipment  special thanks
• Non-Stop Security  special thanks
• Panavision  cameras provided by
• Wilcox Sound  special thanks

Also Known As:

MPAA:

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

Runtime:

95 min | Germany:91 min (DVD version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-18 | Philippines:R-13 | Spain:13 | USA:R | Sweden:15 | Germany:18 | Singapore:NC-16 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Netherlands:16 | Canada:18A (Ontario) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | UK:15 (original rating) | Ireland:18 | UK:18 (DVD rating) | South Korea:18 | Italy:VM14

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Alpine Pictures

Trivia:

The tools in the toolbox belong to Tobe Hooper.

Goofs:

Continuity: A box of detergent appears and disappears from a washing machine between shots.

Quotes:

Nell Barrows:Were you aiming for Dante's Third or Fourth Circle of Hell?
Steven Barrows:It was just bad timing.
Nell Barrows:Honey, "bad timing" is arriving late for dinner. This is fire-bombing the restaurant.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The VanBebber Family (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

California (Back To Hell)

Hollywood Occult

This is such a great horror-film, and it has some original-twists to it too. The story centers-around the "Lusman Arms" (really the Ambassador Hotel, once THE place for the Hollywood elite and the site of the RFK assassination), a decaying-Hotel in a seedy part of Los Angeles. It seems after recent-renovations to the structure of the building there have been some strange-occurrences: a workman hurt in an unexplained-blast, and strange electrical-surges. There is a constant-sound of hammering, even when the workmen are gone. Tenants have gone-missing, and a strange aura of oppressiveness has descended-upon the building. It seems the place has a reputation that the building manager (a concierge) doesn't want known. It's just a great film, with a bunch of oddball-characters, unlike the log-jam of boring, PG-13 pseudo-horror. The characters in this film feel real, and I like them. Because I like them, I fear for them, and that is what horror is about.

Enter Nell (Angela Bettis of "May") and Steven, two new tenants. We get to know them and some of their backstory, and the decaying-Lusman is literally filled with oddities. For those who have lived in a 1920s-era apartment building, a lot of the funny-parts about maintenance (or the lack-of) will be familiar! If you have ever lived in an old-building, you can attest to the impressions of the past within-the-walls. The ghosts of "old Hollywood" haunt this film, just like they do the films of David Lynch or Kenneth Anger. Let's face it, with the legend of the Black Dahlia (mentioned in the film), the constant-battle for the control of the water-supply (an engineer once controlled L.A. His name was William Mulholland, and designed the Owens Valley Acqueduct), the Manson Family, gangs, poverty, the desert air, all the Hollywood deaths and scandals, cults, Scientology, the Mexican Day of the Dead, Chinatown, drugs, the Ramparts scandals, decades of obscene-corruption--Los Angeles is creepy.

Nell notices a lot of hammering and other strange-phenomena, and eventually begins to probe the mystery of the Lusman Arms. This descent-into-hell is what makes this not merely a slasher, but an Occult-horror piece. The Lusman has a strange, esoteric architecture and a storied-past. It also has mysterious symbols covering it's walls in key-locations. The logical-sequence of room numbers are missing some rooms. Some have commented that the symbols are "Masonic", even calling the film "Masonic-horror", which is false and misleading. The symbols are ancient, and have been around for thousands of years, and most should be familiar. I noticed absolutely nothing "Masonic" in the film whatsoever, which is odd. I guess they were reviews by Nazi-skinheads.

The best-part of this story is that it connects the enigmatic-tale of Jack Parsons, an occultist Crowley-devotee who founded the Jet-Propulsion Lab, being an early rocketeer. It is said that Parsons claimed to have created an "homunculus", an artificial human-being, so there is a genuine-connection with L.A.'s strange-relationship with occultism here. Parsons blew-himself-up in an alchemical experiment in the late-1940s--exactly where the "Lusman-mythos" begins. Without Jack Parsons, there would be no Scientology: L. Ron Hubbard ripped-him-off in a business-deal and used the money to fund the publishing of "Dianetics". I think the occult-backstory of the killer was Tobe Hooper's idea, and it really draws-you-in. "Occult" comes from archaic-Greek, and merely denotes "hidden", nothing-more. There are many hidden-secrets at the Lusman.

The murderer in the film is great, and one could consider it Parson's homunculus in-a-way, though the "coffin-birth" masks this element. I actually thought the "coffin-baby" backstory was interesting, and had the ring of occult-lore to it. Frankly, I would have to agree with some reviewers--if you aren't familiar with occultism, you aren't going to get a lot of the premise here. So, get-familiar kids, study the occult, hah-hah. Nonetheless, it's still a film you can watch superficially, enjoying the many mysteries that Hooper and his writers treat us to. Also, the murders-themselves are pretty original and thrilling, some even gruesome in a way that would do Argento proud! Go-figure, reality isn't what you thought it was! Without giving-away too much, this is a tale of the undead, kept-active by sacred-geometry in the structure of a building. It is a story of the darkness and mystery that surrounds-us, and a story of magic and curiosity. There are so-many incredible images of horror in this film, it is just excellent and intriguing. With a budget of less-than $1 million, Tobe Hooper has created a new classic horror that is likely to be imitated. It is surely "better" than the original film, and is simply his and his writers' take on the source (with major-revisions and additions). It is a re-imagining. The score by Joseph Conlan is very good, and atmospheric, hitting all the right marks. It makes the film feel larger. Toolbox Murders has a lot on-offer for such a little film, and is a great return-to-form for Mr. Hooper. Here's to more from him.