The Toolbox Murders (1978)

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

Director:

Dennis Donnelly

Writers:

Neva Friedenn (screenplay), Robert Easter (screenplay)

Stars:

Cameron Mitchell, Pamelyn Ferdin, Wesley Eure

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

A lunatic runs around an apartment complex, apparently home only to attractive flight attendants with a tendency towards exhibitionism. While there, the lunatic tries to kill all the tenants with the contents of a toolbox. Based (probably quite loosely) on a true story.

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Plot Keywords:

cult film | tragic villain | remade | low budget film | power drill | 

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Taglines:

What he does to your nerves is almost as frightening as what he does to his victims!

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 March 1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

Na Senda do Crime

Filming Locations:

22700 Chase Place, Canoga Park, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$185,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cal-Am Productions, Tony DiDio Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Pornographic actress Kelly Nichols got the role of Dee Ann after the first two actresses backed out.

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Goofs

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).

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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.

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Alternate Versions

The version televised on the UK's Zone Horror channel in 2007 was complete and uncut.

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Connections

References Bloodsucking Freaks (1976)

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Soundtracks

Carolina in the Morning
Sung by George Deaton
Music & Lyrics by George Deaton

User Reviews

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.