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:

female nudity | female frontal nudity | murder of a nude woman | naked dead woman | bare breasts | 

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Taglines:

Bit by bit..By bit he carved a nightmare!

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kelly Nichols (Dee Ann) took her brothers to see the movie when it was first released - coincidentally at the same theater she worked at when she was younger.

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Goofs

When the killer dons a ski mask following the first murder, he puts it on crooked so he's looking out of only one of the two eye holes.

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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 original UK cinema version was cut by around 6 minutes by the BBFC to remove a bathtub masturbation sequence and to heavily edit the murder scenes and shots of bloody bodies, and the film later ended up on the DPP 72 list of banned video nasties. In 2000 the film was finally released in the UK and was cut by 1 min 46 secs, with edits being made to a scene of a naked girl being chased and killed with a nail gun.

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Connections

References Bloodsucking Freaks (1976)

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Soundtracks

Pretty Lady
Sung by George Deaton & Terry Stubbs
Music & Lyrics by George Deaton

User Reviews

Wesley Eure proves "Land of the Lost" was a step up!

I never thought an actor from a campy Saturday morning kids show (Land of the Lost) could find a project even worse, but here we are! I saw this movie at the drive-in back in 1978. Bad acting? Yes! Bad script? Yes Bad lighting and sound? Yes. Horror? A little bit thanks to an item we all have in our homes, a toolbox. Cheap, expliotive trash like this can be enjoyed on a certain level if you check your brain at the door. I think everyone involved in this movie had a late payment on their new car pending or were dire need of some quick cash. Wesley Eure mutters the funniest line in the whole movie! After examining blood stains around an apartment in a rather inquisitive manner he finds a vibrator and picks it up and says "disgusting"! Blood and brains on the wall is okay but I guess a sex toy was just too much for his delicate psyche. Speaking of which the scene in which the victim uses her toy in the bathtub was quite erotic for a 1970's film. Cute, perky Pamelyn Ferdin was attempting to break into adult roles after years of playing kids roles but she should have held out for a better part or at least a more memorable one. Her character gets kidnapped and spends most of the movie gagged, I guess she did get an early copy of the script! After viewing this movie again the 90's I wanted to go to my toolbox and beat myself over the head with my rubber mallet.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 March 1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Toolbox Murders

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$185,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cal-Am Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1