The Toolbox Murders – 1978
Bit by bit..By bit he carved a nightmare!
Director
Dennis Donnelly

Writers
Neva Friedenn and
Robert Easter and
Ann Kindberg

Producers
Tony DiDio producer
Jack Kindberg associate producer
Kenneth Yates associate producer

Cast
Cameron Mitchell – Vance Kingsley
Pamelyn Ferdin – Laurie Ballard
Wesley Eure – Kent Kingsley
Nicolas Beauvy – Joey Ballard
Tim Donnelly – Detective Jamison
Aneta Corsaut – Jo Ann 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

Review by Sven Soetemans

Repulsive massacres and nothing else. Screw political correctness!!,
This film once made the notorious list of Britain’s forbidden movies and since I’m personally intrigued by that kind of garbage, I had to watch it sooner or later. It’s easy to see why this sickie got so infamous…after only 15 minutes of playtime you’re already treated to 3 repulsive massacres and gratuitous nudity (including a long and pointless female masturbation scene in a bathtub). No depth, no building up an atmosphere, not even a word of possible motives…just bloody butchering! Lovely! In case it’s not clear yet: this is a slasher movie from the era where everything was possible. The makers didn’t have to worry about ethical situations or whether their product was politically correct or not. All that matters is a grizzly portrayal of bad taste and explicitly showing the largest possible body count. And I’ll shamelessly admit that it works, too. This is one fun flick and, if you watch the fully uncut version, one of the bloodiest gems ever unleashed upon horror loving audiences. The Toolbox Murders is half creative and half imbecile. The idea of a killer using tools (nail gun, hammers and drills) is fairly imaginative but after a while the no-substance plot really begins to irritate you and some of the absurd plot-twists are too ridiculous for words. And I should mention the totally inappropriate use of music! Golden oldies, like country songs by Dolly Parton, are very over-the-top and completely misfit. The identity of the killer doesn’t really come as a surprise since you didn’t care enough to find out. And yes, you forgive him his ridicule motives for killing just because he does it so swell.

Even though this is far from being a horror masterpiece, director Tobe Hooper found the premise interesting enough to produce a remake in 2003. The setting of that film is entirely different but the killer’s nasty modus operandi is repeated. Never change a winning team, I guess….especially not if it is a gory as this one!