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      The Toolbox Murders

      R Released Mar 3, 1978 1h 33m Horror List
      13% Tomatometer 8 Reviews 30% Audience Score 1,000+ Ratings No one is safe when a killer, wielding the deadly contents of his toolbox, methodically stalks his prey. Read More Read Less

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      Critics Reviews

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      Budd Wilkins Slant Magazine Part slasher, part queasy psychological horror, and all grimy, Dennis Donnellys The Toolbox Murders gets an exceptional UHD upgrade and a bevy of excellent new bonus features. Feb 3, 2022 Full Review Empire Magazine Rated: 2/5 Apr 1, 2006 Full Review Phil Edwards Starburst Toolbox Murders is one of those thoroughly tasteless exercises in schlock that American film makers revel in. Jul 25, 2022 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy This escapes a one-star rating only because it's more competently filmed than other low-budget slasher flicks of the period and because its cast is a model of eclecticism. Rated: 1.5/4 Jan 29, 2022 Full Review Jonathan R. Perry Tyler Morning Telegraph (Texas) Rated: 0/5 Aug 3, 2005 Full Review Randy Shulman Metro Weekly (Washington, DC) Rated: 2/5 Feb 5, 2004 Full Review Read all reviews

      Audience Reviews

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      nick s A rather inconsistent movie that feels like a collage of competing ideas, but every so often there is an artistic flourish or some authentic acting that elevates it. So a little better than many slasher films. Still not great. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/16/24 Full Review Charles T This infamous little slasher flick with the infamous little title is full of blood, violence, and nudity. It is everything you expect from something of this ilk. Supposedly based on a true story, four women in an apartment building are brutally murdered by items normally found in a toolbox. The killer (and the film makers do not hide this fact) is Cameron Mitchell, the building owner. Mitchell is a religious nut who recently lost his daughter in a car accident. He then begins punishing "sinful" women. The last third of the film sees the deaths of two major characters, and wraps things up nicely with the end credits crawl describing what happened to the "survivors" of this "real life" crime spree. Although rated (R), this is some very violent stuff. The first half hour, when the majority of the crimes take place, is unpleasant. One of the first murders includes the now infamous murder of the model taking a bath. The blood flows freely, and the murders are punctuated by some truly bizarre country and love tunes. The film makers build up a subplot between Ferdin and Beauvy's mom and the standard driven police detective that never pans out, or is resolved. Ferdin and Eure were mainstays on television in the 1970's. They do well, considering the material. Donnelly's direction is pretty basic, a camera shadow can be seen here and there. Gary Graver, the cinematographer, is better known as Orson Welles' cameraman later in the great director's career. Graver seems to have made a career of this kind of film, his involvement usually sets you up for what to expect. I cannot explain why I am recommending this film. Genre fans might appreciate the gore effects, and the reputation this film now celebrates. This is a serial killer film before the term "serial killer" was coined. The events are watchable, however. "The Toolbox Murders" is not "Scream" or "Urban Legends," this is the type of film that no more motive than to scare and disgust its viewer. If that is all they wanted to do, they succeeded. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/27/23 Full Review Vicky H A gory and sleazy 70's slasher that have dated badly, very tame now with boring middle half. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 08/12/23 Full Review Audience Member Ignore the rotten critics haters this is really an Grindhouse slasher horror film and it's really violent disturbing and far out creepy. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 12/30/20 Full Review steve d Shocking at the time, but not especially good. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Sure it's pretty sleazy and very obviously a cheap knockoff of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but I think it's still a really effective slasher. Especially by the epilogue. It's got some great characters, with real humanity and it's rather grim. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/26/18 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis No one is safe when a killer, wielding the deadly contents of his toolbox, methodically stalks his prey.
      Director
      Dennis Donnelly
      Production Co
      Cal-Am Productions, Tony DiDio Productions
      Rating
      R
      Genre
      Horror
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Mar 3, 1978, Limited
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Aug 10, 2016
      Runtime
      1h 33m
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