The Toolbox Murders (1978)

Trailer:

What’s It About: Psycho killer in a ski mask terrorizes apartment complex killing girls with only his arsenal of household tools. One girl with a power drill, one with a hammer and another with a screwdriver. The next night he kills a very naked model with a nail gun and kidnaps a high school girl named Laurie. While police are investigating the crimes, the killer is revealed to be the superintendent of the complex who lost his daughter some time ago and is using Laurie as a surrogate daughter (who’s haphazardly tied up and gagged with what looks to be a doilie). Laurie’s brother, Joey and his friend Kent, the nephew of the super (Played by Will from Land of the Lost!) set out to find the missing sister unbeknownst to Kent that his uncle is actually the killer/kidnapper. Joey finds the toolbox with the blood-stained murder weapons and blames the uncle for the crimes to his friend. Kent defends his uncle not by words but by FIRE and sets Joey aflame by pouring gasoline on him and then throwing strike-anywhere matches at him! When Kent then finds out the uncle has Laurie kidnapped, either by a fit of rage or jealousy he attacks and kills the uncle. Hero? No, he then rapes Laurie. It is then implied that Laurie then kills Kent with a pair of scissors and walks home. Title cards reveal this was a dramatized account of a real series of crimes which turned out to be false.

Cozy kidnapping wouldn't ya say?

Is It Actually Scary: Not really. The first act is all about the killings which aren’t jumpy and the naked model kill scene isn’t scary unless nudity and female masturbation freak you out. The second act is all about Laurie and the creepy uncle/super who talks to her non-stop about nonsense.

Scariest Moment: For me the scariest moment was the way the uncle kept slurping his lollipop as he talked to the kidnapped Laurie. No joke. It was downright frightening.

How Much Gore: A very good amount. This film did not shy away from exploiting the murders by way of Black & Decker. In the first kill a lady’s arm is nearly torn apart at the elbow by a power drill and the hammer to the skull was not for the squeamish. The money spent on the karo syrup had to be very high.

Dumbest Moment: The Toolbox Murders is not a smart horror film. It is all dumb however, the dumbest moment is when the brother and friend go out on their own to “investigate” and waltz right into the dead model’s apartment willy-nilly to look for clues. Sure the police tape is no real deterrent but they didn’t think twice despite being high school kids. There’s blood stains all over the room and they just mosey on in and think they’re super-sleuths. And the nail that punctured the model in the guts is still in the wall. Wouldn’t the police take that vital piece of evidence? The boys did find one special clue—the model’s vibrator, which weirdly freaks out Kent for some reason.

So....This is what a homicide crime scene looks like?

Another dumb moment worth mentioning is the fact that Kent tries about 5 or 6 failed matches to burn Joey alive before BBQing his buddy.

I know your daughter is missing and probably dead but that stuffed dog behind you is sooo freakin' cute!!!

Any Nudity: Yessir!! The girl killed with the hammer is seen disrobing before a shower and of course you can’t really show a female masturbation scene in a bath without some nudity. In addition, after the killer enters the model’s apartment he chases her very wet and naked body to the bedroom and let’s just say it’s a wide shot and I’d bet she was paid extra for her acting duties.

Overall: Can’t say I hated it but it is a bad movie. The first 45 minutes are great. Very bloody and graphic kills, plenty of nudity and mystery to who the killer may be. However once the brother and Will from Land of the Lost enter the picture and we find out immediately that the uncle is the killer it’s all downhill. The uncle literally tortures Laurie with utter babble, blathering on and on about his dead daughter and bible verses and whatever else I had the good sense to tune-out. The motivation for Kent to kill his friend, especially in such a horrific way, comes out of nowhere and then to turn on his uncle is also ponderous. I guess we can assume insanity runs in that family.