Bit by bit…By bit he carved a nightmare!|Mar. 15, 1978|United States|93 Min.|R
Genre: Horror
Description: The Toolbox Murders (1978) is a gripping thriller that follows a mysterious man dressed in black as he drives through Los Angeles. Near a car dealership, he is haunted by a flashback of a fatal car accident that claimed the life of a young woman at that very spot. Upon arriving at an apartment complex, he kills Mrs. Andrews, a tenant who recognizes him, using an electric drill. He then dons a ski mask and brutally murders two more women—one with a hammer and the other with a screwdriver. The police are called to the scene, where they interview witnesses and Vance Kingsley, the building’s owner.
The killer strikes again the following night, breaking into the apartment of a woman engrossed in self-pleasure in her bathtub. He shoots her in the stomach and head with a nail gun before abducting Laurie Ballard, a fifteen-year-old resident of the building. Laurie’s brother, Joey, grows frustrated with Detective Jamison’s seemingly indifferent approach to his sister’s disappearance and decides to take matters into his own hands. While investigating the apartments of the victims, Joey meets Kent, Vance’s nephew, who has been tasked with cleaning up the deceased tenants’ homes. Kent reveals that Vance has been deeply affected by the death of his daughter, Kathy, who died in a car accident.
As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Vance is the serial killer, driven to religious mania by his daughter’s death. He targets those he deems sinners and has kidnapped Laurie to replace Kathy, keeping her tied up and gagged in Kathy’s old bedroom. Joey pieces together the clues pointing to Vance as the murderer and confronts him at the Kingsley house. Kent, who had earlier seen Laurie in captivity, follows Joey. Joey discovers bloody tools in Vance’s garage but is tragically confronted by Kent, who sets Joey on fire to protect his family, leading to Joey’s death.
Cast director: Dennis Donnelly
Cast actor: Cameron Mitchell, Pamelyn Ferdin, Wesley Eure, Aneta Corsaut, Nicolas Beauvy, Tim Donnelly, Faith McSwain, Marciee Drake, Evelyn Guerrero, Kelly Nichols
Original name: The Toolbox Murders