Toolbox Murders (2003)

Country of Origin: UK / USA
Year of Production: 2003
Running Times: 94 mins 52 sec
Length: 8537 ft
Format: colour     35mm
Ratio:
Sound:

CREDITS

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: A Toolbox Films Limited production in association with Toolbox Murders Inc / Alpine Pictures / Scary Movies Productions LLC
Copyright: © 2003 Toolbok Films Limited
Production Executives For Alpine Pictures: Roland Carroll, Rene Torres
Executive Producers: Ryan Carroll, Frank Strausser, Ronnie Truss, Mark Wooding
Producers: Tony DiDio, Terence S. Potter, Jacqueline Quella
Associate Producers: Adam Gierasch, Straw Weisman
Production Supervisor: Abbie Ludwig
Unit Production Managers: Victor Ho, Nick Smirnoff
Assistant Production Coordinator: Deborah Leyba

SCRIPT
Script: Jace Anderson, Adam Gierasch

DIRECTION
Director: Tobe Hooper
1st Assistant Director: Jonathan Zimmerman
2nd Assistant Director: Todd Hilyard

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Steve Yedlin
2nd Unit Camera Operator: Jaron Presant
1st Assistant Camera: Wade Whitley
2nd Unit 1st Assistant Camera: Michael Charbonnet
2nd Assistant Camera: John Doherty
Gaffer: Ama McDonald
Best Boy Electric: Vesa Holle
Electricians: Mike Weeks, Rudy Melendez, Matthew Deetsch, Jon Callesen, Christian Grosselfinger, Joel Potter, Andrea Burgess
Key Grip: Roy Kwalk
Best Boy Grip: Justin Pagel, Alfredo Denial
Dolly Grip: Ben Thompson
Grips: Danial Kauami, Pete Villani, Ryan Meyer, Sergei Egoshine, Eric Schmidt, Armen Kamborlsoumion, Kelly Price, Ross Addiego
Stills: Gary DeGalla, J.C. Matsuura
Digital and Video Dailies: Magic Film & Video Works
Film Stock: Eastman Kodak
Grip and Lighting Equipment: Leonetti Company
Dolly: J.L. Fisher Inc
Cameras: Panavision
Telecine: Magic Film & Video
Lab: Deluxe

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Andrew Cohen
Assistant Editor: Ann Cohen
Executive in Charge of Post Production: Straw Weisman, Marquee Productions
Post Production Operations: Debbie Weisman
Post Production Coordinator: Brenda Carlson
Lokbox Electronic Negative Conforming / Data Management for Digital Intermediate: Magic Film & Video Works
Digital Intermediate Services: Hollywood Intermediate Inc

MUSIC
Music: Joseph Conlan
Song: Richard Fox, Lauren Yason, Charlie Paulson, Noah Shain, C. Martucci (California (Back to Hell)); Jeremy Haffner, Stephen Cohen (Humbility; Negatore; Foeda Conveniunt; Vicodin); Adam Gierasch, Sara Downing (Surrealistic Summer)
Songs Performed By: Shithead (California (Back to Hell)); Oedipus (Humbility; Negatore; Foeda Conveniunt; Vicodin); Sara Downing (Surrealistic Summer)
Songs Producer: Charlie Paulson (California (Back to Hell))
Scoring Mixer: Michael Aarvolo

SOUND
Sound Designer: George Nemzer
Recordist: Donald Lyles
Sound Mixer: Jon Ailetcher
2nd Sound Mixer: Don Thomas
Engineering Supervisor: John Rotondi
Boom Operator: Dave Hadder
Utility Sound: Douglas Schaffer
Post Production Sound Design: Digital Dream Sound Studios Inc
Re-Recording Mixers: Stanley Kastner, Robby Bartholomew, Micha Liberman
Supervising Sound Editor: Clancy Troutman
Dialogue Editors: Robert Jason England, Vic Radulich
Dialogue Assistant Editor: Nate Atkins
ADR Recording: The Enterprise Post; Digital Dream Sound Studios Inc
ADR Recordist: Sonya Nyman
ADR Mixers: Barry Bartholomew, Eddie Rogers
ADR Editor: Eddie Rogers
Effects Editor: William Fox
Foley Artist: Karma Barber
Foley Mixer: Eddie Rogers
Foley Re-Recording: Digital Dream Sound Studios Inc
Digital Mixing Facility: Enterprise Post
Supervising Executive: Brian B. Murray
Dolby Sound Consultant: Bryan Arenas

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Hair: Cerina A. Silvestro
Costume Designer: Shon LeBlanc
Key Costumer: Tisha Jahnke
Set Costumers: Kendal Mineo, Christina DeMasi

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Special Effects Make Up: Dean Jones, Starr Jones, Justin Apone
Additional Make Up: Mark Shostrom

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Mechanical Effects: Eddie Surkin, John Roth

VISUAL EFFECTS
Visual Effects: Precinct 13 Ent.
Computer Animation: Ygal Doron
Animator / Compositor: Dave Matherly

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Yuda Acco
Art Director: Steve Miller
Set Decorator: Peggy Paola
On-Set Dresser: Peter Mayer
Prop Master: Tom Humphrey
Assistant Props: Brian Young
Construction Coordinator: Jhon Stone
Scenic Painter: Don Jacobson
Original Paintings: Dalia Hay-Acco
Lead Man: Lucas Smith
Swing: Dave DeValle, George Maya

MISCELLANEOUS
Script Supervisor: Mark Thomas
Production Accountant: Andrew Sears
Post Production Accountant: Kimberley Edwards
Production Assistants: Stacie Dekkar, Cory Byam, Stephen Cohen, Shannon Zimmerman, Brian Trinidad, Adam Weisman, Amy Shaw
Assistant to Tobe Hooper: Suzanne Santos
Transportation Coordinator: "Big Jim" Martell
Drivers: Benjamin Rivera, Bonnie Wiley-Martell, Bruce McCullogh, Gina August
Catering: Lurchese Catering
Craft Service: Sandy Flowers-Santos
Set Medic: Bill O'Neal, Jason Inman
CPA: Earl Gebel
Legal Services: Arthur L. Stashower Esq
UK Legal Services: Jonathan Blair, Addleshaw Goddard
Production Insurance: Truman Van Dyke, Kent Hamilton
Completion Guarantor: Film Finances Inc, Steve Berman, Paula Schmit, Kimberly Williams
Production Financing: The Lewis Horwitz Organization, a division of Imperial Capital Bank; Art Stribley, Max Vega, Adrian Ward, Gerald Malonda
Production Financing Legal Services: Adrian F. Rscher Esq

LOCATIONS
Locations: Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles, California, USA
Location Manager: Gary DeGalla
Location Assistant: Nick Staller

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special Thanks: Etchie Stroh and the Moonstone Team, Yael, Luz, Greg, Michael, Christine, Brandon; The Ambassador Hotel; Sam Gailey; Los Angeles Unified School District; Airwaves; Wilcox Sound; Background Players; Global Resources; La Brea Air Inc; NES Equipment Rentals; Mel Underwood Water Trucks; Jonas Matz; Nonstop Security; Quixote Studio Store; City National Bank; Avon Truck Rentals; Lucky McKee; Bob McMinn; John Tempereux

STUNTS
Stunt Coordinator: Chris Doyle
Nell Stunt Double: Cheryl Rusa
Steven Stunt Double: Jimmy Romano
Chas Stunt Double: Tom Morga
Daisy Stunt Double: Jane Austin

CASTING
Casting: Mark Sikes

CAST
Angela Bettis (Nell Barrows)
Brent Roam (Steven Barrows)
Marco Rodriguez (Luis Saucedo)
Rance Howard (Chas Rooker)
Juliet Landau (Julia Cunningham)
Adam Gierasch (Ned Lundy)
Greg Travis (Byron McLieb)
Chris Doyle (Coffin Baby)
Adam Weisman (Austin Sterling)
Christina Venuti (Jennifer)
Sara Downing (Saffron Kirby)
Jamison Reeves (Hudson)
Stephanie Silverman (Dora Sterling)
Allan Polonsky (Philip Sterling)
Charlie Paulson (Hans)
Eric Ladin (Johnny Turnbull)
Sheri Moon (Daisy Rain)
Price Carson (Officer Daniel Stone)
Carlease Burke (Officer Melody)
Bob McMinn (Shadow Man)
Ralph Morris (Nell's father)

Stand-Ins: Mathea Zimmerman, Ralph Morris

PLOT SUMMARY

Teacher Nell and her doctor husband Steven move into a new apartment in the run-down Hollywood hotel Lusman Arms. Surrounded by a collection of eccentrics and weirdos and distressed by the poor state of the currently under-renovation building, Nell becomes increasingly unhappy. But things are about to get a lot worse when a masked killer begins using the contents of his toolbox as weapons on a mass-murder rampage.

CAPSULE REVIEW

Despite once again proving that Hooper is a one-trick pony, The Toolbox Murders is a lot better than it had any right to be. It's certainly a lot better than the original, a rather dull and prosaic slasher best remembered for the admittedly brutal nailgun attack on Kelly Nichols. Hooper does well to give his remake a genuine 70s feel and its by far and away his strongest film in years. There's plenty of gore, tension by the bucket load and some very witty shocks, Hooper cleverly deflecting his audience away from where we think the scares are coming from and springing them on us from an altogether unexpected direction. Hooper makes nods to former glories and keeps the action moving even when the script takes a turn for the predictable near the end. The occult nonsense is poorly thought out and doesn't really add anything to the film, but Hooper makes what he can of it and keeps the violence and shocks coming thick and fast.

AVAILABILITY

Australia
DVD Distributors: Peacock Films

Finland
Theatrical Distributors: Future Film

UK
Theatrical Distributors: Anchor Bay Entertainment UK Ltd

CENSORSHIP HISTORY

Australia
Rating: MA

Finland
Rating: K-18

UK
Rating: 15 (uncut)

USA
Rating: R (for strong violence and gore, language, some sexuality and brief drug use)

TIMELINE

2003
November
1: USA – theatrical premiere in Hollywood, California

2004
March
19: Germany – shown at the Hamburg Nacht der 1000 Schreie
20: Germany – shown at the Berlin Nacht der 1000 Schreie
22: UK - video trailer rated 15 by the BBFC (uncut, for video / DVD release)
26: Germany – shown at the München Nacht der 1000 Schreie

April
10: USA – shown at the Philadelphia International Film Festival

May
7: UK - theatrical trailer rated 15 by the BBFC (uncut, for video / DVD release)
10: UK - rated 15 by the BBFC (uncut, for theatrical release)

June
4: Finland – shown at the Night Visions Film Festival
30: Australia - DVD release

July
30: Finland – theatrical release

August
6: USA – shown at the Egyptian Theatre Horror Series, Hollywood California
17: UK - shown at Frightfest, London

September
23: Thailand – theatrical release

November
12: UK - theatrical release

2007
January
13: UK - television broadcast (on ITV4)
19: UK - television broadcast (on ITV4)

POSTER TAGS

Another legacy begins.

LINKS

REMAKE OF
The Toolbox Murders (1978)

REFERENCES

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

KEYWORDS

apartment blocks, power tools, remakes, serial killers

Last Updated: 1 January, 2009