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Ghost Canyon

The Toolbox Murders: 4K Ultra HD [2-Disc]
(Cameron Mitchell, Pamelyn Ferdin, Wesley Eure, et al / 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray + Blu-ray / R / (1978) 2021 / Blue Underground - MVD Visual)

Overview: In a quiet apartment complex in Los Angeles, a deranged handyman goes on a killing spree, savagely murdering immoral women with the tools of his trade - claw-hammers, screwdrivers, power drills and even a deadly nail gun!

But these gruesome massacres are just the beginning of this landmark epic of violence and depravity that was vilified by critics, banned by censors, and treasured by splatter fans worldwide!

Blu-ray Verdict: As I’m sure all fans of cheesy 70’s and 80’s horror films will already know, the now infamous Toolbox Murders was one of the nastier grindhouse horror movies to achieve commercial success and attain an enthusiastic cult following.

A series of bizarre murders begins taking place in a Hollywood apartment complex, and the victims are exclusively independent young women. Eventually (** SPOILER ALERT **), we come to realize that the murders are being committed by the hotel’s manager (Cameron Mitchell), who is targeting immoral young women as his victims.

It seems that his daughter was killed in a car crash after having gotten involved in sex and drug related activities. He is now on a crusade to rid the world of women who have gone down a similar path.

In a genuinely twisted subplot, he has become obsessed with a virginal girl in one of the apartments, whom he fantasizes as replacing his daughter. He kidnaps her and keeps her tied to his bed while he goes out and hammers and nail guns his victims.

It leads up to one of the most harrowing and unsettling finales I’ve ever seen in this type of movie. As you can tell, the plot itself is as sordid as one could have thought up and although it isn’t nearly as vile as, say CANNIBAL FEROX or I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE, Toolbox Murders is the kind of slasher movie that makes me completely understand all those vocal groups denouncing the entire subgenre!

But whilst there’s no question that the movie is sexist, it never crosses the line into rampant misogyny. Even the movie’s now infamous highlight, in which a nude woman is chased throughout her apartment by the nail-gun wielding killer, the victim manages to keep her cool and even tries to reason with the killer (albeit unsuccessfully) despite being in a most vulnerable position.

In closing, there is definitely enough style to make things interesting throughout, even given today’s mass market releases professing to be of the same ilk of genre and it moves along at a decent pace, so it never gets boring.

I mean, sure, it’s no Texas Chainsaw Massacre (original), but it delivers what it promises, something that too many horror movies fail to do. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.66:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

WORLD PREMIERE! New 4K 16-Bit Restoration from the uncut original negative Ultra HD Blu-ray (2160p) and HD Blu-ray (1080p) Widescreen 1.66:1 Feature Presentations
Audio: English: Dolby Atmos; English: 5.1 DTS-HD; English: 1.0 DTS-HD
Subtitles: English SDH, Français, Español
Audio Commentary #1 with Producer Tony DiDio, Director of Photography Gary Graver and Star Pamelyn Ferdin
NEW! Audio Commentary #2 with Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson
NEW! Drill Sergeant – Interview with Director Dennis Donnelly
NEW! Tools Of The Trade – Interview with Star Wesley Eure
NEW! Flesh And Blood – Interview with Actress Kelly Nichols
I Got Nailed In THE TOOLBOX MURDERS – Interview with Actress Marianne Walter
NEW! Slashback Memories – David Del Valle Remembers Cameron Mitchell
NEW! They Know I Have Been Sad – Video Essay by Film Historian Amanda Reyes and Filmmaker Chris O’Neill
Theatrical Trailer
TV Spot
Radio Spots
NEW! Poster & Still Gallery
Limited Edition embossed slipcover (First Pressing Only)
Region Free

www.Blue-Underground.com





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