The Toolbox Murders [Bootleg] (1978)

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The Toolbox Murders [Bootleg] (1978) Composed by George Deaton (?-2024) Tracklisting: 1. [00:00] Main Title 2. [04:30] A Quiet Neighbourhood 3. [05:25] Holding A Captive 4. [07:03] Trespassing 5. [09:09] Camelot 21115 6. [11:47] Searching the Toolbox 7. [12:22] Protect My Family 8. [14:08] The Last Stand 9. [18:27] Pretty Lady (Vocal) 10. [21:36] The Toolbox Murders Trailer From television director Dennis Donnelly, this low-budget American exploitation film stars former porn star Kelly Nichols (under the name Marianne Walter), Canadian actor Nicolas Beauvy, former child actor Pamelyn Ferdin (who was in numerous television shows during the 1960's and 1970's), actor, director, producer, and singer Wesley Eure, Aneta Corsaut (1933-1995), film, stage, and television actor Cameron Mitchell (1918-1994), film, radio, and television actor Don Diamond (1921-2011), film and television actress Kathleen O'Malley (1924-2019), and film and television actor Tim Donnelly (1944-2021). The film was clearly inspired by the Italian giallos, with its whodunnit structure, its focus on a string of savage sex crimes, and its twist ending. It even has veteran actor Cameron Mitchell, who starred in Mario Bava's 1964 classic 'Blood and Black Lace. The film has gained a cult following over the years due to the outrage it originally generated, and in 2004, Tobe Hooper (1943-2017) directed a remake, simply entitled 'Toolbox Murders, which veered considerably from the original plotline, but was ultimately better received than the original. The plot is a simple one. A mad killer (a chilling yet convincing performance by Cameron Mitchell) wearing a ski-mask is taking out his hate-fuelled rage on the amoral and sexually impure women of an apartment complex. The killer is determined to hammer, nail, drill, and screw the filth out of these women if it kills him. He then kidnaps a teenage girl (Pamelyn Ferdin) and keeps her bound and gagged as things take several nasty turns. The police are baffled, so it's up to teenager Joey (Nicolas Beauvy), whose sister is missing, to unravel the crimes. While on the surface there's nothing terribly unique about the film (even by low-budget horror standards), it's elevated by competent direction from Donnelly (this was his only film) and cinematographer Gary Graver (who shot several feature films for Roger Corman), and features a stellar performance from Mitchell, who adds a layer of eeriness to his character by constantly humming quietly to himself as he goes about his work. The film is further accompanied by a score that thrusts the listener into the killer's nightmarish world courtesy of haunting compositions, distorted voices, strange throbbing atmospheres, and a scratchy, easy listening song that adds a curious juxtaposition to the acts of violence enacted onscreen. The song (Pretty Lady) was performed by George Deaton and Terri Stubbs who, apparently, was only fourteen years old when she recorded this. Not much is known about Deaton, and his brief flirtation with film music only produced this one score. However, he released a handful of singles and EP's during the 1970's and had appeared (in minor roles) in the films 'The One-Man Jury (1978) and 'E.S.P. (1983). This video is for promotional use only. I do not own the rights to the music. All rights belong to the artist / band.