Hey folks, Harry here... Recently saw this film myself and have to admit that friendships with the director and star aside... I really disliked the film. Tobe is capable of far superior work, but unfortunately he is neither being offered the scripts, nor the budgets to prove it. It isn't a terrible film, there's an ok performance from Angela Bettis in it, and like the reviewer below says, the deaths are pretty gruesome and good... but frankly - that's about it. The writing was just awful and it really did show it's low-budget, frayed edges and all. Keep your expectations low and you may enjoy this one.
hey Harry
Tobe Hooper's remake of Toolbox Murders has been out in Australia for so long it's almost a weekly DVD now at Blockbuster but I'll review it now in the ray of hope I get posted on the site.
I start with saying I hated Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I thought it was poorly acted, terribly not-scary, laughable at times, and that ending was just so shit I hated it even more. But then again, you're taking this opinion from a guy who thought the Michael Bay produced remake was bloody awesome so go figure.
So you can imagine I wasn't expecting much for this film. But I heard it was supposed to be really good so I went out and rented and found myself watching probably the most interactive and scary horror flick I've ever watched.
Now, when I say interactive, I mean 'house-wife-watching-soap-opera' interactive, as in "No! Don't go in there! He'll kill you!", which I never do in a movie. I just got really attached to the main character 'coz I found her so accessible and well portrayed it feels like you know her. I've never been scared by a movie before, and I'm thinking the late night viewing in the dark all alone helped the feeling but at times I felt really freaked out at the suspense. I'm thinking it was shot on 16mm, 'coz it has that dull grim look about it, but I could be wrong - I am only 14 you know.
I've never seen the original but on the Making Of the producer's saying it's not a remake or a sequel, it's simply "getting a title like this and putting in the hands" of someone like Tobe (that quote's mostly right). And if u really enjoy this DVD a lot, pirates rejoice 'coz it's single-layered so you can burn the lot (probably shouldn't have included but it's true)!
TINY SPOILER AHEAD
I found the whole secret room business a bit like that book The 13th Floor and in Hellraiser: Bloodline (the WORST horror movie I can think of) when those cops find the hideout and get their heads wrapped around some poles.
This film doesn't seem as GREAT as some other horror flicks I love - and I say GREAT as in I can watch again and again and again but not necessarily frightening - to watch, but still has this unsettling feel in it that I admire.
I love the death scenes. Very traditional and genre-loyal. And finally, I actually liked the ending on this one. Very mainstream and cool.
Overall this little film is a little ripper. An obvious straight-to-video flick but a great one at that. And it has CULT written all over it.
If you use this, call me Kid Joker.
