Comparison between the R-Rated theatrical cut and the Unrated version.

The Toolbox Murders

Nell, a teacher, moves with her husband Steven into the former luxury hotel Lusman Arms, which is now very much in its infancy. Right from the start she has a bad feeling. The renovation work has not yet been completed, property manager Byron makes promises he cannot keep, and she is disturbed by loud music and quarrels from the neighbors. The only person Nell can make friends with is Julia, a single woman. Over the course of a few days, several neighbors disappear, including Julia. As Nell investigates the building, she uncovers a terrible secret.

This loose remake of the 1978 The Toolbox Murders is a small but sweet slasher flick about a tool-fixated killer. It's directed by Tobe Hooper, who quotes himself in the finale. The decomposed corpses are strongly reminiscent of Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Unrated version as a bonus in the German Mediabook by '84 Entertainment

For an R-rated release in the US, the film had to be censored a bit. Affected are the murders of Julia, Ned and Luis, where some bloody details were removed. At the time, the shortened scenes were included in the bonus material of the US DVD from Lionsgate. Skilled fans were thus able to recreate the Unrated version. On January 28 2022, '84 Entertainment released a mediabook of The Toolbox Murders, which includes a bonus DVD with the Unrated version. As you would expect, the cut scenes from the US DVD's bonus material were edited into the film. Qualitatively, these scenes are a bit inferior to the rest of the film and therefore easily recognizable. It should be noted that the Unrated scenes run a little slower than the rest of the film. In addition to the extended murders, other action scenes were packed into the film. So you see the killer on the roof a few times and towards the end Nell goes back to the morgue once again.

Is the Unrated version worth it? Conditionally! If you already know the Deleted Scenes, you won't see anything really new. The extended murder scenes are much bloodier, but not necessarily better. Due to the amount of blood, the scenes sometimes seem overdone. Less is more. The additional scenes with the killer on the roof even hurt the film. This way the viewer knows that the killer was in the rocking chair. The mysteriously wobbling rocking chair of the R-rated version is much more threatening.

Furthermore, it can be said that the mediabook is priced very high. The price-performance ratio is not good here.


Runtimes:

R-Rated: 91:02 Min.
Unrated: 93:16 Min.

[00:41:44][01:41:44]

After the killer applies the drill, the Unrated shows a shot of it drilling into Julia's head.

Unrated: 1.00 Sek.


[00:41:45][00:41:46]

The R-rated cuts to the killer, then to Julia, whose head is shaking.

In the unrated version, Julia is seen longer as the drill bores into her head. This is followed by a cut to the killer, then to the back of Julia's bloody head.

R-Rated: 1.84 Sek.
Unrated: 3.52 Sek.


[00:41:49][00:41:52]

The Unrated cuts to the killer, then to Julia, who is spitting blood. The back of her bloody head can be seen. Blood spurts from it as the drill continues to advance.

Unrated: 3.92 Sek.


[00:41:50][00:41:56]

At the end of the murder of Julia, the R-rated shows her. Julia spits blood.

In the Unrated version, the killer is seen a little longer. His drill bores into Julia's head. The drill head comes out of Julia's mouth. The killer turns off the drill and pulls the drill head out of Julia. He starts the drill again and continues drilling into Julia's head.

R-Rated: 1.40 Sek.
Unrated: 23.64 Sek.


[00:54:29][00:54:58]

Before Nell rolls out the blueprints, the Unrated cuts to the killer looking down on the city from the rooftop.

Unrated: 7.40 Sek.


[00:59:53][01:00:29]

In the R-rated, Nell continues to walk down the aisle.

In the Unrated, you see the killer get up and leave his place on the roof.

R-Rated: 2.24 Sek.
Unrated: 7.24 Sek.


[01:07:56][01:08:37]

The R-rated briefly shows the killer pulling the saw through Ned's face.

The Unrated shows in detail how the killer pulls the saw with full force through the face. A lot of blood is spurting. The saw starts to get caught.

R-Rated: 0.76 Sek.
Unrated: 13.04 Sek.


[01:08:00][01:08:54]

Before the killer pulls the saw out of Ned's head, the R-rated cuts at the entangled saw in Ned's face.

In the Unrated version, the shot where the saw is pulled out of Ned's head starts a little earlier.

R-Rated: 0.92 Sek.
Unrated: 0.28 Sek.


[01:08:05][01:08:58]

The Unrated shows the saw in Ned's face a bit longer.

Unrated: 4.80 Sek.


[01:08:06][01:09:04]

In the R-rated, the killer gets into the power box with the saw. Sparks fly. The killer pulls back the saw.

The Unrated shows two alternate shots as the killer saws into the electrical box and pulls the saw back. After that, you can see him reaching out to Ned earlier.

R-Rated: 1.40 Sek.
Unrated: 3.60 Sek.


[01:08:10][01:09:09]

The shot where the killer flings away half of Ned's head is a bit longer.

Unrated: 0.56 Sek.


[01:08:11][01:09:11]

The R-rated cuts to Nell hiding.

In the Unrated, Ned's torso slides down.

R-Rated: 1.44 Sek.
Unrated: 1.68 Sek.


[01:13:29][01:14:30]

Luis is seen earlier as the killer hammers the nail into his hand.

Unrated: 1.24 Sek.


[01:13:35][01:14:38]

Luis is seen earlier screaming as the killer hammers the nail into his left hand.

Unrated: 2.16 Sek.


[01:13:37][01:14:42]

The killer continues to squeeze the vise with Lui's head.

Unrated: 9.08 Sek.


[01:23:11][01:24:25]

Before the cops lift the cabinet, the Unrated shows Nell going back into the room with the decomposed bodies. She walks over to Lusman's body and looks at his dog tag, which he wears around his neck. She puts her jacket on the corpse and leaves.

Unrated: 58.92 Sek.