The Toolbox Murders 4K UHD Screenshots (Patreon)

Video

It's another generous effort from Blue Underground, bringing this slasher into the modern era with an impeccable 4K scan. Grain reproduction is marvelous, the first stand-out in a transfer with many such positives. Encoding doesn't add any digital anomalies, leaving the film print wholly intact and precise. This allows detail through in gobs. Definition excels, sharpness is spectacular, and texture finds a consistent home.

Excellent black levels provide solid shadows, and give Toolbox Murders a superb dimensionality. Imagery looks so dense, it's better than most modern films. Dolby Vision adds a spark to the contrast too, giving light sources life, furthering the 3D-esque aesthetic. It's that potent.

Color brings yet another striking element. Beyond the precisely red blood, other primaries around the apartment complex jump out via dazzling intensity. Unlike other Blue Underground efforts on this format, Toolbox Murders doesn't appear graded with digital tools, at least not in any significant way. The film stock carries its natural density.

Audio

Atmos is beyond excessive, but that's the Blue Underground way (there's also a choice for 5.1 and mono in DTS-HD). Fidelity is rather dismal, but that's an issue at the source. Low budget recordings pick up background noise like cars in the distance, muffling dialog. A bit of volume imbalance causes some lines to lose their focus.

Surrounds pan ambient effects to offer directionality, although Toolbox Murders stays primarily locked to the center channel. A nail gun shoots front-to-back, and inside a bar, the jukebox blares music into the heights effectively. That's something.