Tool Box redux

My best bud Damian recently bought me (among many other disks) a copy of Tobe Hooper's remake of "The Toolbox Murders" .

Talented young cast, impressive pedigree, and a decent budget.
Talk about ruined potential...

This movie could have stood proud among its predecessors and well into the future, except for a) lack of splatter b) stolen (unreworked) themes c) wonky editing.

It spends lots of time teasing the threads of old horror themes, yet it fails to yield any unique scares or tension of its own.

Coffin Baby?
That's not a name for a monster.
That's what you'd say to the person who just caught your mononucleosis.

Some themes borrowed, but not explored:
Rosemary's Baby
House by the Cemetery
Suspiria / Inferno
The People Under the Stairs
And yes, the original Toolbox Murders...

Tobe Hooper is a heck of a filmmmaker.
I refuse to believe that the final product was his idea.

Tonight I'll listen to his commentary and judge for myself.