Dressed to Kill

 

 

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i just finished watching Dressed to Kill,which is written and directed
by Brian De Palma.the DVD had both the"R" rated version and the unrated
version.i chose the unrated version.since i have yet to view the "R"
rated version,i can't be completely sure of the difference.there is
however a very graphic graphic female nudity including a scene of
explicit expression of self gratification in this version.i guess you
could call this scene soft core porn.if this sort of thing may offend
you,i would suggest you view the "R" rated version.but i digress.Any
comment from here on refers to the unrated version.this is a murder
mystery/ psychological horror/suspense movie.there is very little
violence and blood.there is however one death sequence of note.the act
of the killing itself is fairly graphic.however the blood it self does
not look real.it is reminiscent of how a 70's slasher film would look.i
believe this is done deliberately to offset the violence of the act
itself,to give the scene a low budget feel.most of the violence,or
rather possibility of such,is implied.the film is very well paced.as
far as i can tell every scene had a purpose,which i find very rare when
compared to many of today's films. anyway,i also thought the acting was
good,especially Angie Dickinson.and Micheal Cane turns in a quietly
understated performance in his role,which works brilliantly in this
case.the movie also has one great twist in it,in my mind,although some
people might find it predictable.the only complaint(and it's really
more of an observation)i have is that i thought the character played by
Nancy Allen could have been fleshed out more,especially considering she
has a fair amount of screen time.but i think she does a good job with
what she is given.and this doesn't really take away from the quality of
the film.the film also has a strong moral to it,which is even more
relevant today.but the movie doesn't hit you over the head with it.i
also really liked the musical score,composed by Pino Dinaggioi felt it
was very similar to the music in the original Psycho.to me,this music
really elevated the movie.i thought this movie was brilliant.for
me,Dressed to Kill(1980)is a 5/5

Brian de Palma knew his 1970s audience. When choosing what film to see at the cinema (if you had a choice in those days), it was difficult for many men to persuade their girlfriends to choose an out-and-out erotic movie. (The cinema scene in 'Carry On Camping' gives you some idea of the prevailing attitudes.) So, much like the Hammer movies, de Palma wrapped up the sex in a glossy horror thriller coating. Bizarrely, girls found it much easier to tell their mums that they'd be going to see 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' than 'Swedish Nurses Get Hot', or whatever.

But watching this movie with 25 years of hindsight, when people tend to be more open about sex, you have to wonder what was the point of this film, and what was an actor as good as Michael Caine doing in it. Angie Dickinson, another highly paid actress of the era, is also in it, but frankly her death is so badly acted that you could fairly say she deserved this film.

De Palma is a great user of that "Actually it was all a dream" device that we're warned to avoid in creative writing classes. So we get two dream sequences -- each with a central shower scene -- which are both flimsy excuses to get the clothes off his leading ladies (Dickinson and Nancy Allen). Despite the partial use of a body-double for Dickinson, these are attractive, gripping scenes, and probably the highlights of the movie.

The less said about the geekish son and the police detective, the better. Allen's redemption from NY hooker to sleep-alone companion (in chintz night attire!) to the son is also less than convincing.

DRESSED TO KILL is very much like "Psycho" in its opening segments. Here we meet the lovely Angie Dickinson who feeling sexually unsatisfied engages in a cat and mouse game with a stranger in a museum. She ends up having wild sex with him in a cab and then off to his apartment for an afternoon of fun. That fun turns sour however when she finds a doctor's report that is disturbing in itself, and then she forgets her wedding band and so after intending to leave, she goes back up and meets..well...it's just like Janet Leigh in Psycho. Your heroine is offed in the first thirty minutes. The killing scene in the elevator is extremely disturbing and brutal, and made even more so in the unrated version.
DePalma has often been accused or ripping off Hitchcock, but I don't think that's the case. Always using an imaginative twist as his fulcrum, DePalma gave us some really intense, chilling thrillers, heavy at times on sex and violence, but nonetheless, hypnotic and mesmerizing.
The cast performs adequately, although Caine seems a little disinterested and Dennis Franz plays his crude cop for the hundredth time. Nancy Allen and Keith Gordon are fine, but Angie really steals the film, even if only briefly. Without any dialogue, she shows how lonely and "hungry" she is while chasing this stud around the museum. And as with Leigh, one can't help but feel sorry for their untimely demise.
Not one of DePalma's best, but still a deserving thriller.

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5.0 out of 5 stars one of my all time favorites!
One of my top ten favorite movies along with Carrie also by Depalma. i won't say too much about the story without giving too much away. Read more

Published on May 8 2004 by Jeremy Boettcher

3.0 out of 5 stars Under Dressed
Director Brian De Palma's early film career is noted for a series of thrillers, some of which are among my favorites in the genre. Read more

Published on April 1 2004 by T. Lobascio

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting!
I saw Dressed to Kill when I was a teenager and I think it is an interesting murder mystery that has a great cast that includes Michael Caine, Angie Dickinson and Nancy Allen... Read more

Published on Feb 7 2004 by Calinira

3.0 out of 5 stars Fool me once, fool me twice
This is an obscure little film that is both a fraud and a gem. Dressed to Kill is a blatant imitation that rips everything from Hitchcock's Psycho, right down to the final last... Read more

Published on Jan 9 2004 by OverTheMoon

5.0 out of 5 stars The Latest Fashion...In Murder!
DRESSED TO KILL (1980) is definetly one of Brian De Palma's masterpieces (the other is CARRIE) for sure! Read more

Published on Jan 6 2004 by Daniel Kepley

5.0 out of 5 stars Bobbi is the perfect girl for the job: homicide.
Meet Bobbi. She's just the kind of woman who can get insanely jealous at the flick of a switch. And then she'll turn deadly. She's one of therapist Dr Elliot's clients. Read more

Published on Nov 24 2003 by Ryan

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Special Edition for a Great Film
A remarkable thriller that's as funny, nerve-wracking and exciting as ever. So beautifully crafted that I wish more thrillers were like this. Read more

Published on Nov 2 2003 by The Magician

4.0 out of 5 stars Has not lost its impact...
The master of the psych-erotic thriller, Brian De Palma, truly came into his own with this provocative piece of filmmaking. Read more

Published on Oct 26 2003 by C. Middleton

5.0 out of 5 stars Hats off to Hitchcock!
I remember seeing this film when I was younger and it really scared the crap out of me. Though the film is somewhat easy to figure out, you cannot deny the power of Caine's... Read more

Published on Aug 10 2003 by El Smoksta

3.0 out of 5 stars One of De Palma's best
Although dated in it's appearance, "Dressed to Kill" is an impressive film and worth owning for lovers of the thriller/suspense genre. Read more

Published on Aug 8 2003 by William

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