DRESSED TO KILL (DVD/WS-2.35/SP-FR SUB/SAC)

Dr. Elliott, a psychiatrist, is the consummate professional. He refuses non-professional relationships with his female patients and he works diligently to protect their confidences and identities. Surely, he is someone Kate Miller (Angie Dickinson) could trust, even if she could not trust her husband to care about her, her son to keep his promises or his appointments, his lover not to put her at risk. Surely, we can trust the police to protect the innocent, prosecute the guilty, and not put people at potential risk. At the very least, prisons and mental asylums can be trusted to protect the public from dangerous individuals. On the other hand, a hooker should be reluctant to trust the advice of her John, and she herself can hardly be expected to be truthful or to seek justice. What really makes this film frightening is the way it undercuts the viewer's assumptions about who is and is not trustworthy. This is a very well crafted thriller that remains entertaining even when if we have guessed who did it. It has a Hitchcock feel, but there is more at stake here. DePalma realizes that what is most frightening of all is to discover that those we have trusted have betrayed us. The explanation that comes at the end of the film is not politically correct and is actually pretty far-fetched, but the film is not about explanations. It is is about fear.

Good: The performances by Michael Caine, Angie Dickinson (career-best), and Nancy Allen.Brian De Palma's clever reworking of some standard Hitchcock tropes, especially the use of doubles: characters, images, objects.if you're in the mood for a good scare, "Dressed To Kill" delivers.Bad: The rip-off factor. This is so obviously a peculiar remake of "Psycho" that you can see the big reveal from a mile away.De Palma's script: After the first forty minutes, the plot turns preposterous. Joseph Stephano's for "Psycho" played fair, was logical, and sparkled with some tension-relieving macabre humor. For the most part De Palma's movie lacks wit.Editing: uninspired. Music: Pino Donaggio is a fine composer, especially of chamber mood pieces, but he's no Bernard Herrmann.Ugly: Gratuitous sexual images that degrade rather than elevate the film. At his best Hitchcock understood that it's what you don't see that delivers the most powerful punch, whether to titillate or to frighten.Verdict: Hitchcock said it best. When asked if he considered "Dressed To Kill" an homage, he replied, "No. Fromage."

Starting off with the man in the museum and the STD letter we think we have a handle on where this story is heading. We're all set up so that the killing comes as a surprise, and then the story goes off in a completely different direction than what we had been prepared for. Kept me on the edge of my seat. It's fun to just be carried along by the talent of a master film maker.

The love for this film has always baffled me. The writing is awful - Mr. De Palma does better with writing collaborators, frankly. The plot is absurd, anyone and I mean ANYONE who doesn't know what's going on from the first murder or ever before is seriously dense. Those who profess surprise at ANY point in this film is seriously dense. So, what are we left with. Style. A little Vertigo, more than a little Psycho - too bad he couldn't get Simon Oakland to do the explanations at the end, that would have been perfect. But even with all the style and homages, this film has always felt clunky to me and maybe it's because Paul Hirsch didn't edit it. I like style as much as the next person, but you've got to have an interesting story to go with it, and this Dressed to Kill does not have. I will watch any De Palma from before this, even with those films' minor flaws and yes ever film De Palma has ever made has at least minor flaws, but from Dressed to Kill onward it's just downhill until The Untouchables, really. And certainly THAT isn't perfect either. But the De Palma lovers are legion and they will excuse every piece of dreck he makes and every film in the last decade or two IS a piece of dreck. When he's got a good or even decent script and he's not just in rip-off territory, yes the films work - Carrie, absolutely, Sisters, you bet, Obsession, sure, Phantom of the Paradise, great. But Blow Out and especially Body Double? Nope. This MGM Blu-ray is very nice. I never got the Criterion because of the screw-up with the first pressing.

Dressed To Kill is divided into thirds. That starts with three styles. The opening is like softcore as Angie Dickinson fantasizes about her lover in the shower. The next part reminded me of Alfred Hitchcock as the movie focuses upon Dickinson meeting her lover with all the emphasis on the details like her putting on each piece of clothing. There’s also a heavily orchestrated soundtrack like Hitchcock used. The main part is a crime thriller focusing upon a killer. The story is also divided into thirds. The killer is stalking Nancy Allen, while he calls up psychiatrist Michael Caine talking about what he did. Last Keith Gordon is trying to find the murderer on his own.The movie works in some parts and not in others. The Hitchcock inspired ones really drag. There is so much placed upon the little things they take forever to end. That makes the movie really up and down and I wasn’t satisfied at the end.

Michael Caine, the psychiatrist; Angie Dickenson, the first victim; Dennis Franz. the detective (what else?); Nancy Allen, the hooker - and Brian De Palma directing the madness, mayhem and mystery. A knockoff of "Psycho" and/or "Vertigo"? Not exactly. I would say more of an homage to Hitch. Listen for the lines from his films in this one. This film uses much of De Palma's standard camera work to enhance the shock value. Thriller, Suspense, Psychological, Scary - all describe the content of this one. The film starts, races, then sputters to an end. You end up feeling that there is a little something you missed. But, maybe you're just relieved that the roller-coaster ride is over.

If pushed, I always finger Brian DePalma's mid '90s gangster genre blender 'Carlito's Way' to be his supreme filmic triumph, but I gotta admit - between all the pseudo Hitchockian rip-offery and misogynistic behaviour, this 1980 offering comes a very close second. Featuring a dynamic directing style, razor sharp editing and wonderful leading performances from all concerned, this one tiptoes through a myriad of thriller tropes to deliver a well produced American giallo that ticks a number of boxes...We first meet sexually unsatisfied 40-something wife Kate Miller (Angie Dickinson) as she plays hide the sponge in a 'what the hell..?' opening sequence taking place inside the shower. Why director Brian DePalma felt the need to open up his film with this is anyone's guess, but between that and all the soap suds, I was almost fooled into thinking this was an X-rated advert for Bubbleship Matey... Anyhoo, besides fiddling with her tuppence, Mrs Miller relays her sexual fantasies to psychiatrist Dr Robert Elliott (a deadpan Michael Caine) who attempts to dig out why she's so frustrated and hopefully scratch her itch before anything untoward occurs... which it obviously does, as she takes a lover in a Manhattan art museum, leading to an unforseen tragedy. This series of events takes up a large portion of the movie which then switches gears to focus on a high class call-girl (Nancy Allen) and Dickinson's whiz-kid son (Keith Gordon), who together are drawn into his mother's dark world in an attempt to solve the mystery and put a stop to a razor wielding maniac who loves nothing more than slicing up woman for their own sordid pleasure...Although, directed as a nod and a wink to both Alfred Hitchcock (namely 'Psycho' by way of 'Vertigo') and Dario Argento (his giallo 'black gloved killer' motif wrung for all its worth) - there's still plenty to enjoy in this lurid thriller. From the screwy screenplay and inventive direction by director DePalma, this one is a pure cinematic delight - each shot is purposely framed to ensure you see / and don't see exactly what DePalma wants. Kudos too for composer Pino Donaggio's effective score which elevates the visuals and ensures the viewer is given a helluva ride - at times, I didn't know if I should be laughing at the audacity of DePalma, but even so he keeps the train rolling and not once was I bored. This one delivered the goods and like all good movies, focuses on a myriad of characters from Dickinson and Caines' ''older'' cast to the juxtaposition of Allen and Gordon's much younger protagonists, who echo each other and of course all are involved some way or another in the central 'mystery'...Arrow Video have done another sterling job with this UK Blu-Ray release sporting a very fine transfer and amazing audio. The myriad of extra special features include: A chat with producer George Litto while Angie Dickinson, Nancy Allen and Keith Gordon all discus their roles in the film. We also get a documentary on the making of Dressed to Kill featuring De Palma, Litto, Dickinson, Allen, Dennis Franz and more! Rounding off are an 'Unrated, R-Rated, and TV-Rated Comparison' featurette, a short regarding the film's original X-rating, photo gallery and reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork. All in all this movie maybe not for everyone but as a straight forward early '80s thriller/slasher flick it delivers in spades and Arrow's Blu-Ray release ensures this is a must have for new and older fans alike. Recommended.

It’s not my favourite Brian De Palma film from the point of view of the plotting etc but Arrow Video has released some good editions of other De Palma works which I’ve bought and it had been so long since I had actually seen ‘Dressed to Kill’ anyway, I gave it a look again.It’s still a very enjoyable, slick and glossy slasher/thriller, but it is one of those examples to me of a De Palma film where the visual style and technical tricks deployed for the audience overshadow the plot, with some overt Hitchcock homages at play through the entire film. Not that I’m pointing out anything new in that! But it looks great on Blu-ray, at least.Plentiful extras on this edition, including interviews with Brian De Palma, Angie Dickinson and Nancy Allen among others, discussing the themes and content of the film. It’s a good extras package that takes a couple of hours to cover but contains interesting stories and insights.

This is a review of the blu ray by Arrow Video, its a perfectly good alternative to the lauded Criterion release and it is European region coded so plays on a UK blu ray player, the more expensive Criterion release is region locked USA. I have several titles by Arrow, they do superb transfers of classic films and is regarded as a UK answer to Criterion. Dressed to Kill looks superb on this blu ray, visual quality is about as good as you are going to get given the condition and aesthetic of the original filmic material, Brian De Palma tended towards soft palette colours and some soft focus effects back in the 70s/80s, the transfer is pin sharp and very pleasing to watch, I would say if you are a fan of the movie this release by Arrow Video will not disappoint you. There are also a host of extras, interviews with director and actors and making of documentary. Highly recommended.

Dressed to Kill is a 1980 American neo-noir erotic thriller film written and directed by Brian De Palma and starring Michael Caine, Angie Dickinson, Nancy Allen, and Keith Gordon. A New York City housewife is brutally stabbed to death in an elevator, and the film subsequently follows her psychiatrist, her teenage son, and a prostitute who witnessed her murder. The original music score is composed by Pino Donaggio.Released in the summer of 1980, Dressed to Kill was a box office hit in the United States, grossing over $30 million. It received largely favourable reviews, and critic David Denby of New York Magazine proclaimed it "the first great American movie of the '80s." Allen received both a Golden Globe Award nomination for New Star of the Year, as well as a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress, while Dickinson received a Saturn Award for Best Actress for her performance.Final thoughts, Excellent whodunnit thriller with a good twist.

First time I'd ever seen this in this blu ray presentation. Picture quality was good overall but the MGM logo at the beginning of the film was very clear and sharp. If only the whole film could have matched that. But as for the film itself film - oh what a pleasant surprise to play! It really does have strong Hitchcockian overtones. The feel of the film oozed Hitch in certain scenes and I loved it. The film includes some very sensual scenes too which we a joy to observe. A film to sit down, forget the world's troubles and lose yourself in for one and three quarter hours. I will be looking out for further films by DePalma on the strength of this - possibly Blowout for one.If you like Hitchcock's films chances are you should enjoy this one.