Dressed to Kill

While the climactic summary scene inside of the police station is so obviously lifted from the ending of Hitchcock's "Psycho" that it makes a film aesthete wonder aloud "seriously?", the beginning scenes and the characterizations are intriguing enough and even somewhat original in their framing that it is possible to give De Palma a fair hearing for this one I think. Be warned that the Blu Ray is the "Unrated" cut, which means that all of the filth that had been included in De Palma's original dialogue is now restored in this print--if you watch "Pulp Fiction" a lot, you won't even notice it, but some of the language is still pretty strong even for today. I did enjoy Angie Dickinson's performance (and yes, they used a double for those opening shots in the shower!), and while she is obviously a Marion Crane-type of character device used for the plotting, she adds a layer of subtlety to her performance that is actually quite good. And Michael Caine has finally met a director who understands how to use him properly on camera--in the past, I've always found Caine to be an annoying presence whenever he tries to carry the entire film himself, but in "Dressed to Kill" his performance is more mannerism than talk, and he delivers a far more subdued level of skill than I recall seeing from him before. Nancy Allen, though, proves to be the real knockout here (check out that black lingerie!), and her acting shows considerable strengths (even though De Palma had personal reasons for being skeptical of her casting). The quality of the Blu Ray presentation is detailed by other reviewers on here, so I will only add that the picture and sound are quite astonishing considering the age of this negative, with the sound coming through as being particularly lush. "Dressed to Kill" may not be the paradigm of screen originality (even its title is overly used!), but for suspense fans and fans of Brian De Palma, it is difficult to overlook even so. While "Blow Out" may be De Palma's major classic (John Lithgow made an even more intimidating villain figure in that one), "Dressed to Kill" is exciting in a visual way, with a camera that is ever seeking but never coming to the full knowledge of the narrative, with a deceptively perverted but still enjoyable aesthetic concerning the women in danger genre (that is still thought by many to be so disreputable). Feminists really hated men again after this one came out (the liberal press darling Harlan Ellison acted particularly babyish when writing his put-down about this fantasy-like film), but today De Palma's shocker looks almost classy in comparison to other horror films, and a lot more polished than it needed to be.Extras here are quite good for a film that may be more inconsequential to historical appreciation than most film collectors realize. The "Slashing Dressed to Kill" extra goes in depth about the conception, casting, producing, and marketing of the eventual film. Dickinson and Allen are both interviewed here extensively, as is De Palma, and he goes on to discuss his ongoing battle with the censorship board about the extreme content in his films. The theatrical trailer is good, and it is included here. The neatest, if not the most enjoyable, extra is the one that compares the TV cuts and the original R-rated submission footage to that of the newly remastered, unrated cut. You can really get an education in how timid--but sometimes also how right--that the ratings board is in choosing which little bits get cut out of our entertainment movies. I wonder if Pauline Kael got to see the original version or a watered down R-rated print? In any case, the extra punch added to the dialogue makes it all the more sinister for the not-all-that-shocking conclusion (although I believe that "Dressed to Kill" was considered pretty frightening in its day). If the ending offends you--and maybe you didn't like "Carrie all that much--just know that De Palma uses film as a kind of wavering light that never really achieves separation between dreams and reality (and to me, it's not always a "cop out" to use such techniques as long as the movie is not a complete waste of time in itself). While this film does not reach the hysterical heights of satire that pushed both "Sisters" and "Scarface" into the five-star region for me personally, it is nonetheless an enjoyable--if pretty light--suspense genre entry.A word must also be added about Pino Donaggio's beautiful music score, which is really what makes the Blu Ray transfer worth owning. This title is also available on DVD in the exact same special edition (and with the same content) as the new Blu Ray--I suppose I'm wondering why these weren't included in a combo pack for fans but, ah, the mysteries of the universe...

DRESSED TO KILL is one of my favorite Brian De Palma films next to  Carrie (Special Edition) , and so when I found out that it was being released on Blu-Ray, I had to buy it even though I already owned the  Dressed to Kill  DVD.The picture quality is excellent! No noise or scratches, particularly during the dark scenes, and the image quality is razor sharp even in the dream sequences and foggy shower scenes.And the movie still holds up after all these years. It's still a fascinating thriller and I'm always finding new images and hints throughout the movie on repeated viewings, especially on this new Blu-Ray transfer, that I didn't notice on the DVD. Did you know that Bobbi makes an appearance long before the elevator scene?Anyway, if you're undecided on whether or not the BR version of DRESSED TO KILL is worth it, I'd say yes with a few caveats.First off, all of the special features that were on the DVD were carried over to the BR except for the "Advertising Photo Gallery" that showed film posters and lobby cards. I don't know why they got rid of this featurette because I really enjoy looking at the various film posters and concept art for them.Also, the mini-pamphlet that was included with the DVD is not available here. Because of these omissions, I had to deduct one-star.Another reason for the deduction is that the menu layout is a little confusing when you get to the extra features, and you're not able to bookmark the timeline. Maybe this was an issue with my PS3, but I was not able to put a placeholder, when I had to stop the playback, and it didn't resume playback when I came back to watch the movie, so it was a little annoying to have to start all the way back from the beginning -- including disclaimer titles -- to get to the scene selection menu and find my way back to where I'd left off.Here's a run down of the goodies on the Blu-Ray:***** SPECIAL FEATURES ****** The Making Of Dressed To Kill * = 43:51-minutesFeaturette from 2001 with De Palma, stars Nancy Allen (Liz Blake), Angie Dickinson (Kate Miller), Keith Gordon (Peter Miller), Dennis Franz (Detective Marino), producer George Litto, and editor Jerry Greenberg, discussing the making of the movie from start to finish.* Film Comparison * = 05:14-minutesComparison between the Unrated, R-rated, and Network versions of the movie including the shower, elevator, psychiatrist office, and nightmare scenes.* Slashing Dressed To Kill * = 09:50-minutesFeaturette discussing how challenging it was to get past the censors and how many scenes had to be altered. It's a good thing that De Palma shot and preserved the movie as is, which is how we get the "unrated" version today.* Appreciation By Keith Gordon * = 06:06-minutesThe actor who plays "Peter Miller," Angie Dickinson's son in the movie, critically discusses the genius of De Palma's filming techniques. This was interesting to watch because if gives you little nuggets of things to watch for in the movie.* Animated Photo Gallery *So, if you're a fan of DRESSED TO KILL, I highly recommend the Blu-Ray version for the pristine picture quality on HD. If high definition isn't that much of a factor for you and you own the DVD then I'd say you don't really need to upgrade it. Again, there's nothing extra on the Blu-Ray that isn't on the DVD, in fact, you'll get one less feature.

I saw this decades ago when it first came out. Broaching transexualality was ahead of its time. Michael Caine is the consummate psycho and Angie Dickinson suited the role of a sexually frustrated wife. How young the cast was then ! Dennis Franze is again a great cop. A movie that aged better than most.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I seem to come a bit late to this one. I haven't seen it for many many years and always remembered it with affection. This MGM Home Ent DVD does not let me down. An excellent print (with the colour the way I imagine De Palma intended ie none too bright but just right-how's that for a bit of artistic criticism??), good picture and sound. It really is a woman's picture in that it is virtually carried by first Angie Dickenson in what I think is one of her finest roles (If you don't count BIG BAD MOMMA made just 3 or 4 years earlier-if you have seen it you can't forget it-I digress). The camera loves her and she loves it back. Then you have Nancy Allen, completely different and very lovable I thought-Vulnerable but tough. Both women have discreet nude scenes tho it is obvious that Angie uses a body double for some gratuitous close ups in the shower. The plot is, as others have said, a bit of a homage to Hitchcock and none the worse for it. You may know or guess the ending, but that didn't spoil a good solid mystery thriller. One of De Palama's best methinks. Highly recomended to film lovers everywhere. (And make what you will of Caine's performence!!). SISTERS arrived yesterday. Can't wait to see it.