Tags
1980's, Angie Dickinson, Brian De Palma, Dennis Franz, Dressed to Kill, Keith Gordon, Michael Caine, Mystery, Nancy Allen, Thriller
Film Title
Dressed to Kill
Director
Brian De Palma
Starring
- Angie Dickinson as Kate Miller
- Michael Caine as Dr. Robert Elliott
- Nancy Allen as Liz Blake
- Keith Gordon as Peter Miller
- Dennis Franz as Detective Marino
A mystery thriller with a lacing of dark humour, Brian De Palma’s Dressed to Kill is a relentless excursion into sinister mood and sleight of hand tricks that are for the most part strikingly done. The plot gets a bit overwrought, but the various surprises and mood is what this movie is all about.
Kate Miller is a dissatisfied and sexually starved housewife in New York, who can’t escape her feeling of loneliness. Although she has her young and bright son Peter, her marriage is largely devoid of much passion or excitement. She attends therapy with a psychiatrist by the name of Dr. Robert Elliott, where she unloads her problems to him. Although she flirts with him, he rebuffs her because of professional ethics and wanting to keep a distance. Later, the bored Kate visits a museum, where she is pursued and herself pursues a mysterious man, culminating in a sexual encounter. After this, Kate plans to leave but shockingly discovers that her conquest appears to have contracted a sexually transmitted disease. Reeling, she runs out of his apartment and heads for the elevator, contemplating what to do. Kate’s troubles get a lot more deadly as she is slashed to death in an elevator by a mysterious blonde woman, whose appearance is obscured by dark glasses. Just after the horrific murder, streetwise hooker Liz stumbles upon Kate and briefly catches a glimpse of the killer. Liz is then suspected of the killing, the main detective on the case not believing that there was someone else in the elevator. Desperate to prove her innocence and scared for her safety, Liz teams up with Kate’s smart son Peter(who is already investigating by himself through his collection of devices he has made) to uncover the identity of the killer, before Liz ends up the next victim of her slaying. Meanwhile Dr Elliott keeps getting threatening phone messages from a patient of his, who may very well be the killer and someone who enjoys taunting him. Things turn out pretty unexpected for everyone involved.
It’s an overblown film to be sure, but that is why it attracts in the ways that De Palma uses that melodrama. To be honest, I don’t think he is going for a really subtle approach. And given his signature style, he’s not just going to tone it down, he’s going to go to places that shock and surprise with his liberal use of theatricality along the way. What we are left with is a film that is more concerned with mood and atmosphere than plot, that still bears that feeling of tension, mixed with archness that De Palma does so well. The perverse yet riveting atmosphere is apparent in the dreamy, surreal soft focus of two pivotal scenes pulls you in, while obviously paying a debt to Hitchcock’s iconic Psycho. But the most sterling example of craftsmanship is the museum scene. In it Kate catches the eye of a stranger and the two engage in a stalking game that plays out spectacularly and seductively. The roles of cat and mouse switch between the lonely Kate and the stranger, ultimately making us part of the voyeuristic tapestry at work . Without barely a line of dialogue, De Palma pulls out every trick in the book; finding an array of expressive angles and movements to put us in the moment and tell a story simply through visual impact. It’s a scene where everything comes together as an example of pure cinema that should be celebrated. I think to appreciate Dressed to Kill it is best to watch it a few times to take in how well crafted it all is. You genuinely notice little bits that seemed trivial at first, yet have a massive bearing on the creeping proceedings, something which Brian De Palma chooses to have fun with. So for all the head-scratching moments that don’t make sense, the hints and symbolism of Dressed to Kill gleefully toy with our ideas of what we think we know. This frequently is the case of us being devilishly lead astray and made to believe one thing( when in fact it’s something quite different) and that’s where quite a lot of the watchability of Dressed to Kill lies. The macabre humour seeping through Dressed to Kill also adds to this; finding irony in pretty dark and perilous situations before turning up the chills for effect. Granted, some instances feel a bit much, the level of dark comedy is a welcome and quite unexpected quality put into often sardonic effect here. Dressed to Kill is a little bit over praised at least in my book, but that shouldn’t detract from the fact that it’s still a pretty nifty and swift thriller of panache that still made an impact on me. A gloriously grand and frequently alluring score plays into the dark and sexually prominent tones of the film right off the bat.
Angie Dickinson is very effective( especially given the fact that most of her performance has no dialogue). Through the little nuances of her face, we witness her boredom and sadness with her marriage, as well as how she craves sexual excitement. A beautiful woman with an aura of class and sexiness, Angie Dickinson plays the ill-fated woman exceptionally. Michael Caine is rightfully detached and urbane as the psychiatrist who seems relatively calm, but who may in fact be something else. With sublime subtlety, Caine brings a level of class and maybe a touch of enigma, without going overboard which is a credit to his abilities as an actor. Nancy Allen is pretty good as the quick talking Liz, who is sucked into the most twisted case and must prove her own innocence. The part is pretty much a standard hooker with a heart of gold trope, but Allen plays it well and makes her a likable girl sticking to her wits. The unlikely hero role of Kate’s investigating son Peter is filled out splendidly by Keith Gordon, whose gawky appearance and unwavering collection of detective moves make him a relatable down-to-Earth teenager looking for answers in his mother’s death. In a flashy supporting role, Dennis Franz provides a lot of the sardonic humour as a tough-talking and hard-boiled detective, with a seasoned attitude to match. He’s not in the movie a lot, but when he is, Franz is a delight as the salty and uncouth man investigating the baffling murder.
Silly as parts of it get, Dressed to Kill stands out for its visual impact and De Palma verve on display. Logic is not exactly present, but the fun of Dressed to Kill lies in its often shocking and macabre content that ratchets up suspense and sprinkles it with a knowing, ironic wink. At tad overrated in my book, but still a highly effective and surprising thriller displaying the skill of Brian De Palma.
By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Great review Vinnie! Dressed To Kill is overdone in parts, but there’s something about it that makes it one of the first films I think of when someone mentions De Palma.
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vinnieh said:
I completely agree with you Kim. It has that De Palma stamp of gorgeous visuals and a certain strangeness that screams his name.
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beetleypete said:
I loved Nancy Allen in that film, and also enjoyed De Palma’s theatrical approach.
Unfortunately, I did get the ‘big reveal’ very early on, but still enjoyed watching the film. I saw it again on TV fairly recently, and it still hols up very well.
Cheers, Pete.
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vinnieh said:
Allen was just right for the role of kind but still aware hooker. I thought for the most part, De Palma’s theatrical approach worked. There were moments were it was overdone, but the surprises were pretty neat. Can imagine noticing different parts upon revisiting the film.
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The Telltale Mind said:
Never seen this one, but sounds pretty good.
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vinnieh said:
It’s all about the visuals and cinematic value in this film.
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sonofabeach96 said:
Haven’t seen this in years! Love Michael Caine. 😃
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vinnieh said:
I enjoy seeing him in movies, he has some work ethic.
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sonofabeach96 said:
I like him in comedic roles best. He can be hilarious.
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vinnieh said:
Yes, he does have a good sense of humour.
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fragglerocking said:
Sounds good V~man if I get a chance to see it I will!
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vinnieh said:
I found it a tad overrated, but largely effective in the mood and suspense stakes.
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houstonphotojourney said:
I think I will add this one to my list to watch – thanks!
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vinnieh said:
You may enjoy it, mainly for the twists and style on show. That museum sequence is gorgeously done.
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Jade said:
Brian De Palma is a brilliant director, who knows how to craft suspense and tension like no other. Nice review. 🙂
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vinnieh said:
He does crank out stylish suspense and tension very well. His eye for detail is pretty fantastic.
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Heartafire said:
Definitely one of the more frightening flicks, it is a bit of a stretch at the end. The shower scene one of the most erotic …. I understand they used a body double.
Thank you Vinnie, you are reviewing some great movies!
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vinnieh said:
It’s pretty frightening and shocking. Yes, the opening shower scene glistens with eroticism before morphing into something darker. I pride myself on viewing a cavalcade of different movies.
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maddylovesherclassicfilms said:
Good thriller. I didn’t see the twist/reveal coming either.
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vinnieh said:
De Palma is pretty adept at pulling the rug from under you. I’ve seen it in quite a lot of his movies, he seems to enjoy being slightly arch.
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Dude the cleaner said:
So love this film I have seen it 4 times it never gets old. Nice review.
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vinnieh said:
I’m certain as I said in the review, that viewing it multiple times will reveal how crafty the plot is. De Palma has a good penchant for mystery.
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Dude the cleaner said:
Yes but not lately his last movies not that good. Back in the day yes.
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vinnieh said:
His older movies do seem to be a lot more accomplished.
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ninvoid99 said:
For me, this is one of my favorite films by de Palma. It’s just the right amount of sexiness and voyeurism with some gore and intrigue. I love it.
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vinnieh said:
While I did find some of it silly, I largely dug what De Palma was doing. He created real tension and laced it with a mordant humour for a heady cocktail. May not have been my favourite film of his, but certainly very accomplished and good at displaying his trademarks.
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keepsmealive said:
Haven’t seen this one yet – added to the (growing, thanks to you!) list. 🙂
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vinnieh said:
Haha, my own list is growing out of control too.
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Jay said:
A bit overcooked, but very De Palma.
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vinnieh said:
Very De Palma is a great way to summarise this movie.
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Lloyd Marken said:
Plus garter and stockings.
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vinnieh said:
Yes, they featured heavily in the film and that poster.
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Lloyd Marken said:
And a Nancy Allen google image search for some reason.
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vinnieh said:
Well that’s not difficult to see why.
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