1980 • Written and directed by Brian De Palma
With Michael Caine, Angie Dickinson, Nancy Allen, Keith Gordon, and Dennis Franz
Released by Filmways Pictures
Few people have a lukewarm opinion of Brian De Palma's films. His public usually divides between adulation that ranks De Palma with the likes of Alfred Hitchcock and repulsion that tags him as a derivative, misogynistic hack. When emotions are running this high, every film put out by such a director will be hot to handle and 'Dressed to Kill,' a 1980 thriller using De Palma's own screenplay, is no exception.
'Dressed to Kill' is a film that borrows from earlier sources, most obviously Hitchcock's 'Psycho' and Dario Argento's 'The Bird with the Crystal Plumage.' What raises 'Dressed' above knock-off status, however, is the means by which De Palma uses clich� to explore other possibilities. The film may be derivative, but it's not a plain carbon copy; De Palma, with his American viewpoint and tongue-in-cheek style, puts bizarre spins on old ideas and joins together a superb piece of exploitation cinema.
De Palma's screenplay uses a plot line modeled after 'Psycho' that tracks the activities of one woman before splintering off into numerous characters who are given equal weight. The woman in this case is Kate Miller, a suburban New York housewife played by Angie Dickinson. In the film's opening scenes, it becomes clear that Kate is trapped in an unsatisfying relationship with her second husband; we witness an imaginary sequence in which Kate is taken hold by a strange man in her shower, followed by her faking of an orgasm during a real (and quick) meeting in bed.
Afterwards, Kate visits Manhattan psychiatrist Robert Elliott (Michael Caine) and expresses her urge to have an affair. Kate then enters the Metropolitan Museum of Art to have lunch with her mother-in-law, instead picking up a male patron (Ken Baker) for an afternoon fling in unconventional places. Suffice it to say that Kate's fling has dire consequences and brings prostitute Liz Blake (Nancy Allen, Golden Globe-nominated), Kate's teenage son Peter (Keith Gordon, eyeglasses and hair predating Harry Potter by two decades), and New York City detective Marino (Dennis Franz) into a twisted murder investigation.
While elements of Hitchcock are present, 'Dressed to Kill' actually feels closer to the Italian giallo and, indeed, comparisons have been made. Part of what gives Italian thrillers charm (� la Argento and Mario Bava) is how one film puts customized 'touches' on material used in another. 'Dressed to Kill,' while American, operates in similar ways; Kate Miller, for example, dies in a Psycho-like manner and composer Pino Donaggio's scoring of her death is modeled after Bernard Herrmann. We all want originality in film, but it's also difficult to revitalize old ideas, which De Palma achieves repeatedly. To rank De Palma with Hitchcock may be stretching matters, but he is certainly a director with vision and a distinct style.
'Dressed to Kill' would fail totally if not for the strong performance of Angie Dickinson. Dickinson is the center of attention for an entire half-hour and she generates more than enough sympathy to care about what is happening on screen. She is particularly impressive during moments of facial expression and no dialogue, which are moments when De Palma is at his unquestionable best. Michael Caine is the outstanding male lead, playing a seedy role with focus and intensity. Also watch for Dennis Franz's police shtick that carried over to 'Hill Street Blues' and 'NYPD Blue.' Nancy Allen, who was nominated for a Golden Globe and Razzie in the same year (?), gives a strong effort and is quite likable; I just wish her delivery were a little more forceful.
The strongest technical element of this film is Pino Donaggio's music. Donaggio's score is breathtaking and one of the few I've heard that can be judged as a self-contained work of art. The music is at times sweepingly romantic, at other times frantic through its chromaticism and impassioned triplets. 'Dressed to Kill' was nicely photographed by Ralf Bode ('Saturday Night Fever,' 'Gorky Park') and Oscar-winning editor Jerry Greenberg ('The French Connection,' 'Apocalypse Now') constructed the film to maximum dramatic effect.
While 'Dressed to Kill' has its share of lovers and detractors, MGM Home Entertainment seems to view the film with unusually strong regard. In 2001, MGM released a 'special edition' DVD that no fan of the movie can be without. The film is given widescreen presentation (2:35:1 aspect ratio) with a choice of enhanced Dolby 5.1 English audio, the original English mono track, and French 'dubbing;' subtitles are provided in French and Spanish. Edited before its U.S. release to avoid an 'X' rating from the MPAA, Dressed to Kill's disc supplies both the theatrical and uncut versions for comparison. Extras include a 45-minute documentary on the film's production; a featurette comparing the uncut, R-rated, and network television versions; a featurette on the censorship and negative reaction faced by De Palma; a photo gallery using Donaggio's music; a gallery of advertising materials; and the theatrical trailer.
The film's visuals are generally okay, with strong, distinguishable colors. I am not a fan of audio enhancements when the original track was in mono; for 'Dressed to Kill,' I went straight to its mono option because I wanted to hear the film as it sounded in 1980. For some reason, the film has not been restored completely. There is frequent grain, occasional print damage, and noticeable debris such as hair. The extras, however, make up for these problems. De Palma, his crew, and his cast (without Michael Caine) discuss their experiences, including the director's unpleasant situation with the MPAA and feminist groups. It's disappointing not to hear from Michael Caine, but the disc is in need of little else. Filmways Pictures was heading into extinction by the time 'Dressed to Kill' hit cinema screens, but survived long enough to bring De Palma's cult classic into the world.
