Dressed to Kill (1980)

Director:

Brian De Palma

Writer:

Brian De Palma (written by)

Release Date:

25 July 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

The Latest Fashion In Murder

Plot:

A mysterious, tall, blonde woman, wearing sunglasses murders one of a psychiatrist's patients, and now she's after the prostitute who witnessed it.

Plot Keywords:

Apartment | Psychiatrist | Elevator | Murder | Death

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 6 nominations

Cast

Michael Caine	...	Doctor Robert Elliott
Angie Dickinson	...	Kate Miller
Nancy Allen	...	Liz Blake
Keith Gordon	...	Peter Miller
Dennis Franz	...	Detective Marino
David Margulies	...	Dr. Levy
Ken Baker	...	Warren Lockman
Susanna Clemm	...	Betty Luce
Brandon Maggart	...	Cleveland Sam
Amalie Collier	...	Cleaning Woman
Mary Davenport	...	Woman in Restaurant
Anneka Di Lorenzo	...	Nurse (as Anneka De Lorenzo)
Norman Evans	...	Ted
Robbie L. McDermott	...	Man in Shower
Bill Randolph	...	Chase Cabbie

Runtime:

105 min | USA:104 min (R-rated version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Singapore:R21 | USA:R (cut) | Portugal:M/16 | Brazil:14 | USA:X | Netherlands:16 | Italy:VM14 | South Korea:18 | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Canada:R | Finland:K-18 | France:-16 | Norway:18 (1981) | Peru:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | West Germany:18 | Ireland:18 | UK:X (original rating)

Filming Locations:

162 East 70th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Filmways Pictures

Trivia:

Angie Dickinson said on The Tonight Show that of all the movies she was in, 'Dressed To Kill' is her favorite.

Goofs:

Continuity: The steps outside the Museum alternate between dry and wet.

Quotes:

Liz Blake: I'm sorry, am I bothering you?
Hood #1: Naw, you ain't bothering me.
Hood #2: But you're bothering ME.
Hood #1: You say she's bothering you?
Hood #2: That's right, this bitch is bothering me.
Hood #1: Well, what you gonna do 'bout that?
Hood #2: I'm gonna kick her ass.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Terror Firmer (1999)

She's Dressed To Kill You

When people ask me why do I like movies so much, I usually respond, "have you seen the art-gallery sequence in De Palma's Dressed to Kill?" That scene alone, pretty much represents everything I want to see in a film. If I was a film director, that would be the kind of thing I'd like to do. "Pure cinema" is one way of describing that sequence, and it is truly amazing to see how director De Palma's entire movie works at the same high artistic frequency of that scene. It is a dream-like movie, clever as hell, and with more zest and intelligence than a dozen films put together. I think the movie raises an important point that will always be a topic of heated discussion: could a movie rely solely on technique and still be considered an artistic success? The film has no message to speak of, acting is great but it is at the service of the style, and the script is short on logic. De Palma's movie makes a really good case that style, when handled properly, can sustain a feature length film. Sure, Michael Caine, Angie Dickinson, Nancy Allen and Keith Gordon give superlative performances, but this is a director's movie all the way to the fadeout. It is a sensational demonstration of the possibilities of the film medium. I won't tell you what Hitchcock movie the film pays homage to (I don't want to spoil any surprises), but I think De Palma transcends the story's arc, and he manages to create a film that pretty much summarizes his entire career. Not for the faint of heart!