Dressed to Kill (1980)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

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 | Murder | Elevator | 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 | 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:

Average Shot Length = ~6.5 seconds. Median Shot Length = ~5.9 seconds.

Goofs:

Continuity: Liz's hair is dry when she comes out of the shower.

Quotes:

Voice of Bobbi: [on Elliott's answering machine] This is Bobbi. You won't see me anymore, so I thought I'd have a little session with your machine. Oh Doctor, I'm so unhappy. I'm a woman trapped inside a man's body--and you're not helping me to get out! So I got a new shrink, Levy's his name, he's gonna sign the papers so I can get my operation. Oh...I borrowed your razor...and--well, you'll read all about it. Some blonde bitch saw me, but I'll get her.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in My Best Friend's Birthday (1987)

One of the Best

"Dressed To Kill", is one of the best thrillers ever made. Its dealings with sex and violence make this a film for adults. Brian De Palma, once again, proves why no other director can match his use of the camera to tell a story. He directs many scenes without dialog, and he tells much of his story, strictly through the use of his visuals, and Pino Donnagio's brilliant score. Filmed in Panavision, the film MUST be seen in widescreen, as De Palma uses the entire width of the film to tell his story. Cropped, on video, "Dressed To Kill", is barely the same movie. Solid performances from its cast, superb direction, and, perhaps, the finest film score ever written, make "Dressed To Kill" a must see.