A sexually frustrated housewife is seeing a psychiatrist and is murdered after a one-night stand with a stranger. Her prodigy son and a knowing prostitute join forces in order to find the murderer.

With the possible exception of "Carrie," "Dressed To Kill" is Brian DePalma's greatest thriller. "Dressed To Kill" is a truly dazzling and fast-paced murder mystery. DePalma cleverly borrows from his own super-thriller "Sisters" and Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho." He also makes excellent use of a great cast. Michael Caine gives an outstanding performance as a doctor with his own share of problems. Angie Dickinson perhaps gives the finest performance of her career. Dickinson is one of cinema's more underrated beauties and I am only sorry that she never became a superstar. DePalma also deserves praise for an excellent screenplay; the dialogue between the characters is utterly realistic and convincing. After "DTK," Brian DePalma hasn't made one fully satisfying film. DePalma used to have a unique talent for not only scaring but also morally troubling his viewers. In such films as "Carrie" and "DTK," he forces his audience to deeply empathize with the intense torment and anguish of the characters on the screen. In recent years, DePalma has sadly lost this special gift.

"DTK" is a must-see for all Brian DePalma fans and anyone who loves murder mysteries.


A Thrilling Classic   September 13, 2001
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Brian De Palma has never gotten the attention and recognition he so rightfully deserves. He definitley deserves it for this frightening thriller that stars Michael Caine, Nancy Allen, Angie Dickinson, and Dennis Franz. A cross dressing murderer is stalking a hooker that saw him commit a crime. Michael Caine plays the psycho's psychiatrist. The movie has such a great twist at the end that your thinking 'huh? what?'. It's filmed in a great De Palma Hitchcokcian way. Michael Caine does a solid job as usual. The rest of the cast are nothing great, but they do their best. This is about as good and well made as a suspense thriller can get.


DIE SEXY!   September 2, 2001
 4 out of 4 found this review helpful

Love it or hate it Brian DePalma's DRESSED TO KILL has proven to be one of the first classics of the modern suspense genre, the sexual thriller. Although it owes much to Hitchcock's PSYCHO, DRESSED TO KILL turns up the volume for the modern audience, taking an unflinching view of murder and perversion that many film goers simply were not prepared for at the time.

Released in 1980, D2K, shocked just about everyone who saw it. The stylized direction and brilliant editing made it one of the most effective thrillers to come out of Hollywood ever. The first murder in the film was so horrific it earned the film an X-rating and gave director DePalma an undeserved reputation as a misogynistic exploitation film maker. There were actual protests in the streets over the film.

Viewers of this new DVD version are treated not only to a beautifully mastered release of the film, but enough background information (in the form of behind the scenes documentaries, with interviews of all the key creators) that one can truly appreciate D2K as the ground braking classic it is. There's even a shot by shot comparison of the X-rated version vs the R-rated.

If you've never seen the film, you must and judge for yourself. If it's an old favorite the DVD will really give you something to sink your teeth into. While many DVD extras turn out to be little more than filler the extras here fully compliment the movie and taken as a whole The Dressed To Kill Special Edition actually is special.