However, I don't agree with others who complain DRESSED TO KILL has a predictable conclusion. But then, it is rare that I guess how a film ends. At any rate, twenty years ago I saw DRESSED TO KILL at the movies more than once. So, after the first time, I knew what was going to happen and still wanted to see it.

See DRESSED TO KILL - in wide screen format, if ya can.


WIDESCREEN VERSION IS ON LASERDISC   February 18, 2001
 4 out of 4 found this review helpful

After seeing this movie countless times on VHS, I watched in awe the WIDESCREEN VERSION which is only available on LASERDISC. It was like seeing a completely different movie. What a treat to see this DePalma masterpiece in it's full glory! You miss so much in the pan & scan version. This needs to be released widescreened on DVD so that everyone can enjoy it the way it was filmed. Those of you who left rave reviews should seek this version out. LE VIDEO in San Francisco has a copy for rent, or ask a Laserdisc collector. A MUST SEE!!!!!


Extremely predictable and very boring...   November 25, 2000
 11 out of 19 found this review helpful

Due to the many reviews I read about this film, I had very high hopes. Maybe that is why I was so disappointed. From the pointless pornographic opening scene, I began to realize that maybe I had made a mistake. Another fifteen minutes in, I was sure of it. Finally, 25 minutes in, the movie provided it's first suspenseful and important scene. The annoying porn had ended and a truly shocking and suspenseful scene took place. The next hour wasn't so bad, a definite improvement over the opening 30 mins. There were some scenes of suspense and some great directing techniques, such as the split screen, which was done with some style. I thought maybe the film wasn't so bad after all. Than, the killer was revealed. The box promised a truly shocking revelation, so my disappointment was evident. I knew the killer when he was first introduced and I'm sure most people feel the same way. It was a nice conclusion, but too obvious. WAY TOO OBVIOUS. Instead of shock, I just mumbled "I knew it". Maybe, just maybe, if the film ended there, after the motive was explained, it would have been given one more star. But the film just kept going on and on. The killer was revealed, his motive was explained, so why continue? It was very pointless, because it just wasn't needed. The story was over. Why bore the audience for another 11 minutes? This film has many flaws, true, but one thing I like is the director's style. It was unique, but often annoying. Overall, the film wasn't bad, but very predictable and too long.It could easily be half an hour shorter, and a much better movie if it was.


Love the movie, but this is the censored version!   October 17, 2000
 4 out of 6 found this review helpful

When `Dressed to Kill' was made in 1980, it was met with a storm of controversy due to its violent content and perceived misogyny in its treatment of the female characters (interestingly, no one criticized `Sisters', an earlier, well-received De Palma film that depicted a psychotic woman dispatching male characters in extremely gory fashion, as being misanthropic). De Palma fought with the censors over a number of the film's elements that pushed the envelope (even by today's standards): a few particularly brutal moments in the key murder scenes, explicit nudity in the opening shower rape/fantasy sequence, and some tough language. De Palma lost with the censors and was forced to make several cuts in order to avoid an X-rating. Later, when Warner Brothers released the film on home video, it gave audiences a chance to see the international unrated version of the film with the controversial scenes intact - the director's cut. This is the version I first saw at the tender age of 13. I watched it with my Mom, who liked mystery suspense films. We were both a bit shocked by it's graphic violence and sexual content (We both loved it, too). I was already a devoted fan of the horror genre (I'm now a socially well-adjusted IT professional, and still a fan of the genre) and I recognized this film as being a cut above anything I'd seen before - not just for its graphic violence and sexual content, but for the stylishness of its execution as well. It became one of my all-time favorites.

I gave `Dressed to Kill' five stars in an earlier review, and was eager to replace my old, beat-up copy with a fresh print. However, I was extremely disappointed to find that the copy of the film currently available from GoodTimes is the censored theatrical version! If you are the type of filmgoer who likes to have your sensibilities challenged (and if you also object to censorship), do NOT buy this version of `Dressed to Kill'. It is not true to De Palma's original vision. I only hope that a future DVD release (still nowhere in sight) will restore the integrity of the director's cut. Maybe Criterion, which did such a great job with the `Sisters' DVD, will do the same for `Dressed to Kill', the quintessential De Palma film.


Suspenseful, but it takes too long to get moving   September 29, 2000
 2 out of 3 found this review helpful

Dressed to Kill is another Alfred Hitchcock homage from acclaimed director Brian De Palma. This time, he crafts a suspenseful thriller, though it takes a while to actually get there. The film begins with a very slow pace and it takes nearly a half-an-hour for the real plot to begin. There's also the lack of solid character development. All three of the top listed actors almost split the screen time evenly. Michael Caine's only in the film during certain periods. Angie Dickinson's all over the screen for the first 30 minutes, but she leaves after that, and Nancy Allen doesn't even appear until the 30 minute mark. The film also struck me as quite predictable, with an ending that could have been figured out not to long after the murder occurs.