DRESSED TO KILL
US, 1980, 104 minutes, Colour.
Michael Caine, Angie Dickinson, Nancy Allen, Keith Gordon, Dennis Franz.
Directed by Brian de Palma.
Dressed To Kill is a sex and violence horror thriller written and directed by Brian de Palma, who has paid homage to Hitchcock in Sisters and Obsession, made the excellent Carrie and excessive Fury. Here he updates Psycho while using its structures and many parallels and acknowledgements of Vertigo. Psycho explored sexual obsessions, grotesque murders and madness. This film thrusts them at the audience but explores only Angie Dickinson's character, gives Nancy Allen an arresting role. Michael Caine's role should have been much better written. It is highly contrived, reminds us that there is potential for the bizarre (and seems rather exploited). The end echoes Carrie with almost too much of a bad thing. An odd shocker.
1. The overall impact of this film? As horror, thriller, psychological study? A combination of these? The bizarre aspects of the film? The effect on the audience in terms of interest, entertainment, nightmare?
2. The film's homage to Hitchcock? The influence of Psycho and Vertigo? The parallels with Vertigo in the museum sequence? With Psycho in the structure of the film, the murder of the heroine, the two women continuing the plot? The psychosis of the killer? Explanations? Shocks and violence? Similar issues? The similarities with Hitchcock? Differences? The influence of de Palma's own films , especially Carrie in the opening shower sequence, the final surprise shock, the dream?
3. What was the audience left with at the film's end? A serious film, exploitation,, contrivance? Was the film exploited, excessive as many audiences and commentators said?
4. The significance and focus of the title, its ironies and tone?
5. The impact of the colour photography, Panavision, New York interiors and exteriors? The editing? The shocks, violence both explicit and suggested? Musical score?
6. The structure of the film: the parallel with Psycho, the introduction to Kate Miller and the focus on her, the close attention to her and her actions,, attitudes, problems, death? The transition to Liz Blake? The revelation of the truth, the solving of the mystery? The postscript of explanation, the postscripts of shocks?
7. The initial focus on Kate - her initial fantasies and the sensual aspects of the shower sequence, the illicit lovemaking? The reality of her relationship with her husband? Her love for her son? Her age, feelings, needs, sexuality and sensuality? The importance of her visit to Dr. Elliott? Her making a pass at him but his lack of response? The long sequence of her going to the museum, her wandering of the museum and watching the paintings, the encounter with the unknown, the attention to detail e.g. the lost glove? Her going in the taxi and the audience reaction to this? The sexuality in the taxi? The apartment, the sexual encounter, her roaming around and searching, the discovery of the V.D. report? Her hurried leaving? The suddenness and ugliness of her death? The audience sharing the shock, the violence, her bleeding, her dying?
8. The portrait of an ordinary-seeming housewife, audience interest in her, pity, shock? Appearances and reality?
9. The introduction of Liz and first impressions, her shock at the murder, the discussions with the police, the truth about her being a prostitute? Her curiosity in investigation and in clearing her name? Her fear and the dramatic pursuit in the train? The length and suspense of this sequence? The encounter with Peter, the discussion about his methods, his filming all the clients? The confrontation with Dr Elliott, his attack and her escape?
10. The portrait of a prostitute - her work, background, attitudes, her appearances and reality and audience judgment?
11. How convincing was Michael Caine as Dr Elliott? Seeing him at work, his techniques, psychological background, style? His reaction to Kate? The discussions with the police? The interview on tape with Bobbi? His concern about her and her sexual problem? The discussions about the investigation? The confrontation with Liz and the revelation of the truth?
12. The build-up to the attack on Liz and the revelation?
13. The picture of the police, investigations, the conventions of police work?
14. The parallels with Psycho and Carrie? The opening shower sequence, the later shower sequence and Liz waking up? For enjoyment value, shock value, homage to the earlier film?
15. The atmosphere of the sequence in the hospital, Elliott and his strangling the nurse - and the irony of the reappearance of the nurse's shoes in the shower sequence?
16. The value of this kind of horror film? The explanations given about mental illness, the transvestite, the confusion of masculine and feminine roles, feelings? Self-assertion? The trapped female in a man's body? Violent eruptions? A symbol for the confusion and violence of our times?
