Review of Dressed to Kill (1980) by Andy A — 30 Jul 2008
I'll be kind to DePalma for giving us Scarface and the Untouchables but to be honest I was expecting a lot more from this. While the beginning was pretty well-done (specifically the museum sequence) the rest comes off as mostly campy.
The film hasnt aged well. The 'homage' to Hitchcock is intriguing and at parts, very effective but for the most part it acts as a kind of crutch as the film limps from scene to scene. The twist is made pretty obvious to the keen observer early on and the characters are static and the acting fairly stiff (Caine, the one great actor in the film, is squandered).
The score also lacks any subtlety and frequently smothers whatever suspense may have be had in any given scene. Perhaps original and compelling for its time, 'Dressed' now comes off more as an excuse for nudity and violence.
..without the emotional payoff or grace that makes other such psychological thrillers effective...and fun.
This review of Dressed to Kill (1980) was written by Andy A on 30 Jul 2008.
Dressed to Kill has generally received positive reviews.
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