‘Dressed to Kill’ — stylised terror

Press, 16 March 1981, Page 10

‘Dressed to Kill’ — stylised terror

AT THE" CINEMA

Hans Petrovic

DRESSED TO KILL i Directed and Written by Brian De Palma ■ Starting off with a plea-i surable, erotic shower with! Angie Dickinson, one may well wonder whether one; has walked into the wrong! cinema to see Brian De! Palma’s latest movie, “Dressed to Kill’’ (Cinerama). Dickinson turns out to be a neurotic woman living in her own colourful world of fantasy — looking for a foil for her own sexual fulfilment. After almost half an hour at New York’s Metropolitan Museum (with hardly a word spoken), she does manage to achieve a close encounter of the zipless kind — the last in her life. After such an introduction, one probably would expect the rest of the show to be of the same questionable, sleazy fare. - Btit this is not the mood or intent of. “Dressed to Kill,” which turns out to be a richly textured, stylised effort in ' the art of terror movie-making. De Palma fully acknowledges Hitchcock’s influence on his work and this is a homage to the former master thriller-maker in no uncertain terms and “Psycho” particularly.. Here, again, we have the dreaded shower scenes; and the transvestite, wearing a cheap wig '• and -wielding a knife (a cut-throat razor this time).- However, the killing does not take place in the shower but a lift, which proves to be equally as terrifying and claustrophobic. Also, the action does not take place in a Gothic-type house but in wide-open, sophisticated New York, which proves to be just as haunted by unspoken terrors. “Dressed to Kill" proves that you don’t have to be alone with Jack Nicholson in a snow-bound hotel to be afraid and helpless. . '*■ Take particular note of those early scenes in the art

museum. Not a word is said by the main actors but there are those half-heard whispers from other visitors and the eyes in the pictures on the walls, which follow Miss Dickinson during her frantic quest.

Backed by the excellent, whispery music of Pino Donaggio, the audience becomes so involved ' that it wouid be surprised to learn that half an hour of the film already has passed before the action really starts.

When De Palma turns on the terror, he does it well; there are at least three sequences to keep the audience on the edge of its seats, , . interspersed . by calm and often funny scenes before the next storm. Although Miss Dickinson is not there' for the whole film she projects her presence splendidly, and Michael Caine -.comes across equally well as the seemingly unruffled, very professional psychiatrist (if he wasn’t a Cockney, he’d have to be Jewish, answering every question with another question). In fact, at the age of 44, Miss Dickinson looks better than ever and uses her voluptuousness to advantage; and Caine, at 47, still exudes that peculiar kind of sexuality which makes him look as if has just walked off the set for “Alfie.” De Palma’s real-life wife (Nancy Allen), who he met during the making of another of his successful hor-

ror movies, “Carrie," plays the not-so-happy hooker who becomes involved in the tangled web. Innocent but not so dumb vulnerable but capable of! looking after herself, she| ■fills her role with a nice! touch of serious silliness. Miss Dickinson’s son in the film (Keith Gordon) also gives a pleasant performance as the young boy tinkering with his < wn binary computer and other useful gadgets, and showing his obvious adoration for his mother. Perhaps it is no coincidence that De Palma also played with his home-made computer before turning his attention to films. The detective investigating the main murder (Dennis Franz) is fine as the'kind of cop who is trying to. find his way. back to the “Barney Miller” precinct. I hope I have not given away too much about the plot which, despite its seemingly logical inconsistencies, hangs together well.. You are there to enjoy De Palma’s trip — and who cares if it occasionally veers off at a tangent. This is De Palma’s seventh film and he has establishedhimself as a force to be reckoned with. Starting with “Sisters,” he has taken us to meet “The -Phantom, of the Paradise”, (great but' forgotten), “Carrie" (possibly the best), “Obsession” and “The Fury” (possibly the worst). Many directors have been trying their hand at horror recently. The other obvious one in town is “The Shining” but it does not warrant comparison. -

“The Shining” is by far the better-made film iri its over-all concept but if you’re looking for a good show specifically in the scary movie genre, don’t miss "Dressed to Kill.” I am certainly looking forward to De Palma’s next effort.