Dressed to
Kill is a horror / thriller film released in 1980 and directed by Brian De
Palma. The film revolves around the
murder of a sexually active housewife (Angie Dickenson) who
is killed and witnessed by a young prostitute (Nancy Allen) and
her teenage son (Keith
Gordon). The young prostitute is seeing a psychiatrist about her sexuality,
yet he seems to be confused about his own as well. The psychiatrist (Michael Cain) is a transvestite
trapped inside a man’s body who when is sexually excited, his female side takes
over and kills. As he stalks his prey dressed as a blonde haired woman this
crime filled thriller keeps you at the edge of your seat and reminds me of many
of the Italian Giallo films produced, due to its erotic nature and the use of a
razor blade. It’s one film I am glad I saw and enjoyed it very much. It has a
solid plot and twists that you’d never expect. Dressed to Kill has been
released as a Criterion Collection on Blu-Ray
restored with 4k footage and bonus features it is a must own for any fan of the
Italian Giallo films, as this one seems to fit the American profile quite well.
