MovieChat Forums > Dressed to Kill (1980) Discussion > Not exactly a mystery who did it. Spoile...

Not exactly a mystery who did it. Spoiler

posted 11 years ago by once_again
22 replies | jump to latest

I'm 45 minutes into the movie and already figured it out. As for the elevator scene, I found it ridiculous how Angie Dickenson acted, slowly moving back and saying No, No. And the killer waits, then pounces? Why didn't she at least try to push her way out of the elevator? This movie may have been a thriller in 1980, but not today.
I imagine we were supposed to think the killer was the guy she slept with or her husband, or maybe just a psycho. Those would be too easy so naturally it would follow that the psychiatrist was the crazy killer.

[–] lanechanger 11 years ago

I agree with you. One of the ridiculous parts was the psycho in the hospital bed and not restrained at all. Maybe this movie was meant to be more of a comedy/silly thriller.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] yfguitarist 10 years ago

That was a dream sequence...

Anyway I agree with OP. It was obvious who the killer was.

[–] marcus_stokes2000 9 years ago

That was a dream sequence.

Hawkeye: Do you know how it feels to be unmade?
The Avengers

[–] PrometheusTree64 10 years ago

Although the movie is very flawed, not for the reasons you cite.

For one thing, some people freeze up when approached by razor-weilding psychos... I know I do.

--

Non-sequiturs are delicious.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] SimplemindedSociety 10 years ago

I don't get why people say they figured out the twist ending. There wasn't an element of suspecting the ending due to the ads and reviews before watching it?

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Noone222 9 years ago

I had never seen or heard of this movie. I loved it until I saw the killer, very disappointing.

[–] goofyball 9 years ago

i just watched it with 10 friends... all guys, 20s and 30s... only one figured it out... and they loved it... of course it's a group of people that like horror and thrillers so maybe they can appreciate the build up and style more than others...

what's so great about that elevator scene plus the cat and mouse buildup up to it in the art gallery is we get the idea of what's going on in her mind... she's overwhelmed before the killer even approaches... she's concerned about her panties, her ring, she just cheated on her husband with a guy with VD... her head is spinning already... then suddenly a strange looking woman with a knife appears in front of her...

so great...

[–] j-taylor-goddard 9 years ago

The only reason I worked it out was because of the 'Hitchcock' technique used.

I studied Psycho as a case study in school, and as soon as I saw the killing of the supposed lead character in the first reel and the story taking a different direction as a result technique, I kind of saw where it was going.

Otherwise, it was very well done, a mix of giallo, Hitchcock and DePalma's personal touch.

[–] Vidar33 9 years ago

Very good to hear that the new generation is appreciating this classic!

[–] manram24 9 years ago

I've always liked this movie, it's one of my favorites, I'm a big fan of De Palma's movies in general...

Y'know, I could eat a peach for hours

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] krispy_123 9 years ago

Sisters is good, too. The main actress in that, Jennifer Salt, was such a babe... as Angie Dickinson was in this one.

I always liked this movie and like a previous poster, was hooked on the Hitchcock elements of the film. I didn't pick the twist though when I first saw it and as another poster said, I was busy going over all the things she would've been thinking of in the scenes prior to the elevator.

Mogwai come much responsibility.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] Noone222 9 years ago

I figured it out the moment she got killed, after that I stopped watching. It was a bad move to make the killer so obvious.

[–] sage2112 9 years ago

Moron the twist wasn't that he was the killer, the twist was that he and "Bobbie" were one and the same. So if you tell me that when Elliott was talking to Dr. Levy, you knew at that point that Levy was going "Wow here I am talking to the crazy Dr. that is trying to block his own sex change operation!", I know you're lying.

[–] Noone222 9 years ago

Um I knew he was the trans person. That was not a twist if you knew the doctor was the killer.

[–] LeonardPine 9 years ago

I figured it out seeing the picture of the killer on the back of the soundtrack album! It was bloody obvious who it was wearing sunglasses and a blonde wig!

Was it a millionaire who said "Imagine no possessions"?

[–] The_King_of_Cool 9 years ago

Good for 1980 but not today lol. Yeah because the thrillers now are so epic right? Dumb kids