in france and it consider polite from french critic to genuflect to the apparently cohesive chain of film brian de palma leave behind him . however and a good proportion of his film be mar by bombastic effect carrie ( 1976 ) and the fury ( 1978 ) scarface ( 1983 ) without mention his borrowing from hitchcock . here and in dress to kill and it impossible not to think of vertigo ( 1958 ) for the long sequence in the museum while the key moment in the lift make inevitably think of the shower anthology sequence in psycho ( 1960 ) . about our involved film and i do not want to revive the old debate represent do de palma rip off hitchcock . instead and i would tend to be generous and to classify dress to kill in the category of de palma winner alongside sister ( 1973 ) and obssession ( 1976 ) . with however some reservation and theyre the one i previously enumerate which fuel the bickering between de palma rabid fan and his detractor . if there one sure thing in dress to kill which can generate general agreement among film lover and it de palma virtuosity in direct . he wield his camera just like a filmmaker expert be suppose to do . his sophisticated camera work brilliantly fuel the suspense which entail a rise of the tension and a discomforting aura . the audience be easily glue in front of the screen . this be help by the use of several long silent sequence during which everything depend on look and gesture . by the way and in psycho and there be also long silent and suspenseful part . but the main drawback in de palma 1980 vintage be that the quality of the plot can not be find want and appear to be a rehash of many formulaic and corny ingredient pertain to an incalculable number of murder story . the prostitute be the sole witness of the crime . then and she suspect by the police and have to act on her own ( with a little help from the victim son from the scene in the subway onwards ) ) to track down the murderer and to prove her innocence . apart from the fact that de palma use a type of character who for once isn not demean at all and it a menu which smell the reheat . and the filmmaker end his film on a sequence that echo to the open one . yes and it superbly film but when one discover it real function and one figure represent it almost gratuitous filler . perhaps de palma want to stretch his film beyond one hour and a half when at this time the viewer know ( and even before ) who the killer be . the two central mainspring in de palma set of theme articulate hinge on manipulation and voyeurism . the latter theme be well present in dress to kill from the first scene onwards which make the film almost look like a soft porn movie . and the filmmaker isn not afraid to film his main actress and wife nancy allen in her underwear . i find his approach about this theme rather doubtful . but maybe the first sequence be conceive to be a mirror of the viewer and de palma want to stir his peep tom side . i do not want to demean at all de palma work . his prestigious work in direct which entail a communicative treat to film redeem the global weakness of the story and it doubtful aspect . twenty six year after and the controversy he arouse amid movie goer isn not ready to subside .