Dressed to Kill (1980), directed by Brian De Palma “That character in Dressed To Kill is me. I mean, that’s my room. That machine, I built that machine.” Brian De Palma | History of Cinema

Brian De Palma's 1980 film "Dressed to Kill" mirrors Alfred Hitchcock's technique in "Psycho" by abruptly killing off its apparent main character early in the narrative. In "Dressed to Kill," Angie Dickinson plays Kate Miller, a woman exploring her unfulfilled desires. After an affair, she is unexpectedly murdered in the famous elevator scene. This unexpected turn shifts the storyline to other characters, particularly her son and a witness to the crime. This is what is called a ‘red herring’, a