The Dress

Probably the biggest difference between Dutch writer/director Dick Maas' The Lift and Dutch writer/director Alex van Warmerdam's The Dress is that--at least on my suspension of disbelief scale--a malevolent elevator goes down easier than a dress with attitude. The New York Post called this "charmingly cruel, hilarious and refreshingly politically incorrect." You be the judge: said dress kills two women and promulgates the near rape of two other female wearers. Knee-slapping stuff, eh? We never get the slightest clue as to why this so-so looking dress causes such misogynist mayhem. Is it bewitched? An ancient evil relic? Channeling Norman Bates? Not a clue. Actually, I think the real gimmick here is that director Van Warmerdam got three attractive women to appear nude and actor Van Warmerdam got to spoon with two of them. In my book, that's not reason enough to make a film, especially one as pointless and occasionally distasteful as The Dress. Not recommended. (R. Pitman)[DVD Review—Feb. 21, 2006—Home Vision, 103 min., not rated, $24.99—Making its first appearance on DVD, 1996's The Dress sports a fine transfer, with DVD extras including an interview with writer-director Alex van Warmerdam (8 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: looks nice, but still makes little sense.]