Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
After witnessing a mysterious woman brutally slay a homemaker, prostitute Liz Blake finds herself trapped in a dangerous situation. While the police thinks she is the murderer, the real killer is intent on silencing her only witness.
De Palma's erotic thriller is most distinguished by its bravura cinematography — the museum seduction sequence and split-screen compositions are genuinely exceptional, showcasing Vilmos Zsigmond's lush, voyeuristic work at its finest. The Hitchcock homages (Psycho in particular) are knowing but keep Novelty from soaring, as the film wears its influences openly. Plot is serviceable pulp — the twist around the killer's identity is clever but the mechanics are somewhat creaky. Acting is competent: Angie Dickinson and Michael Caine do solid work though neither is stretched. The ending deflates badly, closing with a cheap dream-scare sequence that undercuts the tension built throughout, earning a low mark for Ending.