To Live and Die in L.A. | | Cast : | William L. Petersen, Willem Dafoe | | Director : | William Friedkin | | Studio : | MGM/UA Video | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen | | Released Date : | November 01, 1985 | | DVD Released Date : | June 08, 2004 | | Language : | Spanish (Dubbed), French (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 03, 2005 | | Summary | Cynical days in L.A | Content
 | This police-movie will take you back to the eighties.A lot of tension and cruel moments in a crazy world.It's hard to survive. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 16, 2005 | | Summary | A Superb Modern 'Film Noir' that stands the test of time.... | Content
| One of my all time favorite movies, for a reason not often cited. Most reviewers focus on the gritty reality, the detailed counterfeiting process, the car chase, the underbelly-of-LA atmosphere, etc. but the part that grabbed me was the relationship between the characters portrayed by Pankow and Petersen. I think we have all been in situations in which we wanted to impress and emulate someone we perceived as being somehow superior, and when Agent Vukovitch (Pankow) becomes paired with (the appropriately named) Agent Chance (Petersen) he finds himself in waaaay over his head. Chance is a wild man, while Vukovitch is straight laced and conscientious; similar to (but without the cartoonishess of) Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in the more recent Lethal Weapon series. No matter what dangers befall Gibson & Glover, you KNOW that somehow they will survive....not so with Chance & Vukovitch, whose expression reflects, with increasing horror, the rapid descent into hell brought about by his loyalty to a lunatic partner. The dangers they face are all too real, and Vukovitch acts like we would in this escalating situation...he becomes despondent, frantic, and tries to find a palatable way out of a nightmarish situation that only gets worse. Without revealing the surprise ending, lets just say that he finally does find a way to overcome a problem that he just can't beat, and in so doing provides a proper noirish ending to this gritty tale.
Additional observations: The sex is as raw and gritty as the rest of the movie, and graphically portrayed....and yes, that really is Daphne from "Frasier" as the lesbian temptress.
The DVD form of this movie contains valuable insights (provided retrospectively by the major stars and the director) into its production. Set up for the infamous car chase scene is fully explained, for those (like me) who always secretly suspected that they simply drove the wrong way on the freeway during rush hour, and filmed it. The directorial method that yielded such stark, unpolished realism (i.e. scenes like the lengthy and difficult opening of the silver briefcase) is well described and rather amusing. They actually did print about a million dollars worth of fake money, which is a felony, and were almost prosecuted for it. All in all, the DVD version is definitely the way to go for picture quality and additional features. |
| Rating | | | Date | April 29, 2005 | | Summary | One of the Great Neo-Noirs Stands the Test of Time. | Content
| When I saw "To Live and Die in L.A." in the 1980s, I was struck by its worldliness, its style, its sexual energy, and its shocker of an ending. It was immediately one of my favorite films of the decade. I recently watched the film again to see if it withstood the test of time. And I was a little surprised to find that "To Live and Die in L.A." is still one of the most complex and cynical neo-noir films, 20 years after it was made. The film was based on the novel "To Live and Die in L.A." by former Secret Service agent Gerald Petievich and adapted for the screen by Petievich and director William Friedkin, the creative force behind the previous decade's "The Exorcist" and "The French Connection". At the risk of being blasphemous, I have always found "To Live and Die in L.A." more memorable than "The French Connection", which is why I was tempted to see it again.
When his partner is killed while tracking down a notorious counterfeiter, hotshot Secret Service agent Richard Chance (William Petersen) vows to nail the killer at any cost. The counterfeiter is Rick Masters (Willem Dafoe), a promising abstract expressionist painter and cunning criminal. Together with his new straight-arrow but spineless partner John Vukovich (John Pankow), Chance tries surveillance, extortion, and subterfuge to incriminate Masters, but Masters is always one step ahead of him. Chance resorts to stealing funds for an undercover operation, and even the corrupt interplay of cops and criminals begins to unravel.
Director William Friedkin wanted a cast of virtual unknowns, and maybe that's why "To Live and Die in L.A."'s box office receipts didn't reflect its quality. More likely, the world of 1985 wasn't in the mood for a film in which everything is counterfeit: the money, the relationships, the cops, the criminals. Nothing is what it pretends to be. But Friedkin can hardly be faulted for choosing an excellent cast. This was William Petersen's first major film role, and I can't help but think that, together with 1986's "Manhunter", it would have made him a big star had it been made a few years later. Both films were ahead of their time. Not because they were better than other films being made in the mid-1980s -although it happens that they were- but that their themes were simply not timed to coincide with what audiences wanted at that moment. In any case, Petersen gets credit for generating the energy that keeps this story moving. John Pankow gets credit for being the human expression of a world falling apart, through whom we sense the chaos. William Friedkin gets credit for the fantastic counterfeiting sequence and the creative decisions in story, music, and cinematography -including the gutsy ending- that make "To Live and Die in L.A." exceptional. This is a must-see for fans of neo-noir.
The DVD (2004 Special Edition from MGM): There is a nice package of bonus features on the Special Edition disc, including a making-of documentary, an alternate ending, a deleted scene, a photo gallery, and an audio commentary. "Counterfeit World" (30 minutes) is a documentary about making the film that features modern interviews with director William Friedkin, the film's cast, and some principle crew, as well as a bit of on-set footage. Definitely worth seeing if you like the film. You can see the Alternate Ending (5 minutes) and Deleted Scene (4 minutes) with or without introductory featurettes. I recommend viewing the featurettes, so you'll understand what you're watching. The alternate ending was made at the request of the producers and is truly horrible. The "Stills Gallery" is a slideshow of stills and on-set photos. The audio commentary by director William Friedkin is worthwhile. It's not a scene-by-scene analysis, but comments on filming, story, casting, music, cinematography, and various interesting tidbits. Subtitles are available for the film in English, French, and Spanish. Dubbing is available in French and Spanish. |
| Rating | | | Date | January 24, 2005 | | Summary | One of the Greatest | Content
| If you're reading this, you've probably seen the movie--I'm not sensing a lot of people here who searched for this film.
So to the point: this movie will always remain in my mind for, first and foremost, its ending. Never before in a film had I seen the story line go the way this one did (those of you who've seen it know what I'm talking about). I was literally slack-jawed when all that went down... I just couldn't believe it.
Anyway, to the point, DVD owners: what's cool about owning it on DVD? First and foremost, the movie holds up. The Wang Chung soundtrack doesn't sound dated--it sounds like they created it in their own little timeless universe. Nobody really sounded like them anyway, and they didn't sound like anybody.
The story is a blast and what a rush to see before-they-were-famous performances from Petersen, Dafoe and John Turturro. They're all household names now, but at this point they were literally unknown.
The sound and the print are great; and the car chase is an all-time classic. Somebody here dissed it in comparison to the Matrix Reloaded--which is bunk, because 70% of that chase (although it's awesome) was CGI. This was actually done for real.
But what really makes the DVD awesome are the extras--the making-of short is a must-see, and it's a kick to see interviews with the original cast members, who obviously enjoyed being in this movie. There's a present-day CSI William Petersen reflecting fondly on the shoot, along with Willem Dafoe.
But the biggest kick of all is the alternate ending shot for the film, when the studio balked at the original (and final) ending--OMG, how ridiculous. The actors literally seem to be smirking through the scene, knowing how absurd it is. Thank the Lord the director never took it seriously.
Friedkin's commentary is very entertaining, if sometimes rambling. He doesn't necessarily dissect the movie scene-by-scene, but rather offers a general, overall philosophy of film making. What's also interesting in retrospect is that apparently this film didn't do to well at the box office; to me it's an easy Top 10, but on the other hand it would be hard to market a film which is not easily explainable in 25 words or less.
To own or not to own on DVD? The answer is: yes. |
| Rating | | | Date | January 23, 2005 | | Summary | Groundbreaking action yarn | Content
| "To Live and Die in L.A." is one of those films I heard a lot about when it first came out, heard even more about in the intervening years, yet only recently got around to watching. Friends praised this film directed by William Friedkin as one of the coolest crime thrillers to ever hit the big screen. Friends whose opinion I greatly value when it comes to films said the same thing. Obviously, I thought, I've got to find some time to include this one in my to see list. After all, there is nothing like a great shoot 'em up film loaded with tons of car chases, violent killings, and do or die macho dialogue to help decrease high stress levels. Give me Charles Bronson sweeping through a gang of punks like he's the Angel of Death, Chuck Norris mowing down the baddies, or none other than Arnie Schwarzenegger dealing out doom to worthy recipients and I'm a happy camper. Let 'em use bullets, grenades, heavy artillery, hand to hand techniques, water, fire, missiles, swords, knives, ropes, whatever--anything that will do in the various enemies they encounter during the course of the film. You can probably tell I'm not that demanding when it comes to this genre.
Occasionally I am demanding, however, as in the case of "To Live and Die in L.A." It's the story of a Secret Service agent by the name of Richard Chance (William L. Petersen) who moves over to a new position in the Treasury department after he thwarts an assassination attempt on the president. His new job involves hunting down a most interesting criminal, a master counterfeiter by the name of Eric Masters (Willem Dafoe). This guy spends a lot of his time painting elaborate works of art and then burning them outside his house. He fills the rest of his hours running off thousands of sheets of money out in a warehouse in the desert. He's good, the best that there is, and the feds have been trying to shut his operation down for years. Chance's involvement becomes personal after his partner, a man very close to retirement, decides to launch a solo investigation of the warehouse only to meet his doom at the hands of Masters. Now Agent Chance will do anything in his power, both inside and outside the law, to bring the counterfeiter to justice. It won't be easy, however, since Masters is an absolutely ruthless thug who kills anyone--be it law enforcement officers, associates, or underlings--who gets in his way. Got a great idea for double-crossing Eric Masters? Forget about it; he will find out and pay a most painful visit to sort things out.
Chance soon gets another partner, the rather uptight John Vukovich (John Pankow), and the two start gunning for Masters with a vengeance. The agents shake up one of Masters's underlings, a guy named Carl Cody (John Turturro), in an attempt to make him turn snitch. They also set up a stakeout on a chap known to be one of Eric's best customers. In both instances, the feds botch the job. In order to get Carl Cody released from prison and into the custody of the Treasury Department, Chance had to convince a grouchy judge that signing a release order would help nab Masters. Unfortunately, Cody beats Chance to a bloody pulp and runs off at the first opportunity. The stakeout goes south when Masters manages to sneak past the prying eyes of Chance and Vukovich, kill the guy under surveillance, and escape without a scratch. These failures and the steadfast refusal of Treasury Department superiors to authorize a large cash payout to sting Masters leads Chance to take steps beyond the law. I won't spoil the ins and outs of how Agent Chance and the increasingly guilt ridden Vukovich procure the money, but the killings and resulting car chase form the most memorable aspects of "To Live and Die in L.A." So does the ending, which truly turns the action genre on its head.
I want to say I loved this movie. It does have great things going for it, including solid performances from Petersen, Pankow, Turturro, Dafoe, and Dean Stockwell as a sleazy attorney. It's also incredibly nuanced for an action film, with lots of twists and turns that you'll never see coming and characters that possess both good and bad traits. The action sequences grab the eye, especially the two scenes where characters take a shotgun blast to the face--surprisingly, the camera doesn't pull away when this occurs. What prohibits me from professing total adoration for "To Live and Die in L.A."? First, the car chase didn't impress me. I'm sure that it took forever to stage this sequence, and I have no doubt that it looked impressive back in 1985, but so many films made since have elevated chase scenes far beyond what we see here. Second, I could never get my mind around the Treasury Department's refusal to authorize more money for the sting that would reel in Masters. Here's a criminal responsible for the death of a federal agent, a guy churning out hundreds of thousands of sheets of top notch funny money, and the feds don't want to cough up a few bucks to catch him? Nope, I'm not buying it.
The DVD contains several extras, including a commentary with Friedkin, a making of feature, and deleted scenes and an alternate ending. Kudos to the director for sticking to his guns and insisting the studio keep the original ending intact. The alternate conclusion is so ridiculous that had the film initially used it, it's highly likely that "To Live and Die in L.A." would not have the following it has today. An enjoyable film, one that is highly evocative of the 1980s, "To Live and Die in L.A." is well worth watching. It's just not the masterpiece many make it out to be.
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