To Live and Die in L.A. [Blu-ray]

Director: William Friedkin, William Freidkin William Friedkin

Overview

William Friedkin's crime thriller, based on a book by U.S. Secret Service agent Gerald Petievich, concerns an arrogant Secret Service official who wants to get his man at any price. Willem Dafoe plays Eric Masters, an ultra-smooth counterfeiter who has managed to sidestep the police for years. He is so up-front about his dealings, in fact, that when some undercover agents try to make a deal with him at his health club, Eric tells them, "I've been coming to this gym three times a week for five years. I'm an easy guy to find. People know they can trust me." But when young and eager Secret Service agent Richard Chance (William L. Petersen) finds out that his partner has been cold-bloodedly murdered by Eric, he trains his relentlessness upon capturing Eric -- whether it means robbery, murder, or exploiting his friends and associates. As Chance erases the dividing line between good and evil, he drags his new partner John Vukovich (John Pankow) and Ruth Lanier (Darlanne Fluegel), an ex-con, down into the maelstrom with him.

Product Details

Release Date:	07/18/2023
UPC:	0738329263409
Original Release:	1985
Rating:	R
Source:	Kl Studio Classics
Language:	English
Time:	1:56:00
Sales rank:	3,151

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

William Petersen	Richard Chance
Willem Dafoe	Eric Masters
John Pankow	John Vukovich
Debra Feuer	Bianca Torres
John Turturro	Carl Cody
Darlanne Fluegel	Ruth Lanier
Dean Stockwell	Bob Grimes
Steve James	Jeff Rice
Robert Downey Sr.	Thomas Bateman
Michael Greene	Jim Hart
Christopher Allport	Max Waxman
Jack Hoar	Jack
Valentin de Vargas	Judge Filo Cedillo
Dwier Brown	Doctor
Michael Chong	Thomas Ling
Jackelyn Giroux	Claudia Leith
Gregg Dandridge	Prison Assailant
Mark Gash	Himself
Earnest Hart Jr.	Rice's Friend
Bufort McClerkins Jr.	prison assailant
Dar Robinson	FBI Agent
Michael Zand	Terrorist
Bobby Bass	FBI Agent
Anne Betancourt	Nurse
Katherine Louie	Ticket Agent
Edward Harrell	airport guard
Gilbert Espinoza	Utro's bartender
John Petievich	Agent
Rick Dalton	Agent
Richard Lane	Agent
Jack Cota	Agent
Shirley White	Airline Passenger
Gerald Brownlee	Visiting Room Guard
David DuFriend	Tower Guard
Ruben Garcia	Inmate Ruben
Joe Duran	Prison Guard
Donny Williams	Rice's Friend
Pat McGroarty	Criminal
Brian Bradley	Tourist
Robert Downey	Actor
Wang Chung	Composer

Technical Credits

William Friedkin

Gerald Petievich

Irving Levin	Producer
Billy Bates	Stunts,Stunts
Phil Chong	Stunts
Lamont Jackson	Stunts
Billy Lucas	Stunts
John Meier	Stunts
Jim Nickerson	Stunts
Justin DeRosa	Stunts
James Halty	Stunts
Gary Hymes	Stunts
William Friedkin	Screenwriter,Director
Gerald Petievich	Screenwriter
Billy Burton	Stunts
Tim Davison	Stunts,Stunts
Henry Kingi	Stunts
Samuel Schulman	Executive Producer
Manny Perry	Stunts
Chad Randall	Stunts
Jophery Brown	Stunts
Patrick Romano	Stunts
Matt Johnson	Stunts,Stunts
John Casino	Stunts
Thomas Huff	Stunts
Pat McGroarty	Stunts
Eddy Donno	Stunts
Buddy Hooker	Stunts
Loren Janes	Stunts
Gary McLarty	Stunts
Danny Rogers	Stunts
Jon Conrad Pochron	Stunts
Bobby Bass	Stunts
Wally Crowder	Stunts
Doc Duhame	Stunts
Kenny Endoso	Stunts
David Ellis	Stunts
J. Huntsman	Sound Editor
William Freidkin	Director

Editorial Reviews

This gritty, stylish thriller, made in 1985, did for Los Angeles what Miami Vice did for that outwardly glamorous and appealing metropolis: exposed its corrupt and repellent underside. At the time of its theatrical release, To Live and Die… set a new benchmark for urban-cop dramas; many critics were appalled by its graphic language, the brutality of its violent action scenes, and its underlying nihilism. But they generally liked William Petersen -- today the star of CSI, TV’s top drama, but then just establishing himself as an edgy leading man -- who portrays a dogged Secret Service agent obsessed with nailing the ruthless counterfeiter (Willem Dafoe, in his best role up to that time) responsible for killing his partner. Director William Friedkin rather self-consciously imposed upon the film a peculiar, hyper-realistic style that has proven highly influential. His characters often behave unbelievably, even foolishly, but their actions seem perfectly reasonable and acceptable within the context of the story. A well-staged, brilliantly edited car chase harkens back to Friedkin’s French Connection, and that’s just one of the action highlights in this fast-paced two hours. Although To Live and Die… remains firmly rooted in its ‘80s time frame (an air reinforced by the Wang Chung score), it offers a driving pace and visceral impact that audiences have come to expect from violent urban melodramas.

Barnes & Noble - Ed Hulse