To Live and Die In L.A. Review

4 Star conversion of a classic eighties thriller.

To Live and Die In L.A. was originally released in 1985. It is based on the novel of the same name by former U.S. Secret Service agent Gerald Petievich, who co-wrote the screenplay with director William Friedkin (The French Connection, The Exorcist).

It is an intense and uncompromising look at law enforcement on the mean and gritty streets of Los Angeles.

Richard Chance (William Peterson – Fear, Manhunter) is a U.S. Secret Service agent whose partner Jim Hart (Michael Greene – *batteries not included) is about to retire. Unfortunately, in eighties crime thrillers only having three days left on the job is inevitably a death sentence and this proves to be the case for poor old Jim. While investigating a counterfeiting operation at a remote warehouse, he is spotted by the evil Eric Masters (Willem Dafoe – Spiderman, Platoon), whose bodyguard shoots him dead.

When Richard finds him dead, he embarks on a reckless campaign to take down Masters regardless of the consequences, much to the annoyance of his new partner John Vukovich (John Pankow – Mad About You, Monkey Shines) who wants to do everything by the book.

To Live and Die In L.A. is a brutal film, which doesn’t pull any punches. The characters are flawed, they make mistakes and they pay for them and the action is fast paced and intense with some excellent stunts and featuring an award winning car chase. The soundtrack is a bit strange to modern ears, but I’m sure that when it was made it hit the spot perfectly. The conversion is very good, with sound and visuals coming across brilliantly.

With a whole host of special features, this one is well worth adding to your crime collection.

“Why are you chasing me?”

“Why are you running?”

“Because you’re chasing me!”

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS
• Brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm negative supervised and
approved by director William Friedkin
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
• Optional 5.1 Surround and 2.0 Stereo audio (with DTS-HD Master Audio and
Uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray)
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Audio commentary by director and co-writer William Friedkin
• Taking a Chance, a brand-new interview with actor William Petersen
• Doctor for a Day, a brand-new interview with actor Dwier Brown
• Renaissance Woman in L.A., a brand-new interview with Debra Feuer
• So In Phase: Scoring To Live and Die in L.A., a brand-new interview with
composers Wang Chung
• Wrong Way: The Stunts of To Live and Die in L.A., a brand-new interview with stunt co-ordinator Buddy Joe Hooker
• Counterfeit World: The Making of To Live and Die in L.A., an archive featurette containing interviews with Friedkin, actors Petersen
and Willem Dafoe, and others
• Alternative ending
• Deleted scene
• Stills gallery
• Trailers
• Radio spot
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by the Twins of Evil
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Fully illustrated collector’s booklet containing new writing by Anne Billson and contemporary coverage