What Happened to To Live and Die in L.A?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- To Live and Die in L.A. is considered a classic now, but this wasn't always the case.
When he died this summer, a lot of director William Friedkin’s movies got new life as film fans dug into this filmography. Looking over his body of work, one of the interesting things to note is that he directed four films that could justifiably be called masterpieces, but only two of them were successful. There was The French Connection and The Exorcist, both of which raked in huge box office and are considered classics. But, there were also two flops that he made that are just as good as those films, one of which is 1977’s Sorcerer, and the other is 1985’s Secret Service thriller To Live and Die in L.A., which we’re digging into in this episode of WTF Happened to This Movie.
The film stars William Petersen (long before CSI) as a Secret Service agent after the counterfeiter who killed his partner. While that premise sounds old hat, Friedkin’s execution is anything but. Despite being our “hero,” Friedkin’s cop character is anything but heroic, while Willem Dafoe, as the cop-killing bad guy, is shown to be somewhat sympathetic. In his pursuit of his prey, Petersen’s character becomes a full-on criminal, dragging his young partner (John Pankow pre-Mad About You) into the abyss.
To Live and Die in L.A. contains the most realistic counterfeit bill-making ever put to screen, as well as a car chase that arguably beats Friedkin’s hair-raising pursuit in The French Connection. Plus, it’s all scored by an evocative score by New Wave band Wang Chung. It’s a masterpiece, but the making of the film was fraught for Friedkin, and after it came out, he’d never be given carte blanche in the same way again. So, WTF Happened to To Live and Die in L.A.? Let’s find out!
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One of the most underrated films of all time. The "wrong way" car chase and the setup to how it went down was unbearably tense. Peterson was great in this, along with Dafoe, who embodied pure darkness and foreboding. One of the scariest "heavies" I've ever seen in any film, a great performance by him. Unrelentingly dark, grimy, dangerous and sleazy, probably why it became a "cult classic" instead of the mainstream monster it deserved to be.
Reviews hated this movie. I agree 100% with you. On the edge all the way through... Brilliant characters.. all went on to massive carreers. Soundtrack totally badazzzzzz..Everyone Must .WANG CHUNG TONIGHT!!!
Was honestly SHOCKED at what happened to William Peterson’s character and when it happened in this film when I saw it the first time in 1985…hadn’t seen that happen before
After having seen To Live and Die in LA, the first movie that came to mind that did it in almost note for note similar fashion was The Departed.
You are right, The image kind of lives with you after a character being built up like that, it was so deliberately graphic but now dated. I guess game of thrones did that a few times too@@_JesusIsLord_
Well he was a corrupt cop who didnt give a damn about anything nor with others especially his lovely informant who he was blackmailing for sex. Also, Friedkin wanted to show that thin line between cops and crook not being all different from the other so there it is
Me too. I thougt the ending seemed a little drastic and final. I heard there is an alternate version.
@@Number4lead there is another final. Not nearly as good. They are transferred to Alaska. It's in deleted scenes on the DVD
R.I.P. William Friedkin
You could really tell from interviews he was a real one 💯
And Darlanne Fluegel. She passed away about 6 or 7 years ago.
The only heist film I love more than To Die in LA is Thief, which, respectfully is a Chicago centric movie.
#RIPWilliamFreidkin
I said it once, and I'll say it again.
This is one of the best & underrated crime heist neo-noir films of all time.
Great Wang Chung music. I had the 💿 for most of the 1980s 1990s.
No it's not heist film.. it's a realistic police procedural and buddy cop action movie like lethal weapon, colors (1988) and bad boys..
i will mention Year Of The Dragon to this list.
@erickjrmaldonadoherrera4531 To Live And Die in L.A. goes deeper into exploring moral ambiguity. Law enforcement and criminals are the flipside of the same coin.
The car chase scene was🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Absolutely!
Extreme rail fanning 😂🚂
Freidkin is an all-timer. The French Connection, The Exorcist, Sorceror, To Live And Die In LA. Classics
@ssJOBLO_ORIGINALS-yw2ot for real? Or is this a bot?
THE HUNTED is excellent.
Is Sorcerer worth a watch?
@@Smudgeroon74Tied for his best with The French Connection
Saw it for the first time this year. Hands down the best car chase in any film including french connection. What a gem
Did you notice that the vehicles on both sides are traveling in the wrong direction?
I worked in a theater when this came out. Saw it opening night. It was a commercial flop but I loved it immediately. One of my all time favorite films. Frustrating that it is never on streaming services - I read online it's due to music rights. Whenever I fly home into LAX I listen to the title song as the plane lands.
I love, love, love this film. And you can’t stream it anywhere.
I`m so lucky to have it in DVD. Looks great on my Blu ray player. Not sure if movie was ever made on Blu ray.
I still pull that title song up on the jukebox
Every now and then and still rock the soundtrack on cd too
Saw this on the full screen in the 80s. Still haunts me to this day the feeling of the music and movie. So strong.
Im going to watch this movie again.
One of the best shot films I've ever seen. The cinematography is amazing!
An excellent and bit of forgotten film. William Petersen deserved an Oscar nomination for this one.
Preaching to the choir my friend.
One of the best movies ever made in my opinion. Has everything from drama, suspense, provocative, and how bout the thrilling car chase scene. RIP Darlanne Fluegel, you were so brutally beautiful and RIP to so many of the actors who have also passed away who had a role in this so underrated movie.
One of the greatest from the 80s. So forgotten.
This movie is so underrated
Don’t forget that Jane Leeves had a non-speaking role. She’d later star in the television show “Frasier.”
Don't forget She use to be one of Benny Hill's Girls BRFORE this movie. 👍🏾
I bet when Niles saw his beloved Daphne like this… he cried whilst sporting a tent😂
@@BigMob05 And Jane was also in the Monty Python movie, “The Meaning of Life,” also before TLADLA.
I fuckin' LOVE this movie. Great performances and an unforgettable car chase. Thanks for featuring this one.
And the utterly shocking and sudden death of the protagonist. I love being surprised like that but it is very rare!
This and 1986's Manhunter are a great double bill! Both seem a lot alike. William Petersen is top notch in both movies. 🎭
@@DavidLLambertmobile Agreed
Killing off your main character is a pretty ballsy move. 20 years later The Departed did it and won Best Picture at The Oscars.
without an ounce of exaggeration, this film is an masterpiece... a genuine, rock solid epic crime noir film that probably outstrips every caper film before or after.... those who know, know.
Great film! It’s unfortunate that it wasn’t better received.
My boyfriend, Stephen Scott, and I were fans of Art Deco and film noir. He designed the Saturn lamp that appears in the scene where Masters retrieves his paper from Waxman. We were delighted to see the lamp on the set, then clung to the edge of our seats during the fight scene thinking it was going to shatter. Miraculously, it didn't. The level of violence in this film was epic for its time. I've always loved Dafoe, having first seen him perform with the Wooster Group.
Whatever happened to that lamp? Did you get it back?
"What Happened to TLADILA" is never explained in this video. I came here to find out why it can't be found on any streaming service, and it's almost like the film has been disappeared.
It's on DVD. I pop it in 2-3 times a year. You know your old when DVD s are considered old school.
One of my favs. Saw DeFoe on Inside the Actors Studio & when asked by a guy whose family owned a printing business how he learned all that he did, he told a great story.
Ooooh, now I want to look that up. I love Defoe's work.
Plus it would be nice to see episodes I've missed.
@@badkitty4922 If you find it let me know. Been looking. Story goes, they had real counterfeiters on set & they all got real squirrelly when he started making the money.
This was the first movie to throw a twist ending at me (no spoilers); I did not see that coming.
Great film. Brutal twist in 3rd act. Feels so real.
I think the car chase in this is better than The French Connection’s.
Well, in my opinion the chase in LA surpasses the one in French Connection. Both of them are great movies.
Well I for one am shocked that William Friedkin, the director notoriously known for hiding guns on the set of The Exorcist then fired them to get a reaction out of the cast, would be labeled as aggressive or sadistic 😮
The guy wasn’t the easiest to get along with from the numerous stories I’ve read, but you can’t argue he didn’t get results
Well doing that I wouldn't call it sadistic, it is unusual however, and has its associated risks, but whatever methods Friedkin used in shooting the film, you must admit all the actors and actresses performed well in their respective roles. But no a director wouldn't be allowed to do that today..
I'm not really a fan of Wang Chung, but they knocked it out of the park with this soundtrack. Great work!
Great movie, some amazing scenes especially the car chase. William Friedkin made some truly outstanding movies. R.I.P.
It was an excellent film. Thanks for remembering it.
Complete Badass movie !!!
If anyone ever asked me to show them the perfect mid-80s time capsule, this is the perfect film to show them. It’s better than Miami Vice at capturing that 80s excess. For the longest time I was sure this was a Michael Mann film. Is it a great film? No. Is it a bold film? Hell yes!
The big twist is unexpected and it kinda works, but kinda doesn’t. For sure, the first watch through will leave the viewer expecting him to show back up and it all being an elaborate stunt, so when the film actually ends (with zero charisma guy taking charge) you are left feeling a bit disoriented.
I presume you're referring to John Pankow as the "zero charisma guy"? Would you say that to his wife?
This is a true gem of a movie. It's one of my favorites. The wrong-way chase on the highway is amazing. Thanks for the video!
As a teenager I had uncles in their 20's that would take me to see R rated movies, I was fortunate, I saw this one 3 times in the theatre, the last viewing was in the $1 cinema
Side story to the dollar cinema, a rat bit my finger in the theatre when I was reaching for my popcorn.
I was 16 in 1985, so you can imagine the "scene" Darlanne Fluegel with William Peterson. Whew, I`m 55 now and the part still .........well you know......
Like clockwork, baby. So much dialog recorded after the fact.
This movie is so good
when movies were great
WTF Happened to this film? It finally got a 4K release earlier this year😆
OMG I didn't know, I bought it back in the early 2000 on standard DVD. It still looks great on my Blu ray player.
I absolutely love this movie 😊❤🎉😊❤🎉
This movie was psychadelic. I still can't figure out what made it so different. I'm listening.
My favourite movie from William Friedkin
The absolute best or second best movie and theme song pairing ever (competing with Purple Rain)
The lyrics and music perfectly capture the mood and atmosphere of the movie.
The bleakness influenced many later movies from Se7en to Training Day
Then there's DaFoe......
This movie is outstanding. I love it.
What do I win?
I just saw...William Friedkin...straddle Willem Dafoe!! What a rehearsal !
My Uncle produced this film and like everything he touched it involved lawsuits! lol
In 1985-86 high school print shop kids all over the US were getting arrested for printing decent looking money and selling $20s for $5 each
very true. I was once approached by a guy back in 86, maybe around 21 when I was 17 at an arcade in downtown LA, he asked me I wanted to buy five fake $20 dollar bills for $50 bucks, they looked exactly like $20 bills but everyone knows, even me at that age phony bills would get you in serious trouble. Told him no and he called me stupid and left. I would see him one more time there trying to sell phony $20 bills to other kids.
It’s a freaking masterpiece…😊
A Friedking masterpiece.....
@@teobabouris8733good one…😊
After seeing the film my first time, I found Gerald Petievich's book, "To Live and Die in L.A." The movie contained numerous vignettes from the book, although sequentially rearranged. And yes, the movie was better.
Amazing Film, very underrated!
Friedkin’s masterpiece and the perfect crime thriller to watch on a lazy hot summer Sunday.
Rampage is a movie that we’ll probably never get to see a proper release of again, it has been tangled up in rights issues for years. Aside from an old VHS or Laserdisc there is, to my knowledge at least, no new pressing of the movie. Rampage is actually rated quite highly by fans of Friedkin, despite his own grievances on the film.
Saw Rampage in 1991 and it has some gory scenes and the ending in the courtroom with the perpetrator, I'd never seen that kind of situation before. Overall, it's a decent crime drama. It's advertising budget was small, hence why not many folk have seen it.
That song under the end credits makes me nervous! 😂
you mean the song "Wait"? awesome song.
@@agt462Great driving at night on the motorway track ..
Love this film!
This is one of my favorite movies too bad it’s hard to find streaming
Just buy it on dvd or blu ray, you’ll be glad you did!
Love this movie and it's one of my favorite crime thrillers ever. I love how the so-called "good guys" are scummy characters as well and because he's William Friedkin, he delivers another kickass car chase!
Bad ass movie
The film of the three Williams (Willems)
Thief was not an LA centric movie. It took place in Chicago.
What do I win? @user-et5fq7hz2i
One of my top ten movies.
Soundtrack was really pretty good. I worked in a record store at the time, I liked to play certain CDs on the playlist just to see if people would ask about them. It worked pretty well with that CD, I sold a lot of them.
Crazy Wang Chung never did another score
One of the best action crime films
❤ masterpieces❤️ The exorcist, The French Connection and My all time Favorite To Live And To Die in L.A.
This is such a good movie!
Agreed.. it’s so awesome…😎
The movie was whispered about as a new kind of flick. Where nothing is sacred and there are no "good" guys per se. Then you had the music by Wang Chung. I loved it.
What do you mean it's not a postcard of Los Angeles? It's everything I remember LA being in the 80s. The true and wonderful LA. The locations and scenery are half the reason I LOVE this movie. Now, if only I could go have a cheeseburger and a beer on a bucket seat at Utro's. Thank you for the video.
A really good movie night would be this movie and "Sorcerer". And yes, I know that the latter is a remake of "Wages of Fear", but it has some of the most tension filmed scenes ever put on film. Especially the bridge crossing scene.
I absolutely adore this movie. Both Petersen and Dafoe and Friedkin's direction are outstanding, but the support cast is also great (Robert Downey Sr.(!) and John Turturro etc). Dafoe's "Masters" is a new kind of criminal: smart, charismatic, art-loving and at the same time very menacing. Certainly not your run-of-the-mill mob boss.
Aww man, bummer. I had no idea the Fried man left us. What an outstanding legacy. I never saw a movie before where I said "what the hell is he doing? He's gonna get killed!" Then BOOM, the bold lead character gets tookout. There's usually some corny Hollywood bullshit that spoils it for me. Thanks for standing up to the talentless Hollywood executives 😅 RIP Director William Friedkin.
Fans of the movie should check out T-Men from 1947. Clear influence.
Compliments for noting Muller's camera work.
great movie had a copy on VHS
Awesome Movie.
I review I watched about the film had a great point..the movie is not about Chance. The movie is about Vukovich and how he descends to hell and changes. By the end of the film he becomes Chance.
really really good soundtrack so much so that I actually bought it on CD. made me really appreciate Wang Chung that much more outside of being a one-hit wonder
Was a good movie there was a part that caught me off guard and actually surprised me . After seeing just about everything under the sun it was a nice surprise went in blind it didn't disappoint.
Wonderful to hear the background of it am I you rest in peace William Friedkin😢
Adverts for this movie, seemed, in kansas city to imply this was a disco movie.
which i refused to watch.
several years later@ a friends house it appeared on cable. in the middle of the night.
was a pleasant surprise ....
This is truly one of Friedkin’s greatest works. It’s like a Michael Mann thriller, but not done by him thanks to the excellent chase on the LA highway; definitely from the man who did “The French Connection”. Casting was just perfect with Petersen, Dafoe and Pankow in the main focus and you believe these guys as adversaries (Petersen & Pankow vs Dafoe). And I did not see the fate of Petersen’s character coming on my first viewing; I immediately said “they shot him?! What?! Whoa that was unexpected”
The movie can’t easily be watched for the usual $3.99. The cheapest way to watch it is to buy the DVD.
Loved this movie. Starts out looking like its going to be a cliche cop drama, then just makes every "wrong" decision and goes completely the opposite direction down some pretty dark rabbit holes. Took me forever to like Turturro after this as he's just such a slimeball in this. Not that anyone is clean.
My best friend loves this movie. It ended up growing on me after a few views. It's really ahead of its time when it comes to law enforcement dramas.
A class 80’s movie 🎥👌👌👌
TLADILA is an absolute CLASSIC 💯
gonna watch this tonight now, one of the best 80s movies without a doubt.
R I P BILLY F DEFINITELY 💯 PERCENT ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES OF THE 80S WHEN BILLY PETERSON WAS ON A ROLL TOP ACTOR HIS ACTION SCENES WERE BETTER AND BETTER FROM POPEYE DOYLE CHASE GREAT LOSS
Wish they went with the Alternate Ending cuz I like that Chance and his partner where reassigned!
I have always loved this weird, weird movie!
Why in the hell can’t you stream it anywhere ? Love this movie ..
It become a cult classic.
Classic
The Tupac song was good too
Amazing film!!
A GREAT FILM FROM 1985. IT GAVE US WILLIAM PETERSON
Great flic
It said Buddy "Joe" Hooker,fk sake not Buddy Lee.
Great movie!
Top movie
Love this movie!!!!
I remember this movie when I was a teenager.
Hey man may I ask did you see it at the movies in 1980's
Gotta say- its pretty terrible, and thats coming from someone who likes The French Connection and Sorcerer. The film sounds like it was dubbed in a studio post production and doesnt match the noises happening on screen. The 2 cops cannot act. As someone points out below- a random suicide bomber who does surprisingly little damage. Poor dialogue. On the plus side Dafoe is decent and the chase scene is pretty good.
now we need a WTF Happenned to William Petersen
He`s been on a few movies. He had a good role on "Fear".
Why can’t you stream this movie ?
Use "Bit Torrent"