To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)

[K1stpierre]

Discuss

[JohnnyGossamer]

Friedkin beautiful. A-.

[The Futurist]

Would probably be an HBO movie or TV show in 2015.

[Plain Old Tele]

Total 80s. One of the greatest car chases ever mixed in there too.

[Jake Gittes]

Love the shit out of this movie. Maybe my favorite Friedkin. The shotgun to the face shocked me more than most movie moments ever will.

[JohnnyGossamer]

Would probably be an HBO movie or TV show in 2015.

So glad it was 1985 and not 2015.

[JohnnyGossamer]

Total 80s. One of the greatest car chases ever mixed in there too.

One could argue the car chase here tops Friedkin's own from French Connection. A great foot chase in the movie as well. But, yeah, that car chase isn't mentioned enough. I was kind of surprised this wasn't in the RTM Archives when I revisited it yesterday.

[Plain Old Tele]

One could argue the car chase here tops Friedkin's own from French Connection. A great foot chase in the movie as well. But, yeah, that car chase isn't mentioned enough. I was kind of surprised this wasn't in the RTM Archives when I revisited it yesterday.

 

I think it's better. FRENCH CONNECTION is arguably more visceral, but it's also pretty repetitive.

[Jake Gittes]

It's also an awesome deconstruction of the buddy cop movie in general and the loose cannon cop who gets results, dammit character type in particular. I found it hard to believe at first that it was actually made before Lethal Weapon.

[JohnnyGossamer]

I think it's better. FRENCH CONNECTION is arguably more visceral, but it's also pretty repetitive.

While watching it, I'd completely forgotten how long the chase lasted. Just mad creativity from when they toss the man with the briefcase in the car until the group of guys stroll past with reggae blaring on a boombox.

 

I've said it here before and wholly understand why Friedkin's an acquired taste. But, man, I love that he totally goes for broke with just about every film he makes. Results in some heinous misfires. Also results in some unreal, chaotic brilliance. He's the epitome of the 1970s American filmmaker. Angry, visceral and relentless.

Edited August 4, 2015 by JohnnyGossamer

[Jake Gittes]

One could argue the car chase here tops Friedkin's own from French Connection. A great foot chase in the movie as well. But, yeah, that car chase isn't mentioned enough. I was kind of surprised this wasn't in the RTM Archives when I revisited it yesterday.

 

IIRC, Friedkin himself said before shooting that if the car chase wasn't gonna be better than the one in The French Connection, the whole movie wasn't worth making. I agree that it ended up being better. 

[The Stingray]

Love it! One of the most badass cop movies of all time.

 

9.5/10