To Live and Die in L.A.

To Live and Die in L.A. is a 1985 American neo-noir action thriller film directed and co-written by William Friedkin. It is based on the 1984 novel of the same name by former U.S. Secret Service agent Gerald Petievich, who co-wrote the screenplay with Friedkin. It stars William Petersen, Willem Dafoe, John Pankow, John Turturro, Darlanne Fluegel and Dean Stockwell. Wang Chung composed and performed the original music soundtrack. The film tells the story of the lengths to which two Secret Service agents go to arrest a counterfeiter. The film was released by MGM/UA Entertainment Co. on November 1, 1985. It received generally positive reviews, with critics praising its authenticity and the cinematography by Robby Müller. It was a financial success, grossing $17.3 million from $6 million budget. William Friedkin referred to the film as one of his favorites of his own works. In 2008, the film was voted by a group of Los Angeles Times staff as one of the best films set in Los Angeles in the previous 25 years.