I am a William Friedkin stan. He is one of the greatest directors out there. His back catalogue speaks for itself with films like French Connection, The Exorcist, Cruising and The Sorcerer his greatness can’t be denied
One of his best films is a 80s gem by the name of To Live and Die in L.A. The movie tells the story of secret service agent Richard Chance (played by William Peterson) on the hunt for the counterfeiter who killed his partner, brilliantly played by Willem Dafoe.
The film is pure 80s and one of my favourite movies. To Live and Die in LA also has one of the best car chases ever filmed. Another thing that stands out is the soundtrack which was recorded by 80s band Wang Chun.
When the Prince Charles Cinema announced they were screening the movie and that William Friedkin and Wang Chun were going to do a Q&A I didn’t hesitate to get tickets, which is good as it sold out in a day. Seeing my hero live on screen was an honour. Wang Chun were also part of the Q&A and it was hosted by Mark Kermode.
He spoke about the making of this movie. One thing that was really interesting about the talk was that he chooses his soundtracks prior to shooting. He then gets the movie to fit around the soundtrack truly making it a part of the film rather than a layer.
It was great seeing William Friedkin live. I can now die happy