“Also, it is to die for. It's extraordinary; it's deeply appreciated and/or greatly desired. For example, Her performance, it's to die! or That mink coat—it's to die for! This hyperbole is usually put as an exclamation. [Slang; 1970s]”
http://www.yourdictionary.com/
Now, if you are a mink that contributed to the aforementioned coat, then the statement is true rather than an idiom. I know, I know, it’s not meant to be taken literally.
It’s an i-di-om (id-i-ot)… I tell myself.
The phrase raises my hackles (or they would raise if I had hackles). I simply don’t like how it trivialises what it might be worth dying for. A promotional email, received today, talked about an upcoming film, Fantastic Mr Fox, mentioning that “The production design alone is to die for.” I don’t think so Palace Cinemas.
I do note the rise of disparaging anger, along with hackles, I’ve added a new tag to these posts ‘Anger’. Seems the emotion must have been here all along. Sorry Dr Kuebler-Ross, for claiming not to get angry. I do experience anger and with a capital ‘A’. Anger is secondary to my everyday identity, a little quashed and now it pops out inappropriately in disparaging posts.
Anyway, my point is made, to die for is not a way to describe a film’s production values, nor a cheese cake, it’s not, not, not…