In 1980, the cinematic bomb went off when director William Friedkin, already famous for his horror classic The Exorcist, joined forces with Al Pacino, the star of The Godfather, to create a disturbing crime thriller. It was called Cruising. Despite the big names attached to the project, the film spiralled into controversy, becoming one of the most debated releases of its decade.
Cruising centres on Pacino’s character, Detective Steve Burns, who goes undercover in New York's underground leather and BDSM scene to catch a serial killer who has been targeting men in these precincts. The film dives deep into a psychosexual abyss as it interrogates the intersections of violence and attraction, all while capturing a shadowy underworld that remained largely unspoken of in mainstream cinema at the time. While many expected a triumph, the film's portrayal of gay culture caused a fierce backlash from activists demanding more authentic representations and not sensationalised portrayals of the way they lived their lives.
The late 1970s were marked by significant struggles within the gay community, which was almost invisible in mainstream culture and which craved positive portrayals in media. The release of Cruising, with its emphasis on brutal violence within the gay community, felt not only reckless but harmful. Many within the community viewed the film as an invasion of their spaces rather than a genuine exploration. This discomfort was compounded by on-set tensions; both Friedkin and Pacino grappled with their vision of the film amid protests and media scrutiny that questioned their motivations. Alarmed by the backlash, Pacino would later express regret over his involvement in the project, saying in his memoir that he found the film exploitative and chose to donate his earnings to LGBTQ+ charities.
The production difficulties were made worse by the considerable criticism aimed at the film's directly exploitative elements. Activists rallied against the movie, using disruptive protests on set. This pressure resulted in significant cuts to the film, with over half an hour of footage ultimately lost. Critics have noted that this disjointedness only serves to amplify the film's haunting qualities.
As the narrative of unfolds, Cruising reveals the lack of coherence in its commentary on masculinity, violence, and homophobia, igniting questions that remain unanswered: Is the killer a mere symptom of something far more insidious within society? Does the film validate or critique the very culture it depicts?
Despite its troubled legacy, many now recognise Cruising as an engagement with themes that remain relevant today, reflecting on issues of identity, fear, and the darker sides of human desire. The film's bizarre blend of horror and crime narrative reinforces its status as a cinematic enigma.
Source: Noah Wire Services