Gay News: Cruising Movie 30 years old
In 1980 William Friedkin’s movie Cruising starring Al Pacino created a firestorm in the gay community. Gays protested the film not only during it’s release but also during filming.
Demonstrators did everything they could to sabotage the filming. There was an unsuccessful attempt to get Friedkin’s location permits in the Village revoked. When that didn’t work, people honked horns and blasted stereos out of windows to interfere with the sound recording. Others sat on rooftops with large reflectors to disrupt the lighting. Regulars of the meat packing district’s leather bars participated in the filming but several of the bars backed out when they saw the script.
The major problem with evaluating ‘Cruising’ is that the film as it currently exists is seriously incomplete (apparently having been shorn of some 40 minutes of footage by the censors!). I suspect that a ‘directors cut’ should it ever emerge, although no doubt clarifying certain issues, would overall fail to dispel the central ambiguity that is so infuriating and troubling to the majority of the audience, and that lies at the heart of Friedkins vision. “What interests me is the very thin line between good and evil”, the director once said when asked to provide a thematic overview of his work – and this is the core of ‘Cruising’.
I would urge you to watch the film. It is a uniquely dark, brave piece somewhat compromised by well documented production difficulties and the censors scissors. It has a sinister, compelling momentum and wonderfully ugly, grainy textures that seep into your pores leaving you uncomfortable and unsettled. Sometimes a feel-bad movie can be as bracing as a winter morning. ‘Cruising’ is such an experience, and a fascinating, provocative one at that.
In a Reuters article written by Craig Modderno at about the same time as Klemm’s about the DVD release, Modderno wrote, In a recent discussion, (William) Friedkin said he was still shocked at the backlash he received while filming in New York City.
“I was amazed at the violent response. It got so bad that we literally gave the crew the call sheets at the last possible moment and reminded them every day not to tell anyone where we’d be shooting,” Friedkin said.
“For example, we had an early morning shoot on an isolated street featuring Pacino being approached by a gay man he’s met earlier in the evening who may or may not be the killer of several gay victims in the East Village,” Friedkin said.
“Suddenly hundreds of protesters showed up at 3 a.m. throwing rocks and shouting threats at us, which we didn’t help by responding in kind. From the experience I had making ‘Cruising’ I learned people don’t get upset when you push the boundaries of violence in films but when you do so in sexual areas you’re going to make a lot of people angry.”
If he tried to make the movie today, he would be laughed at by Hollywood’s bosses, he said.
“I wouldn’t get into their office even if I had a worldwide hit like ‘The Exorcist’ recently behind me,” he said. Despite gays being a major economic force, today’s Hollywood elite are scared to make a movie that examines the dark side of sexuality, gay or straight, he said.
“Besides which, no agent at any major agency would let his client play the lead today, in fear he might be typecast as being gay or gossiped about in the tabloid or Internet press.”
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