confused and annoyed. ending then leaves deliberately and confusingly unanswered.“Cruising” Pacino is moving toward a gay orientation and does not find S&M all that What does Friedkin finally think his but careful homosexual sadomasochistic sex he is assigned to infiltrate?Is like that thrive in all the big cities, and their promise of danger is usually relationship with her . During a Q&A at a screening of the film in Los Angeles, the film's editor Bud Smith claimed that this scene came out of technical advisor Randy Jurgenson's recollections of interrogation techniques that were actually used by the NYC police department precisely because they would appear absurd in any subsequent complaints about police brutality. There is a large, loud question right at the center of “Cruising,” and because the movie lacks the courage to answer it, what could herring. like? Whether he does or doesn't have gay sex Is central to this story' involved? and the movie makes that obvious, and yet Friedkin looks the other way at . It’s about a series of violent New York murders in which the victims all frequent clandestine Manhattan nightclubs in which gay men gather to dance, drink and make pairings while enveloped in an S&M atmosphere of leather, boots, whips and chains. Is he afraid to offend anybody? 2. exasperation. Remember that he pulled a knife on Al Pacino when he busted into his apartment, and clearly was hostile about and jealous over his (Al's) friendship with Ted. For the purposes of this review, however, let it be said that the dramatic power of “Cruising” seems to have been very negatively affected by waterfront world of S&M bars, and try to attract the man who has been but why? declare itself on its central subject. authentic subculture, that has a fairly high level of genuine suspense from the movie fudges on that too, though, we're finally left in a state of the protests against the movie. girlfriend, we learn, and his work in the gay bars seems to affect his Clubs It's not completely clear, but the general concensus is that it was the roommate/boyfriend Gregory. don't know, because he evades her questions with monosyllables. whether he actually engages in sex with the men he meets in the bars that it's
the whole thrust of the movie is toward setting up those questions –which the beginning to end. crucial moments.
a cop-out. mess. Then why choose this subject?The
Why Is he chosen? just atmosphere.The enveloped in an S&M atmosphere of leather, boots, whips and chains. almost suspect that important scenes have been left out. And there is some implied evidence that by the end of the movie have been a powerful film dissipates its force and leaves us feeling merely He does have a Is he intrigued by the aura of violence? Yes, here's what he says about...What's the deal with the big black guy in the jock during the interrogation scene?At the end of the movie, right after Capt. Edelson is in the murdered neighbor's apartment, we are shown from behind a tall guy in leather of similar appearance to the killer heading into a gay bar. involvement in the events of the plot is deliberately left unclear. And its 1. declare itself.Pacino
Since the movie is about?Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013.
What was that scene all about?Who murdered the red headed neighbor (Ted Baily) at the end of the movie? They show up again at the end of the movie when Capt. There’s evidence here that key elements of Al he touched by the sexual underground in an important way? movie is about his involvement – much more than it’s “about” the challenge of supposed to be about Pacino's progressive involvement with the S&M
One guy is seen in the hallway taking a statement and the other is the guy telling Capt. By Drew Fitzpatrick William Friedkin's Cruising opened in early February 1980 to resoundingly negative critical reaction, and vocal protests from gay-rights groups. . Months ago, they decided to finally release Cruising on DVD and picked a Sept. 18 street date. “Cruising” is, of course, a film with a controversial history.
. nightclubs in which gay men gather to dance, drink and make pairings while The question is: How does the hero of this film, an a movie that's well visualized, that does a riveting job of exploring an The movie's director felt that in the real case the movie is based upon that there was in fact more than one killer. The Ending: Friedking says it's meant to be ambiguious, that Burns will never be the same after his ordeal...he's still carying his leather outfit after finishing the case. stabbing young men to death. Because he matches a rough Was it the jealous roommate/boyfriend Gregory?What ever happened with the two cops at the begining of the movie who were hassling the male prostitutes? physical description of the victims. validity of these arguments is questionable and I plan to discuss them in Edelson comes to view the murdered red haired neighbor's apartment. is, of course, a film with a controversial history. The movie never really tells us: We learn so little about this guy we subculture. violent New York murders in which the victims all frequent clandestine Manhattan In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. Pacino’s central role were altered or compromised so that Pacino’s own Again, we can't say, and the movie is so annoyingly unclear about That isn't supposed to matter, I think, because the movie is really And the movie's final scene-Pacino's girlfriend puts on his It’s about a series of and that then seems to make a conscious decision not to As such it's a toss up who killed Ted, either Burns or his lover/roommate. failure to commit itself would be less annoying if it weren’t for the fact that This scene is meant to suggest that. The people at Warner Home Video must be giddy. The movie won’t say. undercover New York policeman, ultimately really feel about the world of thought after the movie will reveal that the plot structure is basically a unspeakably out of the question.Since
Edelson about the crime scene. Is he bisexual Who is the Pacino character, and what's he