A police detective goes undercover in the underground S&M gay subculture of New York City to catch a serial killer who is preying on gay men.
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Title: Cruising (1980)
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5 nominations.
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Edit
Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Al Pacino | ... | ||
| Paul Sorvino | ... |
Capt. Edelson
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| Karen Allen | ... |
Nancy
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| Richard Cox | ... |
Stuart Richards
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| Don Scardino | ... |
Ted Bailey
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| Joe Spinell | ... |
Patrolman DiSimone
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| Jay Acovone | ... |
Skip Lee
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| Randy Jurgensen | ... |
Det. Lefransky
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Barton Heyman | ... |
Dr. Rifkin
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| Gene Davis | ... |
DaVinci
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Arnaldo Santana | ... |
Loren Lukas
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Larry Atlas | ... |
Eric Rossman
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| Allan Miller | ... |
Chief of Detectives
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Sonny Grosso | ... |
Det. Blasio
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| Ed O'Neill | ... |
Det. Schreiber
(as Edward O'Neil)
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Edit
Plot Summary
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Plot Synopsis
Storyline
A serial killer brutally slays and dismembers several gay men in New York's S&M and leather districts. The young police officer Steve Burns is sent undercover onto the streets as decoy for the murderer. Working almost completely isolated from his department, he has to learn and practice the complex rules and signals of this little society. While barely seeing his girlfriend Nancy anymore, the work starts changing him. Written by Tom Zoerner <Tom.Zoerner@informatik.uni-erlangen.de>
Taglines:
Al Pacino is Cruising for a killer.Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Language:
EnglishRelease Date:
15 February 1980 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
William Friedkin's Cruising See more »Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
Capt. Edelson: Let me ask you something... Have you ever had your cock sucked by a man?
Steve Burns: A man? No. Well, I...
Capt. Edelson: Ever been porked? Or had a man smoke your pole?
Steve Burns: You gotta be kidding. Yeah, you're kidding, I knew it. No.
See more »
Performed by Madelynn von Ritz
Words & Music by Phil Lee
Produced by Jack Nitzsche
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
William Friedkin returned to the project when some well-publicized killings in the gay community emerged. He recalled the Cruising (1980) project that The French Connection (1971) producer 'Philip d'Antoni' first talked to him about a few years earlier. See more »Goofs
Just before the first murder happens you can see the blood tube for a few moments as the first stabs are going into his back. See more »Quotes
Steve Burns: They told me that there was some... special assignment... and that I was right for it.Capt. Edelson: Let me ask you something... Have you ever had your cock sucked by a man?
Steve Burns: A man? No. Well, I...
Capt. Edelson: Ever been porked? Or had a man smoke your pole?
Steve Burns: You gotta be kidding. Yeah, you're kidding, I knew it. No.
See more »
Crazy Credits
The film only opens with the title in large letters, across the screen. It is only at the end where the filmmakers are credited. See more »Soundtracks
When I Close My Eyes I See BloodPerformed by Madelynn von Ritz
Words & Music by Phil Lee
Produced by Jack Nitzsche
See more »
This is a FRIEDKIN movie. Consequently, it is soulless, dark and physical. There are no heroes, the range goes from unclear/mixed up/tortured souls/loonies to the dephts of hell. It is also highly interpretative, you can not expect a logical script and a "I did it" smile or a "walk towards the sun" type of ending. So, it's a question of taste if you like his movies or not. I DO. I very much doubt that Pacino or Sorvino regret making this film. It is riveting. For one, characters are not even gray, they are a mystery. Sorvino's character, for instance is so blank, that you even wonder if he cares about anything, including Burns' fate. Pacino's character is pretty ambitious, but other than that he is completely controversial. Although he shows some kind of goodness (towards his neighbor, for instance), the ending even kinda questions that (was it because he had sexual intentions with the guy or that he just wanted to do some good?). Also, he sometimes feels overwhelmed by the undercover job ("I don't know if I can do this") but then he starts to adapt. One of the possible ideas of this movie is: you dance with the devil and then you start to like it. In any case, it leaves conclusions to the viewer. The atmosphere and especially the music are truly amazing and original. 9/10