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Cruising
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Cruising (1980) More at IMDbPro »

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Cruising -- A police detective goes undercover in the sleazy and underground gay subculture of New York City to catch a serial killer who is murdering numerous gay men with S&M tactics.

Overview

User Rating:
6.2/10   8,688 votes »
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Director:
Writers:
William Friedkin (written by)
Gerald Walker (novel)
Contact:
View company contact information for Cruising on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
15 February 1980 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Tagline:
Al Pacino is Cruising for a killer.
Plot:
A police detective goes undercover in the sleazy and underground gay subculture of New York City to catch a serial killer who is murdering numerous gay men with S&M tactics. Full summary » | Add synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
4 nominations See more »
User Reviews:
a question of taste See more (123 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Al Pacino ... Steve Burns

Paul Sorvino ... Capt. Edelson

Karen Allen ... Nancy

Richard Cox ... Stuart Richards

Don Scardino ... Ted Bailey
Joe Spinell ... Patrolman DiSimone

Jay Acovone ... Skip Lee
Randy Jurgensen ... Det. Lefransky
Barton Heyman ... Dr. Rifkin

Gene Davis ... DaVinci
Arnaldo Santana ... Loren Lukas
Larry Atlas ... Eric Rossman

Allan Miller ... Chief of Detectives
Sonny Grosso ... Det. Blasio

Ed O'Neill ... Det. Schreiber (as Edward O'Neil)
Michael Aronin ... Det. Davis

James Remar ... Gregory

William Russ ... Paul Gaines

Mike Starr ... Patrolman Desher
Steve Inwood ... Martino
Keith Prentice ... Joey
Leland Starnes ... Jack Richards
Robert Pope ... DaVinci's Friend

Leo Burmester ... Water Sport
Bruce Levine ... Dancer
Charles Dunlap ... Three Card Monte

Powers Boothe ... Hankie Salesman

James Sutorius ... Jack (voice)
Richard Jamieson ... Spotter
Jimmie Ray Weeks ... Seller (as James Ray Weeks)
David Winnie Hayes ... Bouncer
Carmine Stippo ... Bartender (as Carmine Stipo)
James Hayden ... Cockpit Coke Man (scenes deleted)
Todd Winters ... Tugboat Mate
Robert Carnegie
Sylvia Gassel (as Sylvia Gassell)
Dennis Shea
Henry Judd Baker ... Tough Cop
Larry Silvestri
Kevin Johnson
Lawrence Lust
Louie Grenier
Penny Gumeny
Burr DeBenning
Ray Vitte
Mike Barbera
Joseph Catucci
Robert Dugan (as Robert Duggan)
Dan Sturkie

Linda Gary
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kirsten Baker ... Jogger (uncredited)
Christian Daugherty ... Hustler #2 (uncredited)
Mark Stern ... Cockpit Patron (uncredited)
Tieg Thomas ... Bartender (uncredited)
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Directed by
William Friedkin 
 
Writing credits
William Friedkin (written by)

Gerald Walker (novel)

Produced by
Burtt Harris .... associate producer
Jerry Weintraub .... producer
 
Original Music by
Jack Nitzsche 
 
Cinematography by
James A. Contner (director of photography) (as James Contner)
 
Film Editing by
Bud S. Smith  (as Bud Smith)
M. Scott Smith (re-issue)
 
Casting by
Louis DiGiaimo  (as Louis Digiaimo)
 
Production Design by
Bruce Weintraub 
 
Art Direction by
Edward Pisoni 
 
Set Decoration by
Robert Drumheller 
 
Costume Design by
Robert De Mora  (as Robert deMora)
 
Makeup Department
Bob Grimaldi .... hair stylist (as Robert Grimaldi)
Robert Norin .... special makeup effects artist
Allen Weisinger .... makeup artist (as Allan Weisninger)
 
Production Management
Burtt Harris .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alan Hopkins .... first assistant director
Robert E. Warren .... second assistant director (as Robert Warren)
 
Art Department
Gene Anderson .... assistant property master
Barry Bedig .... property master
Stan Graham .... scenic artist (as Stanley Graham)
Carlos Quiles Jr. .... construction coordinator
Jimmy Raitt .... property master (as James Raitt)
Bruno Robotti .... scenic artist
 
Sound Department
Charles L. Campbell .... supervising sound editor
Louis L. Edemann .... sound editor
Richard C. Franklin .... assistant sound editor (as Rick Franklin)
Athan Gigakos .... adr mixer: Sound Shop (as Athan Gigiakos)
Robert Glass .... sound re-recordist
Chris Jenkins .... sound re-recordist (as Christopher Jenkins)
Robert Knudson .... sound re-recordist
Kim H. Ornitz .... sound mixer (as Kim Ornitz)
David Pettijohn .... sound editor (as David A. Pettijohn)
Bruce Richardson .... sound editor
Norman B. Schwartz .... dialogue editor (as Norman Schwartz)
John A. Amicarella .... assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Regina Mullen .... adr assistant (uncredited)
John Roesch .... foley artist (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Enrique Bravo .... camera operator
Gene Engels .... gaffer
Billy Miller .... key grip (as William Miller)
Gary Muller .... assistant camera
Hank Muller .... assistant camera (as Hank Muller Jr.)
Josh Weiner .... still photographer
Scott Rathner .... additional second assistant camera (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael Dennison .... wardrobe supervisor
Robert Dean Jackson .... wardrobe supervisor (as Dean Jackson)
 
Editorial Department
Donah Bassett .... negative cutter
Jere Huggins .... assistant film editor
Ned Humphreys .... assistant film editor
Larry Rovetti .... color timer
 
Music Department
The Cripples .... music performer
Willy DeVille .... music performer
Bill Evans .... music engineer
The Germs .... music performer (as Germs - G.I.)
Egberto Gismonti .... music performer
John Hiatt .... music performer
Mutiny .... music performer
Rough Trade .... music performer
Madelynn von Ritz .... music performer (as Madelynn Von Ritz)
 
Other crew
George Davis .... secretary to producer
Carmine Foresta .... location manager
Sidney Gecker .... script supervisor
Sonny Grosso .... technical advisor
Edward Iacobelli .... teamster captain
Mark Johnson .... production executive
Randy Jurgensen .... technical advisor
Toni St. Clair Lilly .... secretary to the director
Jennifer Ogden .... production office coordinator
Lucille Smith .... auditor (as Lucille Cannon)
Michael Weintraub .... production assistant
Darryl Peck .... production assistant (uncredited)
 
Crew believed to be complete


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Additional Details

Also Known As:
"William Friedkin's Cruising" - USA (closing credits title)
See more »
Runtime:
102 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Argentina:18 | Australia:R | France:-16 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | Portugal:M/18 | Iceland:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Finland:(Banned) (cut) (1981-2000) | Finland:(Banned) (uncut) (1980-2000) | UK:18 (cut) | Singapore:PG (cut) | Germany:16 (re-rating) (2007) | West Germany:18 (f) (original rating) | Peru:18 | South Korea:18 | Netherlands:16

Did You Know?

Trivia:
In an effort to make the scenes of gay "leather bars" as real as possible, actual gay bars for men were used in the film that existed in New York City at that time. These locations are in the lower west neighborhoods in the meat packing district of Manhattan, most of which remain open to this day. Movie extras in full black leather and chaps, including other provocative sexual attire, were actual gay patrons of the bar recruited for the scenes a few days before filming began. The extras were instructed to act as they would normally act in gay bars, but to tone down sexually-oriented activities because of the likelihood these acts would give the film an "X" rating.See more »
Goofs:
Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): The medical examiner discusses the serrations in the wounds of a murder victim but the killer did not use a serrated knife on him.See more »
Quotes:
Loren Lukas:Where you from?
Stuart Richards:Mars.
Loren Lukas:Terrific, I never made it with a Martian before.
See more »
Movie Connections:
References Golden Boys of the S.S. (1976)See more »
Soundtrack:
HypnotizeSee more »

FAQ

Who murdered the red headed neighbor (Ted Baily) at the end of the movie? Was it the jealous roommate/boyfriend Gregory?
A DVD commentary by the director?
What's the deal with the big black guy in the jock during the interrogation scene?
See more »
62 out of 71 people found the following review useful.
a question of taste, 14 February 2005
Author: dixxjamm from Romania

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

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Cruising (1980)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Still have doubts about the killer. Sulaimone
Clarification (spoilers ahead) motherfckzombies-261-668745
Now on Warner's Archives dvd Robin_Malone
Friedkin Passed on Restoring Lost Footage, Calls it 'Pornography' mfrushmore
40 minutes of censorship cuts? wtf3111992
Who is the hottest guy in the movie? Vesikko
See more »

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