Cruising (1980)

Director:

William Friedkin

Writers:

William Friedkin (written by)
Gerald Walker (novel)

Release Date:

8 February 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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.

Plot Keywords:

Gay | S&M | Undercover | Police | Cruising

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

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)

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)
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
Lucille Cannon	....	auditor
George Davis	....	secretary to producer
Carmine Foresta	....	location manager
Sidney Gecker	....	script supervisor
Giancarlo Giannini	....	voice dubbing: Al Pacino
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
Michael Weintraub	....	production assistant
Darryl Peck	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• CiP - Europaische Treuhand AG (in association with)
• Lorimar Film Entertainment (presented by) (as Lorimar)

Distributors

• United Artists (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cineplex (1980) (UK) (theatrical)
• Adams Filmi (1980) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Neue Constantin Film (1980) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Sandrew Film & Teater (1980) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (2007) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• CBS/Fox Video (1984) (Belgium) (video)
• Warner Home Video
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Production Payments  production services
• Sound Shop  sound recording facilities
• Talent Payments  production services

Also Known As:

Cruising (West Germany)
William Friedkin's Cruising (USA) (closing credits title)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA | West Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

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) | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | France:-16 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | Portugal:M/18

Filming Locations:

Badlands - 338 West Street, Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

CiP - Europaische Treuhand AG

Trivia:

The LA punk band The Germs recorded five or so songs expressly for the soundtrack to this movie, although in the actual event, only "Lion's Share" was actually used. During the recording sessions, director William Friedkin was so energized by the Germs' playing that he took to doing the "pogo" dance around the engineer's booth.

Goofs:

Continuity: Steve Burns is in a patrol car with his fellow detectives and points out a suspect. He tells them that the man's name is Skip, but does not know his surname. But in the previous scene the barman tells Burns the suspect's name is Skip Lea.

Quotes:

Skip Lea: Who is that guy?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Soundtrack:

Loneliness

Taut Thriller With Unique Twist

I know this film got bad reviews when it was first released but I have always thought it deserved much better than it got. The film is a very tense thriller with a terrific performance from Al Pacino. The film is filled with memorable scenes and characters. The killer is one of the most interesting villains I have seen.....attractive with a complex character that is both mesmerizing and frightening. The film has a creepy quality that sometimes reminds me of the feeling I got watching "Silence of the Lambs." The scene in which Pacino goes to the shop and views the different colored bandanas for sale provides some brief humor that gives your nerves a chance to calm down.