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Film Cruising (1980)

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Gay serial killers in film are always going to be a bit of a gamble. William Friedkin's 1980 feature Cruising was critically and commercially dead on arrival — activists protested the premise before production even began. It tells the story of a young, straight cop (Al Pacino) who infiltrates New York's homosexual S&M scene in search of a grisly murderer. Ironically, the movie defies its critics; almost 30 years later (and barring a few cringe-worthy stereotypes), Cruising holds up as a liberating snapshot of gay, pre-AIDS Gotham. It also features a poignant performance from Pacino, who acts against the script, carrying a character and story that should be questioned, but certainly not dismissed.

– Julian Hooper

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