Cruising (Special Edition)

I bought this ARROW VIDEO Special Edition of "Cruising" on dvd the other day. I love the look of the cover & the back of it, and the Special Features are magnificent, phenomenal.A month ago I watched this again on videotape and it brought back many memories of a very special time in my life. It's an amazing, and truly magical story (except for the murder scenes, of course). I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't ever seen it.

It's so strange watching this movie in 2024. Is it a poor depiction of the gay bondage scene? Probably, but you'd never hear anyone talking about it at the time either way. I think it's as good as you could expect. I'm not LGBTQ myself so I can't say whether it really works or not, but what I can say is that Crusin' is a competently made film and it depicts a subculture in a specific period of time that was very unique. Worth watching regardless.

If you like NYC & want to see a violent & seedier side, it's alright. However, I can see why Gay Men's Groups protested the movie back in the day as offensively stereotypical. Also, you will need to rewatch the movie a couple times to catch the whole story. Didn't live up to the hype. The only time I didn't 'get' Pacino being chosen for an acting role & his bouffant hair-do stood out more than his acting chops in this one. All the protesting just made the movie bigger than it's substance, which was trite. Nothing psychological or smart, just pure voyeurism.

Watch Al Pachino dance!

If your a fan of Al Pacino, it’s an okay movie. Not a great crime movie, to be honest. A ton of gay fetish scenes that are supposed to show that Al Pacino’s character is drawn in, but come of as gratuitous. It’s okay.

I saw this movie when it originally came outand I was blown away by it.I got sick of waitingfor it to come to dvd so I transferred it ontoa blank disc just so it wouldn't deteriorate anyfurther.How do I begin to describe this movie.When itfirst came out it shocked both the gay andstraight community.I can understand the shockof the straight community and the anger of thegay community. It was the 1980's and most gays were in andnot out of the closet.They needed positive imagesof themselves to be projected to the straights.So far there had been The Boys in the Band (1970)and Le Cage Aux Folles ( 1979).So from these twomovies,gays were either suicidally unhappy orlimp wristed fruity tuities.And then along comesCruising.To state at the beginning of the moviethat it is not representative of the entire gaycommunity was a political move engedered to makethe gays less angry about it.It failed miserably. Here's why.A whack job is knocking off gay menin leather bars.( straights were probably sayingso what's wrong with that and what's a leather bar).Al Pacino a straight cop is asked to infiltratethe gay community posing as a gay leather freak.The longer Pacino spends time in this sub culturethe stranger he acts with his girlfriend.He alsoseems to be losing touch with his own reality.The scenes in the leather bar are as scary as hell.Scenes with f*** F****** and every one taking poppers,along with the coloured hankerchief signals is enoughto turn most straights into anti-gays if they weren'talready.( I must say however that Pacino trying todance in the leather bar scene is hysterically funny)In the end Pacino really loses it and kills someone. I guess that's what happens to straights when theytry to enter the gay community. ( I'm joking)Why did I like this movie?Because it did give atrue portrayal of the leather scene sub culture.It wasn't one of those black water melon moviesthat make todays black people cringe at.Al Pacino does give a compelling performance ofa man who is losing himself in this sub culturelife style.Is this movie worth seeing ? DEFINATELYBRING IT OUT ON DVD !!!

I was looking through my Amazon Prime videos and noticed one of my favorite old time movies was for rent! I wasn't doing much so I decided to rent this movie for old time sachs and it brought back all of my memories of a special time in my life ❣️

A very dark tale of suspense with a great punk soundtrack. Impossible to completely explain, so you'll want to watch it many times. Gorgeous photography of Riverside Park at night, 1979.

Directed by William Friedkin, and adapted from Gerald Walker's novel, "Cruising", is a controversial film that sparked outrage, protests and boycotts during its filming and release."Crusing" takes the daring step typical of Friedkin the man and director of delving into the gritty world of the underground gay leather scene in 1980s New York City.While the Blu-ray release of "Cruising" offers improved visual quality and a selection of insightful bonus features, the film's polarizing subject matter is dampened by unfortunate overdubbing issues that hinder the overall viewing experience.The need for overdubbing arose from protestors voicing their displeasure at the portrayal of the gay community during filming by being as noisy as possible.The overdubbing may bother some, but in general, Friedkin's direction, Al Pacino's performance and the fascinating backdrop of the murky back streets of New York City carry this through these gripes.The Blu-ray transfer of "Cruising" undoubtedly presents the film with enhanced visual clarity. The grainy yet vibrant aesthetics of the 1980s underground scene are effectively captured, allowing viewers to fully immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the time. The faithfully reproduced period costumes further contribute to the authenticity of the film's setting.However, a disappointing aspect of this release is the inconsistent and distracting overdubbing of certain dialogue segments. This issue arises sporadically throughout the film, resulting in jarring moments where lip movements fail to align with the spoken words. This overdubbing problem significantly detracts from the overall cinematic experience and disrupts the immersion that the film strives to achieve.Despite this setback, the audio quality of the Blu-ray release is generally decent. The disco beats and ambient noises of the city are well-rendered, with dialogue remaining intelligible throughout. However, the overdubbing issue, mentioned earlier, unfortunately mars the overall audio experience, occasionally creating a disjointed and disconnected feeling.In terms of supplemental materials, the Blu-ray edition of "Cruising" includes a variety of bonus features that enhance the understanding and appreciation of the film. Interview segments with cast members, particularly Al Pacino, provide some intriguing insights into the production process and the film's impact on the careers of those involved. These interviews shed light on the challenges faced during filming, offering a glimpse into the controversy surrounding the movie's release.One notable addition to the bonus features is the inclusion of an alternative ending, enriching the narrative exploration of identity and sexuality tackled in the film. This alternative ending provides a thought-provoking twist and allows viewers to engage in further discussions about the intentions and messages conveyed by Friedkin.In conclusion, while the Blu-ray release of "Cruising" delivers improved visual quality and offers bonus features that provide context and deeper understanding of the film, it is marred by the unfortunate issue of overdubbing. Despite capturing the gritty atmosphere and presenting a controversial story, the inconsistent lip-syncing significantly hampers the viewing experience. Whether exploring the underground gay leather scene interests you or not, it is crucial to be aware of this flaw before considering this Blu-ray release.

This is the Arrow release of Cruising, don't know why it's filed under the name Lockbetet, cause that word is not to be found on the cover. Just the same as the more expensive Cruising blu-ray's.Anyway, good movie, audio & video quality also good.If you like Friedkin's movies or classic Pacino it's a must buy, especially for this price.

Ce film policier de William Friedkin est tout à fait à part en matière de suspense : il électrise, fascine, choque (scènes gay sadomasochistes...) et laisse perplexe mais ne vous laisse jamais indifférent.La lumière utilisée est "bleutée", comme c'est souvent le cas chez W.FRIEDKIN (même frissons que dans "L'EXORCISTE" et même rappel de lumière bleue), les scènes dans Central Park la nuit sont, on ne peut plus évocatrices, en matière de "drague homosexuelle masculine" (même si il est important de noter que le film a été fait peu de temps avant de connaitre le mot "Sida", il date de 1980.) C'est un film cru et mordant qui "bouscule" le personnage "candide" interprété par AL PACINO, le policier qui ne connaissait rien à ce milieu ni même son existence, va être profondément bouleversé et transformé de l'intérieur ; on devine qu'il ne sera plus le même après cette plongée dans les "bas fonds de l'âme humaine"....Sa dualité est maintenant une plaie ouverte : la sexualité du personnage de PACINO n'est plus aussi certaine qu'avant cette investigation.Le sujet est pourtant simple : des meurtres sont perpétrés au sein de la communauté Gay et sadomasochiste, sans être traitée de façon simpliste et académique. Le réalisateur fait tourner les spectateurs en "bourriques".....Le DVD contient trois excellents Bonus, dans lesquelles la réponse voit le jour....... Et en plus la qualité est vraiment bonne pour un DVD.

（少し内容に触れています）　　ハドソン川でバラバラ死体が発見され、その後連続してゲイを被害者とする殺人事件が発生。　捜査に行き詰ったニューヨーク市警のエデルソン警部（ポール･ソルヴィノ）は被害者達に外観が似た若い警官スティーヴ・バーンズ（アル・パチーノ）に潜入捜査を命じる。　無事完遂すれば出世出来ると意気込むバーンズだが特異な世界に深く関わる内に自らの中に揺らぎを感じる様になる。　70年に問題作兼ヒット作を連発したフリードキン。　77年に満を持して発表した「恐怖の報酬」のリメイクが興行的に失敗、捲土重来を期して再びゲイ・ムーブメントの中でもニッチなハード・ゲイの世界を舞台に連続殺人事件の潜入捜査官を主役に撮った作品です。　背景に過去の映画モデルとなった「M(’31)」のデュッセルドルフの吸血鬼、「絞殺魔(’70)」のボストン・ストラングラー、「ダーティー・ハリー（’71）」のゾディアックと同様に実際の連続殺人「バッグ・マーダーズ」が有りました。　製作・脚本が明らかになった段階で既にゲイ擁護団体による抗議を受け話題に。　内容はヴィザーレで残酷、性的緊張感が高く、かつ暗く救いの無い感触で有った為、批評的、興行的に惨敗。　数少ない賞ノミネートが最低映画に与えられるラジー賞ながら、ここでも「ミュージック・ミュージック」に敗れ、と惨憺たる結果に終り「忘れられた」映画になりかけました。　我が国では一部ハード・ゲイを表す用語として「クルージング」が定着使用しますが、80年代後半に漸く『ファスビンダーのケレル』が公開されるとTVのウッチャンナンチャン番組の影響もあり「ケレル」にとって代わられてしまいました。　当時はゲイの世界を犯罪サスペンスの舞台に使用するには市場が成熟しておらず、同じ失敗の徹を踏むまいとほぼ同テーマをコメディ仕立てで映画化した後発の「パートナーズ(’82)」も興行的に惨敗、まだまだ本テーマの扱いが難しい事を証明してしまいました。　現在観ると決して完全な失敗作では無く、主演俳優陣、パチーノ、リチャード・コックス等演技は良く、彼等の孤独、セクシャリティの危機が観る者に痛い程伝わって来て辛い映画です。　闇を覗く物がそれに囚われる古典的な苦悩も描かれています。　いくらフィクションとは言え殆ど心理的ケアもサポートもなく斯様な特殊世界に若い警官を単身で放り込む警察の無茶苦茶振りに呆れます。　紅一点のカレン・アレンも直接触れ合う恋人バーンズが徐々に変質して行く様子に戸惑う女性を好演。　ゲイ界からバッシングを受けつつも当時のハード・ゲイ・カルチャーの有名店や常連の多くが協力しており、今観ると貴重なシーンが記録されています。　本作の数年後にはAIDSが流行し出血を伴う事が多い本分野は衰退して行きました。　出番は少ないながら通奏低音の如く本作に潜む昏き欲望と救いの無さを象徴する悪徳警官役のジョー・スピネル（「ロッキー」「スタークラッシュ」「マニアック」）が印象的です。　結末は幾つもの解釈が出来、かつそのいずれもやるせない物でした。　ヨーロッパのジャーロ映画に近い嫌な感触です。　共に小さな役ですが後にクセの或る悪役で名を成すジェームズ・レマー（『48時間』『レンタ・コップ』『デクスター 警官は殺人鬼』）ジーン・ディヴィス(『殺人鬼』『ヒッチャー』)が若々しい姿を見せています。　デ・ニーロやロイ・シャイダーが断った難役を受けたパチーノは40間近で繊細な青年役から中年役に移らざるを得ない転換期であり、演技的には素晴らしいのですが、設定年齢が10以上も若い役には少々ミス・キャストでした。　本商品は「DVD-DOWN ROAD」の表示通り、DVD-R。　DVD程の耐久性は見込めませんので、要注意。特に直射日光のあたる場所には置かない様に。　TSUTAYA発掘良品のオン・デマンド盤と同じく給水塔の様な絵柄のメニュー画面からチャプターと日本語字幕のON/OFFが選べるのみですが、画質、音質は良い物でした。　書籍「ラベンダースクリーン」ボーゼ・ハドリー著、DVD「セルロイド・クローゼット」ロブ・エプスタイン、ジェフリー・フリードマン監督、IMDBを参考にさせて頂きました。

l'importante di questo film è avere questa versione finalmente integrale , senza risparmiare le scene "subliminali" di penetrazioni durante gli omicidi volute fortemente dal regista all'epoca della realizzazione e in questa versione sono presenti!L'audio italiano è mancante in molti punti del film perchè probabilmente non si è fatta attenzione a scegliere una banda sonora del doppiaggio italiano della versione integrale , che per esempio era presente nella vecchia versione VHS della General Video! Consiglio pertanto di inserire i sottotitoli in italiano, fortunatamente presenti, con l'audio originale.Manca una scena emblematica ad inizio film : il muro con i graffiti, ma è un particolare che può esser perdonato vista la stupenda qualità e soprattutto integralità del resto della pellicola. Da avere assolutamente!!!