Cruising 4K UHD

For all the claims of homophobia and outright fear mongering laid against Cruising (1980), its problems don't lie (entirely) within its admittedly dim view of one particular gay lifestyle.  The flaws in director William Friedkin's film are much less scandalous than that; think script, editing, pacing, etc.  And for all its attempts to shock the audience with hard-R scenes of lubed-up party boys seducing a wide-eyed Al Pacino, the biggest shock, ultimately, is that it lacks the courage of its convictions.

 

In an attempt to catch the "homo killer," beat cop Steve Burns (Al Pacino) is sent undercover into New York City's underground gay club scene, a hedonistic world of casual sex and kinky fashion.  Initially out of his element, Steve hunts down a few likely suspects while trying to maintain his "straight" relationship to Nancy (Karen Allen) on the side.  But the perils of the job begin to take their toll, pushing Steve to take chances that will end the investigation one way or the other.

 

Cruising was protested by gay rights activists throughout the entirety of its location shooting, resulting in dubbed dialogue for many scenes to cover up the air horns and chants designed to disrupt what some thought to be an inflammatory piece of exploitation filmmaking.  And, indeed, Friedkin's film often feels like just another Italian slasher with an A-list cast and crew (Lucio Fulci's The New York Ripper, released two years later, pushes the heterosexual shock factor in similar fashion).  But the killings are almost inconsequential, the killer himself purposefully vague and the ending just outré enough to inspire anger and confusion and in equal measure.

 

Reportedly shorn of 40-minutes Friedkin willingly sacrificed to the MPAA, the film feels unfinished, but still fascinates in a darkly, disturbing way.  Visually, it's miles away from the gritty New York films of the '70s, shot with Miami Vice slickness (cinematographer James Contner went on the work on the series in 1985) that's as buff and polished as the club patrons themselves.  Pacino's naive performance works to a degree; he looks as uncomfortable as the audience feels.  But the film goes out of its way to bury essential bits of information and secondary characters (poor Karen Allen is almost non-existent as a love interest).  Not to mention the 6-foot black man who inexplicably interrupts an interrogation wearing nothing but a cowboy hat and a jockstrap!  

 

Arrow Video's 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray is one of those transfers that simply defy description; it's on par with the best work they've ever done.  Pulled from a brand new restoration of the original 35mm negative, it's a clear upgrade over the previous Blu-ray...which was terrific on its own.  Archival extras include a pair of audio commentaries and featurettes all ported from the earlier release, but the new material includes an additional "music-oriented" commentary, sit down with Karen Allen, film consultant Ray Jurgensen, visual essay and 120-page collector's booklet that documents all the filth and fury.