Michael Blowhard writes:

Dear Blowhards --

Peter Debruge notices that the dark and brutal William Friedkin / Al Pacino gay-sex thriller "Cruising" -- much maligned when it was first released in 1980 -- is finally being released on DVD. Peter thinks the movie stinks. I reacted differently -- I found it an imperfect film but also a very powerful one. It offers psychology, atmosphere, and suspense, as well as some frank glimpses of the more extreme edges of New York's late-'70s gay underground. (If you want a look at the kind of carrying-on that led to AIDS, you could do worse than watch "Cruising.") And Pacino was fab.

Slate's Trenton Straube recounts the story of "Cruising"'s beleaguered production and controversy-addled reception. In its day, "Cruising" was quite the cause celebre.

Semi-Related: I wondered what ever became of Extreme Faggotry.

Best,

Michael

I've always wanted to see this movie. I have no idea why. Maybe it's the only funky Al Pacino film out there. An underdog Pacino movie that may be a winner, seems very appealing to me; not to mention the mucho controversy, which always gets me interested.

Posted by: David Brown on September 12, 2007 5:26 PM

If I remember correctly, Camille Paglia liked it.

Posted by: David Brown on September 12, 2007 5:27 PM






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