William Friedkin’s 10 Most Jaw-Dropping Movie Moments
6. Cruising (1980)
Friedkins controversial thriller, Cruising, depicted in graphic detail the subculture of gay S&M leather bars in pre-AIDS New York, into which Al Pacinos straight cop is sent undercover, to search for a serial killer targeting men bearing an uncanny resemblance to the star himself. At the time, the New York gay scene lobbied extensively against the production, fearing a homophobic bias, but in hindsight, the tone - while uncompromising - is entirely non-judgmental. Arguably the most jaw-dropping scene however, comes halfway through the movie when a still undercover Pacino along with his prime suspect is being interrogated by a group of city policemen. Without any warning, this happens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfEHboPvApc And it is never explained.
Since studying Film and Art History at University, I’ve been an actor, movie stand-in and journalist. I have contributed to a number of media websites, worked on national daily newspapers, written fiction of all kinds and worked as a gravedigger.
