Few films have sparked as much debate—or undergone as dramatic a reappraisal—as Cruising.
Directed by William Friedkin and starring Al Pacino, Cruising plunged audiences into New York City's leather and BDSM underground at a moment when that world was rarely, if ever, depicted on screen.
Before the film's release, it became the target of widespread protests from LGBTQ+ activists, who feared it would reinforce harmful stereotypes about gay men during a time of already intense discrimination. Demonstrators famously attempted to disrupt filming in Manhattan by blowing whistles, shining mirrors onto the set, and creating noise to interfere with production. The controversy surrounding Cruising became almost as famous as the film itself.
Yet time has reshaped its legacy.
Today, many LGBTQ+ viewers have embraced Cruising as an invaluable time capsule of a vanished world. Beyond its crime story, the film inadvertently preserved New York's pre-AIDS leather scene—its bars, clubs, music, dress, and nightlife—capturing spaces and communities that would soon be transformed forever. What was once seen primarily as controversial is now also appreciated as an extraordinary visual document of queer history.
The film's reputation has continued to grow, finding new audiences who admire its atmosphere, ambiguity, and remarkable preservation of late-1970s gay New York. While discussion about its themes continues, its place in both film history and LGBTQ+ history is now undeniable.
