Cruising (1980) Limited Edition 4K UHD Review

4 stars, great restoration of a controversial thriller.

Cruising is an American crime/thriller film, written and directed by the great William Friedkin (To Live and Die in L.A., The Exorcist). Loosely based on the 1970 novel of the same name written by Gerald Walker, it created waves at the time of its production, with New York gay rights groups protesting and although it was ultimately produced anyway, it remains contentious to this day.

It has enjoyed a 4k restoration from the original 35mm negative and is available to own on Limited Edition 4K UHD from 24th February 2025, courtesy of Arrow Video. This is an great opportunity to make up your own mind about this challenging but excellent film.

“Doc, you know I can’t prosecute a homicide without a cause of death. That means I’d have to go out and find the rest of the body. No good, Doc, I got too much on my plate now.”

It’s a hot summer in New York City and male body parts are being found floating in the river. Doctor Rifkin (Barton Heyman – Dead Man Walking, Raising Cain) wants the police to investigate but they are already snowed under. At the same time, there have been a couple of murders with the same M.O. targeting members of the gay S&M community. Captain Edelson (Paul Sorvino – Goodfellas, Nixon) suspects them to be connected in some way and enlists the help of ambitious young officer Steve Burns (Al Pacino – Stand Up Guys, Danny Collins). Burns has the same physical type as the victims and his task is to go undercover in the S&M scene to try and draw out the killer.

He gets himself an apartment in the area, where he befriends his gay playwright neighbour Ted Bailey (Don Scardino – Another World (TV Series)). He also goes deep under cover into the leather bars of the Meatpacking district to infiltrate the S&M scene. At first he stands out like a sore thumb, but he soon begins to integrate, at which point he is eyeballed, groped, given poppers and generally hit upon by numerous individuals. This begins to impact on his relationship with girlfriend Nancy (Karen Allen – Raiders of the Lost Ark, Starman), who can see him change even though he can’t explain it to her.

He soon finds some potential suspects, including local steakhouse employee Skip Lee (Jay Acovone – Depth of Field) and schizophrenic college art student Stuart Richards (Richard Cox – The Vindicator). But can he withstand this new world he finds himself in or will he be drawn in too deep?

“Well frankly, all of the victims seem to be the same physical type, which is to say, they all look like you.”

Cruising is a very interesting film and very much of its era. It’s a snapshot in time which does look a little bit “Blue Oyster Club” to modern eyes, but was very representative of a small minority at the time. It quickly becomes more about our heroes experiences and integration into the scene than about the police work, but it is still an interesting watch. The ending is very ambiguous, but in some ways that just adds to the mystery, although it does feel a little like Friedkin just wasn’t ready to completely commit to the subject matter.

While extremely uncomfortable in places, and with many of the extras just being in a club doing their own thing, it all feels like an extremely authentic (albeit unpopular) representation. The acting performances are amazing, particularly Al Pacino who offers up a haunting and memorable performance as the increasingly troubled young cop.

This is the ultimate package for fans of the film, the 4K restoration is almost too good in some places (there’s lots of sweaty glistening man flesh on show here) and the picture is crisp and clean with plenty of detail and enhances the deep blues and moody settings. It also boasts a banging punk/grunge soundtrack to further add to the atmosphere. It won’t be to everyone’s taste but for Friedkin fans this one is well worth adding to your collection.

“I need you. You’re  my partner and you can’t let me down. We’re up to our a** in this and I’m counting on you.”

Cruising is available now on Limited Edition 4K UHD.

2-DISC 4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

• Brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative by Arrow Films
• 120-page perfect-bound collector’s book featuring articles from The Village Voice and The New York Times, essays from the film’s extras cast, an introduction from William Friedkin, and an archive interview with Al Pacino
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sister HydeDISC ONE – FEATURE & EXTRAS (4K ULTRA HD)
• 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Original lossless English mono audio, 2.0 stereo, and 5.1
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Two archive audio commentaries by director William Friedkin, one solo and one moderated by critic and broadcaster Mark Kermode
• Brand new commentary featuring original musicians involved with the soundtrack
• I Want to Be the Curator, a brand-new interview with actress Karen Allen
• Deleted scenes and alternative footage
• On-set audio featuring the club scenes and protest coverage
• Censored material reels
• Theatrical trailer, teasers, and TV spotsDISC TWO – EXTRAS (BLU-RAY)
• Walking the Line, a brand-new interview with actor, film consultant, and former police detective Randy Jurgensen
• Cut Offs, an interview with editor Bud S. Smith
• Who’s That Guy?, an interview with actor Jay Acovone
• Pounding the Beat, an interview with actor Mike Starr
• Boy on the Bus, an interview with actor Mark Zecca
• Mineshaft Memories, an archive interview with Wally Wallace, former manager of the Mineshaft
• Breaking the Codes, a brand-new visual essay surrounding the hanky-codes featuring actor and writer David McGillivray
• Stop the Movie, a short film by Jim Hubbard capturing the Cruising protests
• The History of Cruising, an archival featurette looking at the film’s origins and production
• Exorcising Cruising, an archival featurette looking at the controversy surrounding the film and its enduring legacy
• William Friedkin’s BeyondFest 2022 Q&A at the American Cinematheque
• Extensive image gallery featuring international promotional material, on-set sketches, and more