'Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders' Review: Documentary Explores the Story Behind William Friedkin's Controversial 1980 Thriller
By
Damon Wise
Hand-rolled, kettle-boiled, baked to perfection. Worth every minute at the bakery.
Summary
A review of the documentary 'Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders' from the Tribeca Festival. The doc uses a brutal murder as its starting point to paint a portrait of pre-AIDS New York, with the filming of William Friedkin's controversial 1980 thriller 'Cruising' as its backdrop. Director Jeffrey Schwarz explores the story that inspired the film, examining the era's underground gay culture and the backlash against Friedkin's movie.
Key quotes
· 2 pulledKinks are eroticized fears
Not all Friedkin's films hit the zeitgeist in the way that his signature film The Exorcist did just a few years previously, but, certainly, none were as reviled as Cruising
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