Cruising (1980)- coming from Arrow Video (1 Viewer)

[MatthewA]

My biggest problem with the movie is that Pacino was pushing 40 when it was made, too old to be so callow. If Richard Gere had starred it might have clicked better. I think it’s a good Friedkin film but a mediocre Pacino credit.

Richard Gere would likely have had to give up American Gigolo, and with it the things it led to, to do this film. Al Pacino already had enough clout at this stage of his career that this wouldn't have hurt him too much (Revolution on the other hand…). He'd also done Dog Day Afternoon five years earlier. Maybe Sidney Lumet would have been a better choice as director: it might have resulted in a better lead performance from Pacino.

 

[English Patient]

Maybe Sidney Lumet would have been a better choice as director: it might have resulted in a better lead performance from Pacino.

Even though I think Pacino is okay in the role (but definitely subdued and even bland), I think the role just didn't fit him and didn't bring out his strengths. The role of Steve Burns is mostly a passive, watchful role, a lot like Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now. I remember reading that Coppola replaced Keitel in Apocalypse because he was an active, dynamic presence instead of the silently watchful persona that Coppola wanted. Similarly, I think Pacino is best in roles that have a lot of simmering intensity. Sure, there are a few moments in Cruising where he gets to do more than just stare and have bland conversations - but for the most part his strengths as an actor aren't really on display.

Even though I'm fascinated by Cruising, I think the script is underwritten and the characters aren't that well sketched - which may have contributed to Pacino's almost forgettable performance.

 

[Vincent_P]

I listened to the 2.0 with the "Direct" option of my receiver activated, so it was standard stereo. That worked way better than the weird 5.1 mix that overemphasizes music in the surrounds.

And FWIW, I played the 5.1 "Direct" as well to make sure it wasn't funky decoding on the part of my receiver that overdid music in the surrounds...

This isn't how 2.0 Dolby Stereo mixes are meant to be played back, though. They're supposed to be decoded to 4-channel (left-center-right-surround). If you're listening to 2.0 Dolby Stereo mixes (or Ultra-Stereo mixes for that matter) in "Direct" 2.0 stereo, you're not doing it right.

My question is, was CRUISING mixed in Dolby Stereo for its original theatrical release? I've seen folks on-line saying the original theatrical mix was mono, and even in this thread it's being said my at least one person that the 2.0 track on the Arrow is a mix-down of the 5.1 remix. Seeing as how Friedkin's previous film SORCERER was mixed in 4-track mag stereo, I'm curious if he really went back to mono for CRUISING.

Vincent

 

[Vincent_P]

In a review linked to in this thread it says the following:

"...given Friedkin's penchant for revising his films, most notoriously The Exorcist and the last scene of Sorcerer."

What did he revise in Sorcerer?

There's an audible "gunshot" sound over the final shot of the film now that apparently wasn't there before.

Since SORCERER was originally mixed and released in 4-track mag stereo, it's a shame that the original mix wasn't retained as a viewing option as well as the 5.1 remix.

Vincent

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

There's an audible "gunshot" sound over the final shot of the film now that apparently wasn't there before.

Since SORCERER was originally mixed and released in 4-track mag stereo, it's a shame that the original mix wasn't retained as a viewing option as well as the 5.1 remix.

Vincent

Thank you, Vincent. I did not know that was altered.

 

[Bob Cashill]

Another review: https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Cruising-Blu-ray/101894/#Review

 

[Bob Cashill]

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film6/blu-ray_reviews_76/cruising_blu-ray.htm

 

[Bob Cashill]

The real-life case that inspired CRUISING is part of the second season of MINDHUNTER.

 

[Jeffrey:K]

That is grossed about $20 million surprises me; I thought it was an instant failure, shunted off quickly to 10pm time slots on HBO.

I was an HBO subscriber during the 1980s and I can attest that Cruising never played HBO between 1980 and 1986. (It may have played later.) I didn't see the movie until its 1984 VHS release.

 

[Bob Cashill]

I was an HBO subscriber during the 1980s and I can attest that Cruising never played HBO between 1980 and 1986. (It may have played later.) I didn't see the movie until its 1984 VHS release.

According to the HBO Guide Twitter feed in aired on The Movie Channel beginning March 1981...but we didn’t have TMC, just HBO and Max. Unless it was a free weekend? I may have the channels mixed up but I distinctly recall watching it that Easter season on cable. Never saw it on VHS.

 

[Jeffrey:K]

According to the HBO Guide Twitter feed in aired on The Movie Channel beginning March 1981...but we didn’t have TMC, just HBO and Max. Unless it was a free weekend? I may have the channels mixed up but I distinctly recall watching it that Easter season on cable. Never saw it on VHS.

It might have played on Cinemax prior to June 1981. (Cinemax launched in late 1980, but it didn't become available in my area until June '81.)

 

[Jeffrey:K]

According to the HBO Guide Twitter feed in aired on The Movie Channel beginning March 1981...but we didn’t have TMC, just HBO and Max. Unless it was a free weekend? I may have the channels mixed up but I distinctly recall watching it that Easter season on cable. Never saw it on VHS.

It was certainly unusual for HBO to pass over an American film with a big star like Al Pacino. But HBO in those days was courting a more mainstream viewership than its competitors (or even its sister service, Cinemax), and they probably thought Cruising was too edgy. Only three years earlier HBO pulled Bertrand Blier's Going Places from its schedule after a flood of subscriber and affiliate complaints.

 

[commander richardson]

God, how I despise this movie. If I was gay, I might view it differently, but even then, I don't think so. It seems like a repulsive anti-gay film that pretends to be progressive. I actually saw this in a theater and walked out feeling a bit nauseated and wondering what the hell had happened to William Friedkin, who had made several of my favorite films previously.

Picture and sound quality are good far in advance to anything released before and the movie is not bad but the gay involvement is not to my taste so would find it difficult to recommend it .

 

[TravisR]

I listened to the commentary with Friedkin and Mark Kermode and it is quite good.

 

[Chuck Pennington]

CRUISING (1980) Video Release comparison

I made this video to show how the 2007 release had revisionist blue color timing that is now thankfully gone. People were upset that it wasn’t on the 2019 Arrow release, but it also wasn’t on the old VHS - it was only on the 2007 master and was not representative of the theatrical release. The 2007 master was created at a time when William Friedkin was making a lot of ill advised changes to the video masters to his films, some of which were corrected on later reissues (The French Connection).