There are two reasons to splash out on this brand new UHD release of Cruising – and they are not necessarily William Friedkin and Al Pacino (although fans of either probably don’t need additional reasons).
Firstly, the transfer. Hats off to Arrow Films, who truly have worked wonders to produce this brand new 4K UHD restoration, created from the original camera negative. Largely filmed at night and in dark spaces, Cruising is the tale of a young police officer (Pacino) who goes undercover in the leather bars of New York on the hunt for a serial killer, and as he immerses himself in the scene, gradually realises that he is losing touch with himself in the process. The new transfer sharpens up the 45-year-old blue and black shades on screen without brightening, making it just that bit easier to follow exchanges in the dark, and to identify similarly-dressed and coiffed individuals – the confusion over the killer’s identity now becomes deliberate, rather than victim to degradation of the film quality.
The second reason is the absolute mountain of extras included in the limited edition. Not content with two archival commentary tracks (one by Friedkin and one by Friedkin with film critic Mark Kermode), a totally new commentary track featuring musicians involved with the soundtrack has been added. There are several archival and brand new interviews with some of those involved in the making of the film, and a host of additional deleted or alternative scenes, some shown in direct comparison to the final versions. A full list of contents appears at the foot of this review.
Sadly absent from the abundance of extras is anything new from Friedkin – understandably, as his death in 2023 would have preceded the production of this release – although his BeyondFest 2022 Q&A at the American Cinematheque is included. Pacino is perhaps the most notable absence, but a quick glance at his very recently published memoir Sonny Boy indicates that he was not happy with the final film and appears to have drawn a line under it in 1980 and has no wish to discuss it further. Worthy of just a page and a half of the book, Pacino mentions the protests which took place during filming and his feeling that the film was ‘exploitative’.
Which I suppose brings us to the controversial aspects of Cruising. Location filming in New York was subject to constant protests from the gay community and supporters, who believed that the film would show an already oppressed community in an even worse light. Their marches, chants and whistles meant that the majority of dialogue had to be looped afterwards, and security heightened on set. This resulted in an uncomfortable experience for the filmmakers, and one which made filming very challenging (the objective of the protesters, naturally). From the bonus material, it appears that this thought had not occurred to anyone involved in the making of the movie until filming had begun.
Is Cruising exploitative? I think that will be something for viewers to decide for themselves, with the benefit of 45 years between filming and this release, and also the advantage of seeing the film in its final version. Scenes in the leather bars can be challenging to watch, and whether these are relevant to the police investigation could be questionable. But are they important in the shifting self-image of Pacino’s undercover police officer?
In the past, I’ve always thought that Cruising needed more of a commitment as to whether the crime solving or the personal revelations were the main focus, and this new release has perhaps changed that a little bit. There’s a strong thread of ambiguity in many areas throughout the film, and this beautiful new viewing experience has me convinced that it is deliberate this time around. Though it will never be top of my Pacino list, it is still an interesting watch.
Arrow Video’s 2-Disc 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray Limited Edition release contains:
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 Hyde
DISC 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 spots
DISC 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
Controversial at the time of release in 1980 and still challenging today, Arrow Video issues the William Friedkin/Al Pacino classic Cruising on a 2-disc Limited Edition 4K UHD release.
There are two reasons to splash out on this brand new UHD release of Cruising – and they are not necessarily William Friedkin and Al Pacino (although fans of either probably don’t need additional reasons).
Firstly, the transfer. Hats off to Arrow Films, who truly have worked wonders to produce this brand new 4K UHD restoration, created from the original camera negative. Largely filmed at night and in dark spaces, Cruising is the tale of a young police officer (Pacino) who goes undercover in the leather bars of New York on the hunt for a serial killer, and as he immerses himself in the scene, gradually realises that he is losing touch with himself in the process. The new transfer sharpens up the 45-year-old blue and black shades on screen without brightening, making it just that bit easier to follow exchanges in the dark, and to identify similarly-dressed and coiffed individuals – the confusion over the killer’s identity now becomes deliberate, rather than victim to degradation of the film quality.
The second reason is the absolute mountain of extras included in the limited edition. Not content with two archival commentary tracks (one by Friedkin and one by Friedkin with film critic Mark Kermode), a totally new commentary track featuring musicians involved with the soundtrack has been added. There are several archival and brand new interviews with some of those involved in the making of the film, and a host of additional deleted or alternative scenes, some shown in direct comparison to the final versions. A full list of contents appears at the foot of this review.
Sadly absent from the abundance of extras is anything new from Friedkin – understandably, as his death in 2023 would have preceded the production of this release – although his BeyondFest 2022 Q&A at the American Cinematheque is included. Pacino is perhaps the most notable absence, but a quick glance at his very recently published memoir Sonny Boy indicates that he was not happy with the final film and appears to have drawn a line under it in 1980 and has no wish to discuss it further. Worthy of just a page and a half of the book, Pacino mentions the protests which took place during filming and his feeling that the film was ‘exploitative’.
Which I suppose brings us to the controversial aspects of Cruising. Location filming in New York was subject to constant protests from the gay community and supporters, who believed that the film would show an already oppressed community in an even worse light. Their marches, chants and whistles meant that the majority of dialogue had to be looped afterwards, and security heightened on set. This resulted in an uncomfortable experience for the filmmakers, and one which made filming very challenging (the objective of the protesters, naturally). From the bonus material, it appears that this thought had not occurred to anyone involved in the making of the movie until filming had begun.
Is Cruising exploitative? I think that will be something for viewers to decide for themselves, with the benefit of 45 years between filming and this release, and also the advantage of seeing the film in its final version. Scenes in the leather bars can be challenging to watch, and whether these are relevant to the police investigation could be questionable. But are they important in the shifting self-image of Pacino’s undercover police officer?
In the past, I’ve always thought that Cruising needed more of a commitment as to whether the crime solving or the personal revelations were the main focus, and this new release has perhaps changed that a little bit. There’s a strong thread of ambiguity in many areas throughout the film, and this beautiful new viewing experience has me convinced that it is deliberate this time around. Though it will never be top of my Pacino list, it is still an interesting watch.
Arrow Video’s 2-Disc 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray Limited Edition release contains:
DISC ONE – FEATURE & EXTRAS (4K ULTRA HD)
DISC TWO – EXTRAS (BLU-RAY)
Arrow Video issues Cruising on a 2-disc Limited Edition 4K UHD release on 24th February 2025.
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