The BB Word Count, with Added Cruising

[przed]

I actually got some new words written today:



This was amazing, not just because it was a busy, errand filled day--I managed to get new shoes and shorts for me, a new swimsuit for Ros, and chickenwire that will, we hope, keep the morning glory seedlings we're about to plant from getting eaten by the local wildlife--but also because the Sweetie and I got babysitting tonight so we could go to a private film club we belong to that screens all sorts of culturally suspect films. The current month's offering was Cruising

Yes, that Cruising. The one with Al Pacino playing a cop undercover in the gay leather bar scene. It was an awesome, fascinating film, though far from perfect. The murder plot is screwy, and the slasher in me wishes we actually got to see Al go for it with another guy. But the club scenes are astounding. And filmed, for my money, mostly without judgment. (Any judgment up there, you bring to the film yourself.) I'm still amazed they got a pretty explicit fisting scene in there.

At some point, I'm going to do my own cut of the film. One which eliminates the murder plot entirely and is just Al exploring the leather bar scene and then going to diners with his Gay Best Friend next door.

And for the record, the Sweetie thought it was as awesome as I did. And that's why he's my Sweetie.

Comments

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

All that fun and an extra 400 words to boot? Who can live at that speed? YAY! *\0/*

It's been ages since I've seen that film and I'm genuinely not in a hurry to see it again but it was fascinating and still sticks with me.

[przed.livejournal.com]

It's all kinds of dodgy (for a start, the first murder is disturbing, and not in a good way, and the investigation plot goes to hell in the final reel), but fascinating. And not the least fascinating thing about it is wondering how the heck it got greenlit to go in the first place.

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

At that point Pacino could have got just about anything greenlit just by being on board and he was working over time at being "edgy." Friedkin was a big name (then) due to The French Connection and The Exorcist and I believe the novel, by Walker, a NYT reporter, had been a scandalous best seller. That's also that magical *cough* period in American cinema when film makers were actually working hard at getting that restricted rating.

[przed.livejournal.com]

Even granted all of that, I have to wonder who they thought their target audience was. They'd alienated the gay audience, it was too "edgy" for the left liberal crowd. Which left, who? The nascent slasher community, I suppose. And the S&M crew who could ignore the alleged homophobia.

I have to say, though, that I don't really read it as a homophobic film. (Though as a straight woman, I realize my right to make that judgment is next to nil.) It's got homophobic characters, and a seriously conflicted antagonist, but there's a certain honesty in the portrayal of the club scenes that I pretty much love.

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

I think they were expecting to get a big audience from the "shock" value, just like the novel did.

This was the brief era of mainstream porn too that was also selling a hell of a lot of tickets on its shock value.

[przed.livejournal.com]

I have to admit, the novel is going on my very long to read list, if only so I can find out who the novelist thought the killer was. *g*

1980 was a bit late for the mainstream porn wave, though. That was more the early to mid '70s, Deep Throat and Behind the Green Door both being released in 1972.

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

The 70s were the big era for "shock", mainstream porn -- there's all the stuff that came after those films like the version of things like Sleeping Beauty -- "wild living" in the discos and nightclubs, shocking books... The novel was published in 1970. I'm guessing that by the time this thing got funded and off the ground it was lagging a few years behind its target audience. Looking for Mr. Goodbar came out in 1977, that probably also suggested there might be a BIG audience for this sort of film. I have to admit that 70s pop culture fascinates me. *g*

[przed.livejournal.com]

I have to admit that watching Cruising again, it struck me as being a male take on Mr. Goodbar. But there was clearly a sea change in the culture that kept it from finding an audience.

I also have a fascination with 70s pop culture. There's such an interesting stew of cultural, social and sexual upheaval going on.

[cloudless-9193.livejournal.com]

I remember that film. I watched it in my teens and haven't seen anything like it since. The club scenes were shot with true amateur actors and represent realistically the s/m gay scene shortly before the AIDS outbreak.
Although it got rather bad reviews, it made a lasting impression on me. And I just like Al Pacino.

[przed.livejournal.com]

It's a film with problems. (According to the bloke presenting last night's screening, even the director was sure in the end who he meant for the killer to be.) But it is a really striking film. And the look at the pre-AIDS S&M scene makes it more than worth a look.

[the-shoshanna.livejournal.com]

Wow, I may have to see Cruising, and let me tell you, Internets, that is not a sentence I ever thought I'd say. In fact, it sounds as though it is somewhat Relevant to My Professional Interests!

(Perhaps also to my Professionals interests. Ahem.)

[przed.livejournal.com]

While I do like it a lot, I don't want to oversell it. There are things I have issues with. The first murder, which occurs quite early on, is intense enough that I almost regretted my decision to see the film. And as I've mentioned, the ending is a bit of a mess. Those club scenes... And Pacino, playing a gradually more and more fucked up straight boy getting sucked into the S&M scene is utterly fascinating.

And I'd be lying if I wasn't thinking of a couple of CI5 agents whilst I was watching certain scenes. ::clears throat::

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

I've never seen that film, but I've Netflixed it. Might as well give it a go.

Keep writing!

[przed.livejournal.com]

I'll be curious to hear what you think.

Shall try to write a few words tonight, after I've recovered from self-inflicted heat stroke. (Spent all day in the Toronto islands, which was lovely, apart from the baked brain I've come home with.)

Is it available on DVD?

[sooguy.livejournal.com]

I don't think I've ever seen the thing in its entirety.

I do recall seeing it dissected on some show before.

Al Pacino is awesome in so many of the 70s movies he starred in.

Re: Is it available on DVD?

[przed.livejournal.com]

Yep, it's out on DVD.

It's definitely worth a watch. And I don't think it's nearly as homophobic as some seem to think.