• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Fans are ‘shocked’ at X-rated Al Pacino serial killer thriller with ‘graphic’ unsimulated sex in murder scenes

Home> Entertainment> Film

Updated 18:10 12 Feb 2025 GMTPublished 18:09 12 Feb 2025 GMT

Fans are ‘shocked’ at X-rated Al Pacino serial killer thriller with ‘graphic’ unsimulated sex in murder scenes

The film sparked mass protests

Michael Slavin

Michael Slavin

When it comes to shocking films, lots seem to think that the movies of today are as out there as its got.

If you look at some of the films being released in the 80s, however, they make Babygirl and Nosferatu look like child’s play.

One specific film that fits that criteria is an Al Pacino serial killer thriller with ‘graphic’ unstimulated sex shown in the film amidst a murder scene - a double whammy.

Advert

Al Pacino starred in the film (Warner Brothers)
Al Pacino starred in the film (Warner Brothers)

Even though it left fans shocked at how the director got away with this, it’s easy to argue this isn’t even in the top five most controversial parts of this thriller.

The film is called Cruising, and it features Pacino as a cop who is asked to go undercover as a members of New York’s gay community.

Specifically, his character is asked to infiltrate New York’s gay male leather community which is being targeted by a serial killer.

No, really, that’s the plot.

Even if you ignore the casual plot point of police in the film beating a bartender half to death to coerce a confession (only for it to turn out he wasn’t the killer), the film has numerous more bizarre moments.

One of these occurs in one of the murder scenes of the film in which a moment of unsimulated gay porn flashes across the scene.

Advert

It occurs at the exact moment the victim is stabbed, with one comment on a YouTube video of all the death scenes from the film saying: “Holy cr*p!!!!! How did [director William] Freidken get away with that!!!!???? Those are multiple frame of hardcore!”

Somehow the director, who also did The Exorcist, did get away it.

The film was based on a series of articles by journalist Arthur Bell about unsolved murders of gay men, though he later called for protests against the film.

Bell characterised Cruising as a 'snuff film', The Village Voice reported, and according to Friedkin, he wrote an 'extremely inflammatory' column about it and an interview encouraging LGBTQ+ people to 'do violence' - which Bell confirmed to The New York Times.

This led to a series of frankly iconic protests of production, who feared that the film would be damaging to the LGBTQ+ community.

Advert

The film was met with a great deal of backlash (Warner Brothers)
The film was met with a great deal of backlash (Warner Brothers)

Protests ranged from reflecting light using mirrors to mess with production’s lighting, blaring loud music during filming, and a march of over 1,000.

While Pacino didn't have any concerns about the film at the time, he later revealed in his memoir, Sonny Boy, in 2024 that he felt the film was ‘exploitative’ of the gay community after having actually seen it in full.

He donated his check from the film and refused to promote it, saying in his book (via PEOPLE): “I took the money, and it was a lot, and I put it in an irrevocable trust fund.

"I gave it to charities, and with the interest, it was able to last a couple of decades. I don't know if it eased my conscience, but at least the money did some good.”

Advert

He added that he wanted 'one positive thing to come out of that whole experience'.

Friedkin later told The Wrap in 2013 that the film wasn't 'the best foot forward' in terms of the gay right movement, however, he never intended it to be 'critical of the gays'.

Featured Image Credit: Warner Brothers

Topics: Al Pacino, Film, TV and Film

Michael Slavin
Michael Slavin

Michael Slavin is LADbible's dedicated specialist Film and TV writer. Following his completion of a Masters in International Journalism at Salford University, he began working for the Warrington Guardian as a reporter. Throughout this he did freelance work about Entertainment for publications such as DiscussingFilm, where he was the Film and TV editor. Now, he is LAD's go to voice on all things Netflix, True Crime, and UK TV, as well as interviewing huge global stars such as Jake Gyllenhaal, Daisy Ridley, and Ben Stiller.

X

@michaelslavin98

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • Nicole Kidman's husband ends interview abruptly after X-Rated question about her sex scenes
  • Orgy scenes in Nicole Kidman's erotic thriller on Netflix were digitally altered for cinemas due to graphic content
  • Al Pacino, 84, splits from 30-year-old girlfriend Noor Alfallah after welcoming son last year
  • Netflix add ‘gripping’ Irish murder mystery thriller ‘from the perspective of the killer’ that can be binged in one weekend

Choose your content:

17 mins ago
18 mins ago
2 hours ago
4 hours ago
  • 17 mins ago

    Horror banned across the world was so shocking police raided a cinema that tried to screen it

    It is one of the most controversial and shocking films ever made and was banned in numerous countries

    Entertainment
  • 18 mins ago

    Amazing way Christopher Nolan created Oppenheimer atomic bomb without CGI as film added to Netflix

    Nolan had never won an Oscar until Oppenheimer

    Entertainment
  • 2 hours ago

    Fans are getting a new GTA game and the 'evidence' is hiding in in plain sight

    Rockstar is yet to confirm the alleged leak

    Entertainment
  • 4 hours ago

    Oasis fans claim tickets have been 'cancelled' in latest gig blow

    A move to clamp down on ticket bots has reportedly left some fans heartbroken

    Entertainment