Cruising

Saw Cruising, a film about a cop who goes undercover as a Gay to catch a gay serial killer who was active in the NYC BDSM scene. It's apparently semi-based on a true story and was massively protested at the time it was filmed. In retrospect however, I'm glad it exists. I don't think it's harmful now.

Back in 1980 when this film was made there were precious few gay characters at all. The popular conception of gays was based on Psycho and other such horror films. Gay characters were mostly serial killers, psychopaths and weirdos, pitiable at best and homicidal at worst. This film portrays yet another murderous gay stopped by a virtuous straight, so I understand why it was protested. In the light of modern times however, it also shows the vulnerability of members of a despised lower class. The cops can barely bring themselves to care about the murdered gays who are all attractive, kindly-seeming dudes. It's a frustrating portrait of selective law enforcement (which continues to this day, btw.)

Gay Business aside, the film is a gaillo-style mystery, following sexy murders and using psychobabble to stand in for motives. It unfolds clue by clue, has frustrating chase sequences and some fairly hokey ambiguity about the main character near the end (has he caught the gay??) It's interesting as a time capsule. If it weren't for its reputation and subject, I probably never would have seen it. It's not a bad film, but not a great film either.