By Juan Markos,
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 07/25/2026
I attended a screening of Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders during Day 3 of OutFestNext. This film discusses the controversy surrounding “Cruising” 1980, directed by William Friedkin and starring Al Pacino. However, Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders, directed by Jeffrey Schwarz, is not just about the making of that film and its backlash; it also delves into the murders that inspired “Cruising”.
When I first saw the title, I assumed it was simply about some cruising-related deaths, which still occur today. However, I learned so much more; it served as a time capsule of gay culture that I had very little knowledge about. Sometimes, when I watch these kinds of films, I realize I’m not fully embracing my identity. The events that took place in the late seventies and early eighties are still romanticized today, not just by me but by many in the gay community. These events have had a significant influence on us and on society as a whole.
I also had no prior knowledge of William Friedkin’s Cruising or that Al Pacino starred in it. However, this isn’t surprising, given that Al Pacino is one of the greatest actors of all time. It’s not shocking for a great actor to take on a role in a film focused on gay themes.
Paul Bateson, a real-life radiology technician who appeared briefly as an extra in Friedkin’s The Exorcist, was arrested and convicted for the 1977 murder of writer Addison Verrill. Around the same time, a series of unsolved murders of gay men occurred, and Bateson was briefly suspected in connection with these cases. This ignited Friedkin’s curiosity, and he immersed himself in the world of gay after-parties, leather bars, and the S&M scene. It’s understandable that he would explore such a taboo subject matter, especially since he accidentally cast a man connected to it in his film.
The film faced immediate backlash. A writer from the Village Voice learned about the film’s production in the Village and set out to sabotage it. The community feared misrepresentation, which ultimately occurred. Like The Exorcist, Friedkin aimed to create a horror film using gay characters, and after its release, society reacted strongly against the taboos surrounding homosexuality, which had reached a point of tentative acceptance by then.
The stigma surrounding The Cruising murders only foreshadowed the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS, the effects of which still linger today. If you have a chance, I highly recommend watching Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders.
