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Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders

0% | Jun 06, 2026 | Documentary

“Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders" peels back the layers of controversy surrounding the making of the 1980 thriller, "Cruising." Directed by William Friedkin, the film triggered fierce protests from the LGBTQ+ community for its portrayal of a serial killer targeting gay men in New York's leather bars. Friedkin drew inspiration from the brutal murder of Variety reporter Addison Verrill, blurring the boundaries between cinematic fiction and real-life tragedy.

Featured Crew

Jeffrey Schwarz
Director
John Boccardo
Producer

Cast

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William Friedkin
Self (archive footage)
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Al Pacino
Self (archive footage)
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Jerry Weintraub
Self (archive footage)
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Gene Siskel
Self (archive footage)
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Roger Ebert
Self (archive footage)

Images