Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders Poster

Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders

0.00% | June 6, 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
Jeffrey Schwarz
Producer
John Boccardo
Producer
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Cast

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

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