The Problem with CRUISING (1980)
The summer of 1979 was a battle between two very different men with a personal connection to a murder. On one side: A director hellbent on making a film about a real-life slaying. On the other: A gay journalist determined to stop him. This is the story of CRUISING.
Contact info for elected officials mentioned in this video:
Nancy Pelosi:
– (202) 225-4965 and (415) 556-4862
– https://pelosi.house.gov/contact/
Adam Schiff:
– (202) 224-3841
– https://www.schiff.senate.gov/get-in-touch/
Alex Padilla:
– (202) 224-3553 and (415) 981-9369
– https://www.padilla.senate.gov/contact/
When contacting elected officials, tell them:
– You’re getting in touch about the death of Heklina, (legal name Stefan Grygelko), who was one of their constituents
– Heklina died in London under suspicious circumstances on April 3, 2023
– The London police have failed to properly investigate
– The police admitted to Heklina’s next of kin that their investigation may have been faulty due to “personal bias” toward Heklina, who was queer
– You want American officials to demand a proper investigation from the London Metropolitan Police into Heklina’s death
Thanks to everyone who helped with this video:
– Peaches Christ: https://peacheschrist.com/
– The Cuff Complex: https://www.cuffcomplex.com/
– Tyler Albertario: https://tyleralbertario.bsky.social/
– LGBTQ History: https://lgbtqhistory.bsky.social/
Watch bonus videos about leather bars, gay office invasions, and Al Pacino’s potions: http://patreon.com/mattbaume
Subscribe to my newsletter at https://mattbaume.com
Watch my full interview with Joshua Grannell: https://youtu.be/V9Ug2yqu0RI
Comments
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@MattBaume
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
Contact info for elected officials who can help with the Heklina case:
Nancy Pelosi:
– (202) 225-4965 and (415) 556-4862
– https://pelosi.house.gov/contact/
Adam Schiff:
– (202) 224-3841
– https://www.schiff.senate.gov/get-in-touch/
Alex Padilla:
– (202) 224-3553 and (415) 981-9369
– https://www.padilla.senate.gov/contact/
When contacting elected officials, tell them:
– You're getting in touch about the death of Heklina (legal name Stefan Grygelko), who was one of their constituents
– Heklina died in London under suspicious circumstances on April 3, 2023
– The London police have failed to properly investigate
– The police admitted to Heklina's next of kin that their investigation may have been faulty due to "personal bias" toward Heklina, who was queer
– You want American officials to demand a proper investigation from the London Metropolitan Police into Heklina's death
@JayMedina
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
also important to mention the killings at Ramrod club just 8 months after the movie was released,
@Green-w4z
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
lips
@BuckyNugget
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
@10:37 In other words, look no further, this place has EVERYTHING!
@MassimoPotì
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
Wonderful video, thanks for sharing!
@quelbop2025
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
maybe because I had such low expectations (it got a negative review in 'Celluloid Closet' ) i was pleasantly surprised by how strong this movie is and your review goes some way into explaining why it has such a richness of texture/authenticity. A film to savour despite its tremendous flaws. The much earlier 'boys in the band' is also tremendous though easy to pick holes in as well!
@nina-jr8rn
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
I understand the criticism but as a young clueless student in Germany I talked for YEARS about Cruising and how open US movies used to be regarding sex. I remember perceiving the gay people in the movie as positive and the sex as liberating. Might be time to revisit
@thedeviator5410
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
excellent video man
@duffyrobert19
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
Then the story died! How the hell do you just stop talking about the story. Thank for wasting my time!
@scarletmacaw
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
Years ago, calling someone a queer would’ve gotten you into a fist fight. Different world today isn’t it?
@pm6613
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
Dra
ma!
@captainscarlett1
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
I enjoyed the move Cruising and I enjoyed cruising. Best job I ever had.
@richmonroe203
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
Friedkin made a big mistake alienating Bell. Bell had a heart and an emotional perspective. Friedkin keeps emotions at arms length. Also Friedkin trys to play too many games with the audience, like multiple actors playing the killers or killer, but all speaking in the same voice. Its a somewhat good film, but should have been much better, as the motivations are murky.
@queerredguard
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
As a trans woman researching the gay rights movement of the 60s 70s and 80s reminds me a lot of what being trans is like now except we don't have people willing to organize in a more strong way
@NoName-vq3zo
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
👏👏👏👏 Great job with going beyond the movie and into the social observation and aspects of the time then and now! The bs that NY is "live and let live" tolerant of all, is the biggest bs! Having lived among different neighborhoods in NY, it harbors some of the worst and overtly bigots, including on the streets and in it's necessary public transits! And, here is the kick in the guts : the white bigots among the NY gays are equally hateful and barring as any kkk members towards other gays of color, namely blacks and Asians!
@hapsate
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
I finally saw Cruising. Loved the club scenes, but the story wasn't great.
@bbb-ath
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
Now we need the Chinese for their money. You can’t have both ways. Would you feel welcome if you are hated or belittled in another country?
@Thunderbird616
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
It's interesting too see how queer characters where treated in the old days of Hollywood seems like parts of it now try to white wash the struggles yet forget the strength and resilience of this community as well.
@thom8728
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
These barbaric straight people claim that gay people are deviant and sick when they go around murdering people likes it's a day at the office.
@guylivinglife
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
So Matt's blue handkerchief is pointing to his left, and since we cannot see him wear it in his back pocket, I assume this means he's a top? 😉😁
@dinodogstar
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
On a far-reaching tangent, Ron Glass was on "Barney Miller", and apparently out to the cast and producers. He played the classy, upwardly-mobile, educated Black detective, a great representative for Black folks at the time. And Left-leaning ally Hal Linden who played the title character would do a guest starring role on "Will & Grace" a decade-plus ago.
@ryanmcamis7419
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
You didn't watch Cruising.
The movie reflects what the cops did in real life: they pinned the blame on one person by making a deal.
The evidence of multiple killers exists within the movie, and William Friedkin has gone on record about his movie including there being multiple killers to better reflect the accuracy of events and police corruption.
William Friedkin's Cruising is about one man losing his identity and his life in a sea of political corruption, corruption of the judicial system, and the identity crisis every undercover cop undergoes.
The end of the movie leaves Al Pacino's character in a very unstable position: his marriage is falling a part, he's questioning his career, his sexuality, and the contents of his soul.
He knows the cops pinned all the murders on a suspect who committed only some of the murders, or may have lied and committed none of them.
Your point is fine about people standing up for their rights irrespective of government authorities, but you demonized William Friedkin and his movie because of what you heard about a movie.
If you did see the movie and came to the same conclusions, then you lack story comprehension.
@lowe-quay-shush
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
Just found out here about Helinka. He was great at bringing unique perfomers and giving them a spotlight. I never lived in San Francisco. I made it a point to visit SF and be there on Tuesday nights because that night had an amaute stripper contest at a dive bar with the audince clapping for the winner. After that early contest was over, I'd hightail it to The Stud which never disappointed. Awesome DJ music and whatever random talent appearing that night. Great Vibe with gay men and lesbians enjoying the ecening. One night I saw a lesbian in Orthodox Jewish Make Drag. She lit a candle and lipsyinced to 'Poppa Can You Hear Me?'. Simple, effectibve and unforgettable. Another great act I can't forget: Two girls in Trenchcoats doing Hall & Oars Drag with backgrond dancers to 'Private Eyes'. It broght the house down. RIP Helinka
@MichaelSmith-bm5up
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
The movie was a muddled mess, but those bars were exactly like that back then. I remember that well….and movie aside, the soundtrack is amazing. It's back in print after being unavailable for years.
@Chris-lp7rw
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
Thanks!
@Chris-lp7rw
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
I joined your channel yesterday and I have learned lifetimes of beauty, honor, respect in one day! 🎉
@kevinfarrell523
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
Abominable narrative.
@billjones8503
June 10, 2026 at 5:41 am
I find it hard to believe nowadays that public officials such as cops would ignore or coverup for homophobic violence, etc. Seems to me they'd stomp down on any trace of it. Call me skeptical?
Comments are closed.