Cruising

With extraordinary physical presence, Al Pacino embodies in CRUISING the initially somewhat overstrained undercover cop Steve Burns - Steve "burns" - who is supposed to serve as a decoy for the homophobic serial killer. The viewer accompanies him into the darkly infernal world of leather and S&M bars, fisting happenings, "police" balls and ritualized "cruising" in Central Park. Several scenes suggest that the cop gradually succumbs to this fascination with the morbid. He steels his body, wears the fetishes of dominance - leather jacket, cap, motorcycle boots, chains - and, in his role as decoy, engages in quick sex at the hour hotel, promptly interrupted by suspicious colleagues. He becomes an outsider and wanders between the fronts.