Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders (2026)

The murders inspired a movie. The movie ignited a movement.

“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.

Cast (62)CrewGenresDetailsReleasesMediaAwards

A

Adam Baran

Self

A

Andy Humm

Self

A

Armando D. Muñoz

Self

B

Bud S. Smith

Self

C

Charles Kaiser

Self

C

Charles Lum

Self

Dan Savage

Self

D

Darkqwolf

Self

D

David Del Valle

Self

D

David Rothenberg

Self

D

Dennis Dermody

Self

Don Scardino

Self

D

Drusilla Adeline

Self

E

Efrain Gonzalez

Self

Frank Henenlotter

Self

Howard Rosenman

Self

J

James Polchin

Self

Jim Fall

Self

J

Jim Hubbard

Self

J

John Burke

Self

K

Ken Kidd

Self

K

Ken Oliver

Self

K

Kenneth Sherrill

Self

M

Matt Foreman

Self

Michael Musto

Self

M

Michael Schiavi

Self

N

Nat Segaloff

Self

P

Pamela Verrill Walker

Self

Randy Jurgensen

Self

R

Richard Berkowitz

Self

R

Richard Goldstein

Self

R

Rob Urbinati

Self

R

Robert Geary

Self

S

Steve Ashkinazy

Self

T

Thom Kam

Self

Todd Verow

Self

W

William K. Hoyt

Self

W

William Schoel

Self

A

Addison Verrill

Self (archive footage)

Al Pacino

Self (archive footage)

A

Arthur Bell

Self (archive footage)

B

Barton Lane

Self (archive footage)

Anita Bryant

Self (archive footage)

Chuck Scarborough

Self (archive footage)

Dianne Feinstein

Self (archive footage)

F

Frank O'Dowd

Self (archive footage)

Gene Siskel

Self (archive footage)

George Putnam

Self (archive footage)

Harvey Milk

Self (archive footage)

Holly Woodlawn

Self (archive footage)

Jason Miller

Self (archive footage)

Jerry Weintraub

Self (archive footage)

John Wojtowicz

Self (archive footage)

Linda Blair

Self (archive footage)

M

Marcia Pally

Self (archive footage)

Marsha P. Johnson

Self (archive footage)

P

Paul Bateson

Self (archive footage)

Roger Ebert

Self (archive footage)

T

Tom Snyder

Self (archive footage)

William Friedkin

Self (archive footage)

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