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‘Cruising’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Wesley Morris

November 8, 2022 · Cruising (1980) · Crime · Drama · Mystery · 1:51:26

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Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 37:04This is Policeman Night. You have the wrong attitude. I'm going to have to ask you to leave.
Wesley Morris▶ 37:13Discussed the character's inadequacy, saying 'He's not cop enough to be a fake cop' but didn't offer a specific quote pick

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 45:00The Sorvino briefing scene where he explains the case to Pacino, the 'Pacino hits the scene' sequence including stops at Ramrod and Wolf's Den, and the Powers Boothe hanky code scene
Chris Ryan▶ 49:08Supports the Powers Boothe hanky code scene, specifically mentions the 'blue hanky means blowjob' exchange and Pacino's 'I'm gonna go home and think about it' response
Wesley Morris▶ 49:49Agrees with the Powers Boothe hanky code scene and discusses the yellow hanky follow-up scene where Pacino returns with a hanky and gets told off

Den of Thieves Benihana Award

Chris Ryan▶ 1:09:51The diner that they go to
Wesley Morris▶ 1:09:56The Eagle (in the meatpacking district)

Great Shot Gordo Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:11:00The shaving shot in the mirror where you see her starting to put the stuff on
Chris Ryan▶ 1:10:23Two shots: Pacino's silhouette walking into the 712 bar under a bridge to meet Sorvino, and the wrestling magazines spread at the guy's feet with their boots next to each other during the first kill
Wesley Morris▶ 1:11:09The big sex montage on precinct night with the Crisco on the forearm and night stick scene - describes it as 'a moving painting' that would be extraordinary in a museum

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:11:56Suggests Ted as a possibility but doesn't commit; also discusses the sting operation scene as confusing
Chris Ryan▶ 1:11:57Defends Ted as necessary character/narrator; doesn't give a clear pick but expresses dislike for the award going to actual girlfriends

Is There a Better Title?

Bill Simmons▶ 1:18:52No, there is no better title
Chris Ryan▶ 1:19:40No better title - calls it a 'Great title' and praises the title card sequence
Wesley Morris▶ 1:18:53No, there is no better title - 'Cruising is cruising' and works both as nautical and vehicle reference

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:22:57This would have been the greatest Tom Cruise part ever - Tom Cruise circa 1993 would have been perfect for this role
Chris Ryan▶ 1:19:53Paul Sorvino sucks at pool - he makes terrible shots during the bar meeting scene and it doesn't inspire confidence in your commanding officer
Wesley Morris▶ 1:21:37Al Pacino's character Steve is not attractive in this movie - he looks sad, tired, unhealthy, covered in nicotine, and scared. Nobody would pick him at the Eagle bar over the other guys

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:24:59Tom Berenger — Discusses Richard Gere was signed but agrees he's too handsome; suggests young Tom Berenger could have worked
Chris Ryan▶ 1:25:03Steven Spielberg — Notes Gere was signed and ready to go; pivots to discuss Spielberg circling the director role as major what-if
Wesley Morris▶ 1:25:15Richard Gere — Against Richard Gere - he's too handsome and wouldn't last 10 minutes, they would eat him alive

Teddy KGB Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:27:29The shirtless cop in black underwear who interrogates suspects
Wesley Morris▶ 1:28:00Agrees with the shirtless cop pick, discusses how the scene works despite being tonally odd

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:28:55Gene Davis — Listed nominees: Bruno Kirby, Powers Booth, James Remar, Willie DeVille, Gene Davis as Da Vinci; highlighted Gene Davis particularly for his prostitute character performance

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:30:18Presents multiple research facts: Friedkin worked with mafia who owned NYC gay bars, first movie to shoot in a morgue (chief examiner Michael Baden was fired but became famous on HBO autopsy shows), Karen Allen never saw complete script, Arthur Bell led protests with 1000 protesters, movie initially had X rating with 40 minutes cut, internet theory that Pacino's character is the killer
Chris Ryan▶ 1:34:06Notes that Pacino's character essentially stalks Stuart and agrees with discussion about the killer theory
Wesley Morris▶ 1:30:27Discusses the disclaimer controversy at the beginning of the movie, notes he never thinks Pacino's character is a killer but might have gone home with guys, rejects the internet theory about Pacino being the killer because we see other murders

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:34:34Goes through multiple actors (Pacino, Servino, Remar, Fried, Karen) and says 'no' to all as apex mountain, uncertain about Crisco
Chris Ryan▶ 1:34:46Guys using nasal spray in movies
Wesley Morris▶ 1:35:02S&M leather scene in movies / gay late seventies underground scene

Racehorse Name Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:35:26Suggested multiple options: 'hips or lips', 'party size', 'picking nets', and 'the killer shooting blanks'
Wesley Morris▶ 1:35:38Cocaine

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:41:36Willie DeVille — Initially suggests 'freaking' then mentions Willie DeVille as alternative
Wesley Morris▶ 1:41:45Willie DeVille — Willie DeVille (for the song)

Best Double Feature

Bill Simmons▶ 1:43:16The Warriors — The Warriors first, then Cruising
Wesley Morris▶ 1:43:26The Warriors — Agrees with The Warriors and Cruising pairing, noting that cruising acknowledges the energy in The Warriors

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:46:01There might be better ways to becoming a detective than going undercover and losing your mind - maybe take smaller cases and get promoted
Chris Ryan▶ 1:47:47Agrees with taking the job because pathways to advancement in that environment aren't great, so you have to do what you have to do
Wesley Morris▶ 1:46:19Take the job - for a repressed Catholic kid, this undercover work was a gift from God and the right pathway to advancement in the 1979-1980 NYPD

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:47:22William Friedkin — Agreed with Friedkin choice, highlighting how he cared about basketball scenes, got real players and coaches, and knew how to make movies feel real
Chris Ryan▶ 1:49:10William Friedkin — Supported the Friedkin choice by emphasizing how he shot in real places and made the movie feel authentic
Wesley Morris▶ 1:47:07William Friedkin — Friedkin - praised his nerve to care, method directing approach, and ability to make movies feel real by being immersed in the American moment

Movies Referenced (39)

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

6 mentions · Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons▶ 43:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Stardust Memories (1980)

4 mentions · Wesley Morris▶ 8:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Murder Mystery (2019)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 12:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fargo (1996)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 31:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)

2 mentions · Wesley Morris▶ 8:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jerry Maguire (1996)

2 mentions · Wesley Morris▶ 1:24:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Scarface (1983)

2 mentions · Wesley Morris▶ 43:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Exorcist (1973)

2 mentions · Wesley Morris▶ 35:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The French Connection (1971)

2 mentions · Wesley Morris▶ 34:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Shining (1980)

2 mentions · Wesley Morris▶ 43:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Top Gun (1986)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris▶ 1:23:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

And Justice for All (1979)

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 19:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (5)

William Friedkin

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris · Known for To Live and Die in L.A., The French Connection, The Exorcist▶ 3:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Woody Allen

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris · Known for Annie Hall, Deconstructing Harry▶ 7:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Clint Eastwood

2 mentions · Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons · Known for Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven▶ 5:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

George Roy Hill

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Sting, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Slap Shot▶ 20:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Waters

1 mentions · Wesley Morris▶ 4:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (48)

Al Pacino

81 mentions · Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather▶ 2:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Sorvino

18 mentions · Wesley Morris, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 10:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Steve Burns

15 mentions · Wesley Morris, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 6:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Remar

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris · Known for Oppenheimer▶ 1:05:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Karen Allen

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris · Known for Raiders of the Lost Ark, Starman▶ 19:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Cruise

10 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris · Known for Top Gun, Minority Report▶ 21:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bruno Kirby

9 mentions · Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons · Known for City Slickers, When Harry Met Sally...▶ 29:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Franco

9 mentions · Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons · Known for Spring Breakers, The Disaster Artist, 127 Hours▶ 13:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Nathan Lee

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris, Chris Ryan▶ 17:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Randy Crisco

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris · Known for To the Bone▶ 18:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jon Bernthal

5 mentions · Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons · Known for The Wolf of Wall Street, King Richard, Fury▶ 1:29:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Richard Gere

5 mentions · Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons · Known for Chicago, Pretty Woman, An Officer and a Gentleman▶ 1:24:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (2)

Roger Ebert

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 31:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

William Goldman

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men, The Princess Bride▶ 20:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Janusz Kaminski

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Schindler's List, Minority Report▶ 1:45:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗