Rotten Tomatoes
Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders

Play trailer Poster for Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders 2026 1h 25m Documentary LGBTQ+ History Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
100% Tomatometer 15 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Ratings
"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.

Critics Reviews

View More
Ryan Lattanzio IndieWire Jun 11
A-
Best of all, as critical as “Mineshaft” is about Friedkin’s grotesque vision of gay life in the too-short gap between Stonewall and AIDS, this rousing and thoughtful documentary encourages you to take a look back at “Cruising” with fresh eyes. Go to Full Review David Rooney The Hollywood Reporter Jun 9
For anyone interested in queer history, both social and pop-cultural, there’s a lot here to chew on. Go to Full Review Guy Lodge Variety Jun 9
“Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders” already has a lot to do. But Jeffrey Schwarz’s engaging, impassioned documentary takes on plenty else besides. Go to Full Review Tina Kakadelis Film Obsessive 4h
Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders blends society’s morbid fascination with true crime with a reckoning of what happens when we consume this content in our popular culture. Go to Full Review Nicholas Bell Fish Jelly Films (YouTube) 1d
3.5/5
Mineshaft examines the ethical quagmire of the compromised legacy of Cruising while also delving into troubling real-world circumstances which influenced one of the most infamous queer films ever made... Go to Full Review Joseph Robinson Fish Jelly Films (YouTube) 4d
3.5/5
Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders is an intriguing blend of queer history and true crime, presented with remarkable efficiency and purpose. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Cast & Crew

View All

Jeffrey Schwarz

Director

Adam Baran

Self

Alan Eichler

Executive Producer

Gerald Herman

Executive Producer

Ron Nyswaner

Executive Producer

Robbie Rogers

Executive Producer
View All

Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders

View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis "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.
Director
Jeffrey Schwarz
Production Co
Automat Pictures
Genre
Documentary, LGBTQ+, History
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 25m