Friedkin’s ‘Cruising’ screens at the Castro

William Friedkin will forever be known as the director of “The French Connection” and “The Exorcist,” but people forget about his ’80s works such as “To Live and Die in L.A.” and, yes, “Cruising,” perhaps Friedkin’s most controversial film.

Al Pacino is a straight New York police detective who goes undercover in the gay community to root out a serial killer.

Gay rights protesters disrupted production and condemned the film upon release; it was a box office disaster.