Director William Friedkin was forced by the studios to strip 40 minutes out of his crime thriller, which took Al Pacino's detective character into the world of gay S&M clubs. The problem? The graphic moments featured in the clubs were real. In an interview with HollywoodInterview, Friedkin describes the issue: "The sexuality was actual. It was not simulated … I knew one of the guys who ran everything from 42nd street to the lower west side. So I went to him, and he referred me to the guys who were running them. I met the managers, the bartenders, and a great many people who frequented the bars. I went back a number of times. They knew I was doing research for the film, and they’re the ones you see in those scenes. There are no screen extras guild members. These guys were paid as extras, but they were just there, doing their thing." [Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Home Video]