Controversial in depiction of its subject matter, this movie obviously had its detractors regarding this and its content. However, Director
Martin Scorsese, director of
Taxi Driver (1976) and
Mean Streets (1973), came out and defended this movie. Apparently,
Dawn Steel and Scorsese were at a Paramount dinner function when a disagreement allegedly broke out between them. Scorsese apparently said that the Academy didn't have the guts to nominate the best movie of the year. That picture was Vice Squad.