Poetic Justice at Cineplex Odeon, LA
- Artist/Author/Producer: John Singleton, Director
- Confronting Bodies: Cineplex Odeon, LA
- Dates of action: July 1993
- Location: Los Angeles, California
- Description of the Art Work
- The film, "Poetic Justice," is a love story about a hairdresser and a
postal carrier starring pop star Janet Jackson.
- Description of incident
- An opening weekend ban on African-American director John Singleton's
romantic drama "Poetic Justice" at Cineplex Odeon's Universal City
multiplex theater triggered charges of racism and censorship from
moviegoers, studio sources, civil rights leaders, and the Los Angeles
City Council.
Cineplex Odeon said the film was not screened because of fears that it
might draw trouble to Universal Studio's adjacent City Walk, which
features a string of trendy shops and restaurants.
"Our film programmers in Los Angeles are ensuring the theater is
programmed with an upscale demographic to make sure that City Walk's
environment is kept safe with a family atmosphere," the theater chain
said in a prepared statement.
- Results of incident
- On July 27, by an 11-0 vote, the Los Angeles City Council passed a motion
condemning the Cineplex Odeon action. Council member Rita Walter's
motion also suggested that the Los Angeles County district attorney
investigate whether the theater chain's action violated state civil
rights laws.
Source: Office for Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association
