- Title: People on Hollywood Boulevard react to 'Joker' security
- Date: 4th October 2019
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 3, 2019) (REUTERS) TCL CHINESE THEATRE TO HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD JOKER POSTER BOX OFFICE MAN BUYING TICKET
- Embargoed: 18th October 2019 03:08
- Keywords: Joker security cinemas Joaquin Phoenix film opening day
- Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES;
- City: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES;
- Country: USA
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Film
- Reuters ID: LVA001AZOJRYF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Members of the public on Hollywood Boulevard differed in opinions on Thursday (October 3) when asked about added security to 'Joker' screenings in the United States.
Police in major U.S. cities were on alert as "Joker" opened in movie theaters after weeks of publicity surrounding its disturbing portrait of a bullied loner raised fears it might spark violence.
Brad Sponenburgh, from Idaho, told Reuters "There's been some pretty crazy stuff happen in the past so it doesn't hurt, I don't think, to be prepared. I think it's fine. If it doesn't add any extra concern, problems, then I don't think it's bad to be prepared for it in case it did."
However, not everyone felt safe about the idea of seeing the film in a movie theater. Sandy Schlafge from Minneapolis, said "I would wait a while for it to die down before I see it. I'm conflicted about it because of the issues in America about gun violence. It's a tough time right now."
Tyson Sheean, who lives in Los Angeles but is from Australia, said "I've been looking at seeing it for quite a while and I've been looking at all the trailers and everything. I think it's definitely deterred me from going into the theater and seeing it just because I'm from Australia and we have quite strict gun laws and here they're quite lax and they had the cinema shooting a couple of years back so it's sort of deterred me from seeing it in the cinema, at least for the first week or two."
John Holmes from the UK, bought a ticket to see the film on its opening night and said "I'm not especially concerned because the moment you change your behavior is the minute these kinds of people have won, so you just have to keep going to these things." - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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