Maybe Bogdanski warned him that, like hip-hop clubs, movies that African Americans might frequent are sure violence triggers. Remember the police protection theaters sought when Do the Right Thing premiered? At least that HAD black people rioting in it!

It's not what's in the film, is the point--it's who the theater owners think will show up. And the Lloyd Center manager has decided that films blacks will come see, will attract violence. Niiice!

This flick kinda looks like a cross between Drumline and School Daze--both of which I really dug.

It's been pointed out to me that I got two Regal gift cards for Christmas. It might be worth using one just to see what the Hell it looks like seeing cops standing around worrying about a movie with dancing black people in it.

This probably goes back to an incident that took place in the early 90's. Apparently someone made a decision to shut down a dance for high school age kids near the Lloyd Center. The kids kicked out of the dance went bezerk and took it out on some innocent mall goer type bystander people and fucked one guy up pretty bad. The mall paid big dollars in settlement because the guys lawyers proved that the mall didn't have adequate security. Sounds like they are just covering their butts on this one in case tons of kids show up...can't get in and then go freaky deeky on some peeps in the vicinity. BTW they have cops in the public schools these days due to potentially violent behavior from kids, and a hugely popular film that will attract mostly kids could be a set up for trouble. Also a kid from nearby Benson High was shot recently and the word might be out that there is some payback scheduled to come down from some of his associates. I say give them credit for thinking ahead and leave the race card in your hand for the time being.

The kids just need to do what we did back in the day when the man cracked down on dancing-go to an abandoned factory on the edge of town and do aggresive gymnastic/dance routines by themselves to a blazing soundtrack provided by Kenny Loggins.

I suppose since the cops are being HIRED by a private corporation, this doesn't count as a racial profiling incident to be discussed by the city's new committee?

Maybe if the office of youth violence is actually involved in coordinating this... but it seems like mall security is in charge.

In protest, we plan on showing Beat Street on the side of the old Copeland Lumber HQ bldg across '84 from Roid Center. Stay tuned.

"Also a kid from nearby Benson High was shot recently and the word might be out that there is some payback scheduled to come down from some of his associates."

Were that true, wouldn't you think that Regal would report that "word" to the police, and the police would just station some officers there anyway? The fact that this is Regal hiring local cops, to my mind anyway, means one of two things: There is no specific "word" or threat, or there is but Regal isn't reporting it -- either to the police or the public -- because they don't want to hurt their ticket sales.

Pardon me for saying so, but if Regal actually believes that something specific might happen, but are willing to let the movie-going public be there when it happens anyway, that doesn't put Regal in a particularly charming light either.

Two things:

1.) I don't think they'll have this police presence at the premiere of Alpha Dog. Yep, the movie is about a young gangster, but he's white.

2.) The OLCC will be thrilled if this movie goes to McMenamin's, the Laurelhurst, or the Academy. A movie with black people in it and alcohol gives the OLCC the vapors!

Wow this is blog heaven...B!X lives! The Mercury is truly not worthy of his presence...nor am I for that matter. O.K. B!X, I agree it's probably "private racial profiling." So if there was no beefed up security and a tragedy happens...then what? Some innocent bystander catches a bullet and the family sues Regal because they "should have known" that tensions were high due to this kid getting shot in the head a few days before this...blah, blah, blah. A private landowner that opens its premises to the public owes an affirmative duty to make the premises safe for the "invitees" it brings onto the premises for a business purpose, and that includes security. If I were Regal, I'd shell out a few extra grand for some enhanced security and do my best to make sure nothing happens, so I don't pay $20 million to the innocent 16 year old bystander in the wheelchair who caught a bullet in the spine. Also they use metal detectors and pat downs when "Too Short", "Snoop Dog" and any other other rap artist comes to town. I know because I've been there when they do it, and it sort of helps me enjoy the show knowing some drunk A-Hole is going to start shooting the place up.

My point was that if Regal seriously believes something might be going down, they shouldn't be leaving the public in the dark. The only reason they WOULD leave the public in the dark is because Regal wants to make sure it still gets the public's money, no matter what.

That's rank.

And if Regal thinks it knows that something might go down, then the police could just be called to be there in their capacity as police, not "hired" on Regal to be super-security-guards.