AD FOR MOVIE “JUICE” / GANGS
PROMOTERS FOR THE NEW MOVIE ``JUICE'' TOOK A GUN OUT OF THE ADVERTISING POSTER AND OFFERED THEATERS SECURITY ASSISTANCE AT NO COST TO COUNTER CRITICISM THAT IT GLORIFIES GANGS. POLICE OFFICERS WHO WORK WITH GANGS SAID THE FILM'S AD CAMPAIGN HAD THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE VIOLENCE, WHICH DOGGED LAST YEAR'S ``BOYZ N THE HOOD'' AND ``NEW JACK CITY.'' THE ORIGINAL POSTER FOR ``JUICE'' SHOWED ONE OF FOUR YOUTHS WITH A HANDGUN IN FRONT OF A GRAFFITI BACKDROP. A LATER VERSION SENT TO THEATERS DOESN'T INCLUDE THE WEAPON. POLICE DETECTIVE JAY ST. JOHN LIKENED THE POSTER TO ``WAVING A RED FLAG IN FRONT OF A BULL.'' THE MOVIE'S DIRECTOR, ERNEST DICKERSON, AND BARRY LONDON, PRESIDENT OF PARAMOUNT'S MOTION PICTURE GROUP, DISAGREED. ``THIS MOVIE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GANGS, NOR DO WE FEEL THAT THE ADVERTISING HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH GANGS,'' LONDON SAID. ``PARAMOUNT TOOK THE GUN OUT OF THE POSTER TO AVOID THAT TYPE OF ACCUSATION,'' DICKERSON SAID. ``I THINK THAT THE FILM IS MARKETED IN THE BEST WAY.''PARAMOUNT HAS OFFERED THEATERS EXTRA SECURITY AND GIVEN THEATERS EXTRA PRINTS TO SCREEN THE FILM WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS. SOME THEATERS SAID THEY ARE ALTERING SHOWING SCHEDULES SO AUDIENCES FOR FAMILY FILMS WON'T STAND IN LINE WITH AUDIENCES FOR ``JUICE.'' JOHN SINGLETON, WHO DIRECTED ``BOYZ N THE HOOD,'' SAID THERE SHOULD BE NO DOUBLE STANDARD IN ADVERTISING FOR FILMS ABOUT BLACKS. ``IF BRUCE WILLIS GOES AROUND SHOOTING PEOPLE IN THE HEAD, IT'S LIKE, `OH YEAH BRUCE WE LOVE YOU!' BUT IF ICE CUBE HAS A GUN, EVERYBODY FREAKS OUT,'' HE SAID. ``JUICE'' FOLLOWS THE STORY OF FOUR YOUNG MEN IN HARLEM. ONE GETS INVOLVED IN A ROBBERY THAT ENDS IN MURDER. ``I DON'T THINK THAT A MOVIE CAN LEAD TO VIOLENCE,'' DICKERSON SAID. ``I DO WORRY ABOUT PEOPLE BEING SHOT BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR. BUT I KNOW THAT PARAMOUNT IS GOING OUT OF ITS WAY TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.'' LONDON SAID THE MOVIE DRAWS FROM DILEMMAS THAT YOUNG BLACKS FACE EVERY DAY. ``WE DO NOT FEEL THAT IT IS IN ANY WAY INCENDIARY,'' HE SAID. ``THE MARKETING ELEMENTS ARE FAITHFUL TO THE FILM ITSELF.'' WHEN THE ANTI-GANG MOVIE ``BOYZ N THE HOOD'' OPENED LAST JULY, TWO PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND MORE THAN 30 WERE INJURED NEAR OR INSIDE MOVIE THEATERS. ONE PERSON WAS KILLED AT A NEW YORK THEATER SHOWING ``NEW JACK CITY'' AND A RIOT BROKE OUT AFTER A LOS ANGELES THEATER OVERSOLD A SHOWING.