A Witty Marquee Joke Lands a Theater in Hot Water with Amazon!
Imagine crafting the perfect, playful tagline for a new movie, only to have the distributor pull the film entirely because they didn't appreciate your humor. That's exactly what happened to the Lake Theater & Cafe in Lake Oswego, Oregon, a charming spot known for its creative marquee messages. They found themselves in a rather unexpected showdown with Amazon MGM Studios over their description for the documentary "Melania."
This isn't just any documentary; it's a film centered on former First Lady Melania Trump. The theater, aiming for a bit of playful intrigue, decided to spice up their marquee with a two-part message. First, they posed a question: "Does Melania wear Prada? Find out Friday." This was followed by a quote from the ancient military treatise "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu: "To defeat your enemy, you must know them. Melania starts Friday."
But here's where it gets controversial... Amazon MGM Studios, it seems, did not find the theater's witty marketing approach amusing. On February 2nd, the theater shared on Instagram that Amazon MGM Studios had reached out, expressing their displeasure with the marquee's portrayal of the film. The tech giant's decision? To cancel all future screenings of "Melania" at the Lake Theater & Cafe, with the last show scheduled for Sunday, February 8th.
Soon after, the marquee was updated to reflect the situation with a touch of its signature humor, reading: "Amazon called our marquee, made them mad all Melania shows canceled show your support at Whole Foods instead :("
The theater's management also revealed they received a barrage of emails, voicemails, and online reviews (some of which were later removed by Google and Yelp) from people questioning why they were showing the film or criticizing their perceived "disparaging" of Melania Trump.
In their Instagram post, the theater clarified that the film's premature departure wasn't due to public outcry, but rather a decision from a "corporate executive." They humorously added, "fair enough, sorry AMZN, please don't cancel my Prime."
Theater Manager 'Happy to Oblige' with Amazon's Removal
Jordan Perry, the manager of the Lake Theater & Cafe, stated that he held no hard feelings towards Amazon MGM. He explained that he was "happy to oblige" with their request to remove the film, noting that the movie's presence had already caused some friction within the local community, particularly among their usual patrons. Perry mentioned, "having the film at all didn't seem to sit well with much of the local community, or at least a portion of it who are our usual clientele."
Perry emphasized his personal stance, saying, "Not personally seeking to contribute to any left/right discourse — have my views, vote, have conversations with those around me — but I enjoy the arts and nature and I encourage those not actively involved in effecting change, or at least when not actively involved in effecting change, to do the same. We are what we eat."
He further elaborated on his decision to screen the movie in the first place, challenging the notion that showing the film was an endorsement of the former First Lady, the Trump administration, or its policies. Perry's intention with the marquee, he explained, was to momentarily "fan flames" with the hope of ultimately "lower[ing] the temperature."
He also pointed out that an $11 ticket for the film would only contribute $5.50 to the "film company now owned by Jeff Bezos." Perry acknowledged that while some might label the film as propaganda, he personally did not see it that way. After watching it, he observed that the documentary, despite its "intentional blind spots," presented "Melania" as she wished to be seen, and acknowledged that "not everyone will find it flattering."
And this is the part most people miss... Despite facing significant backlash and receiving low critical ratings, the "Melania" documentary was a surprising box-office success, raking in an estimated $7 million during its opening weekend, according to figures released by Amazon MGM Studios on February 1st. This raises an interesting question: When a film garners such strong reactions, both positive and negative, how should distributors and theaters navigate the marketing and exhibition of such content?
What are your thoughts on this situation? Do you believe the theater's marquee joke was out of line, or was Amazon MGM's reaction overly sensitive? Share your opinions in the comments below!
