MovieChat Forums > Race (2016) Discussion > How many black people were in your theat...

How many black people were in your theater?

posted 8 years ago by PNTPictures
40 replies | jump to latest

I went to the Friday 12:30 noon showing. The theater was 90% full but there were only about 3 or 4 black people present.

I noticed a similar trend when I saw Creed in theaters twice.

Everyone says that Race is supposed to be marketed to the black community, but I just did not see that reflected in the audience. It was mostly a white audience. There was a girls basketball team there, but only 2 of their players were black. Even their coach was a white man.

Now, I certainly enjoyed this movie, and found it entertaining and informative, but why is the targeted demographic choosing not to go see it? Am I missing something?

This is an honest question, not trolling or trying to start a race war, I am just genuinely curious as to how many black people came out in other theaters, and if they didn't, how come?

[–] littlegeorgie 8 years ago

I'll answer your question with a question.

Why would "the targeted demographic" repeatedly keep going to historical and/or biographical films, made supposedly FOR them, but not made BY them, that they also know in advance are almost assuredly going to be heavily watered down or outright whitewashed of their TRUE experiences, in order to make them nonetheless more palatable to whites? Why?

No man lies so boldly as the man who is indignant.

[–] PNTPictures 8 years ago

That is a very good question. For the movie Race, you got me. Stephen Hopkins is not black, yet he directed that movie. On the flip side, Ryan Coogler IS black and directed Creed. Creed was my absolute favorite film of 2015. Yet (at least at the two shows that I went to) the majority of the audience was white. Was that just because of the Rocky connection?

I am with you when you imply that more people of color should be MAKING the movies as well. That is an issue that needs to be improved. Even the writers of Race are white. I do not wish to imply that white people can't get it right though. I thought Race was a good movie. Played it a bit safe, but still good.

Have you seen it? Do you think that something was missed or wrong? Cause I would love to see black people go to a slightly higher quality of film than what comes out of Tyler Perry. They are funny, and they do well financially, but where are the films that push for greatness? I love movies enough where I go several times a week, so I love to check out whatever I can. Yes, I am white, but I have never understood racism. I usually dislike people for what comes out of their mouth as opposed to the color of their skin. Personally, I am all for a much more diverse experience at the movie theater. I just saw more black people go to Star Wars and Deadpool than I did at Race and Creed.

[–] the_Poppuns 8 years ago

Me and my mom made 1.5 out of 8. It's a shame. You know movies can't get awards and more movies like these can't get made if people don't go see them. So the way I see it people vote for the movies they want made by spending their money to see it in the theater. You want change you have to spend yours.

I gave the movie a ten. I thought it was pretty perfect. I like these kinds of movies and I'm also a huge fan of the Olympics. It's better than UNBROKEN if people liked that one, and it made me remember how much I loved PREFONTAINE, even if that wasn't the same grand kind of message film that this is.

I took the subway to Wayne Station and Batwalked up the road.

[–] McKenzie_Bryant 8 years ago

I just came back from seeing this movie, and the audience was mostly black, and this was in multicultural suburbs.

[–] McKenzie_Bryant 8 years ago

I should also mention the theater was full, and almost everyone clapped at the end.

[–] PNTPictures 8 years ago

That is good to hear. I am glad that your theater had a good turn out.

[–] PNTPictures 8 years ago

Exactly! More people need to vote with their dollar. If Hollywood listens to the criticism and makes these types of movies but no one goes to them, they will have no choice but to stop making these movies. To me, that is a shame, cause this was a really good movie (that even came out IN Black History month, to boot)!

People can say that Hollywood is the problem all they want, but when they actually do try to cater to an audience that complains about not enough movies being made for them, that audience has to do their part and actually PAY to see the movie. Downloading it off UTorrent does nothing for the cause!

I am glad that you and your mother paid to see this! Since you gave it a 10, I would recommend telling all your friends to see it. Word of mouth looks like the only hope it will have now to be a success.

[–] littlegeorgie 8 years ago

when they actually do try to cater

You REALLY didn't think that one through very well!

Do you really, in your wildest dreams, believe ANY Hollywood studio would risk wasting 10's of millions of dollars investing in a film in the name of "catering", versus turning a profit, EVER? And that doesn't even touch on your (hopefully) unintentional little implication of movies studios periodically "throwing out a few token films for the poor, ignorant, helpless, (and most of all) inferior little minorities out there".

Do you have any remote idea how arrogant, privileged and oblivious that makes you sound?

No man lies so boldly as the man who is indignant.

[–] PNTPictures 8 years ago

Wow, you are really reaching there.

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[–] Mehki_Girl 8 years ago

Thanks for the paternalism. If you're the boss, you areliable. If you are an employee, you are making your boss liable for a lawsuit. You can also be fired at will. You have no more job security than anyone else.

It's just a movie, don't get your panties in such a wad. You sound threatened and intimidated.

Learn Mandarin!

[–] PNTPictures 8 years ago

My theater was almost full. So that comment is irrelevant. Many people work nights and the afternoon is the perfect time for them to see a movie.

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] PNTPictures 8 years ago

Highly unlikely. It is more likely that they either had a day off or worked at a later time. Not everyone works 9-5. I'd kill myself before I would ever take that shift. Right now you are just avoiding the question with ignorance and stupidity.

[–] PNTPictures 8 years ago

Also, I am there almost every other day. I always take visual polls of the audience, since I am in the business of doing so.

[–] Toolman911 8 years ago

Yes, I agree. I am in Dallas and there were only about 4-5 people of African-American heritage in the theatre. This was at an early 5:30 PM showing on Friday. There were some folks clapping during it, didn't notice what their race was, too busy enjoying the film. It was very good in my opinion.

[–] KvlhokVjequs 8 years ago

A lot in mine. Probably about half the audience.

[–] the_bamboo_spear 8 years ago

The Blacks I know have zero interest in this type of film, they either like "Black comedies", or action comedies that interest Blacks such as Rush Hour, or Kung Fu movies, or the females like the Black romantic comedies. None have any interest in history, at all.

In fact, the Black girls I work with don't even know who won the Civil War.

[–] MrSuave56 8 years ago

Unfortunately a lot of what you stated,bamboo_star is true.Movies like Ride Along1 and 2,get packed crowds.But The Butler,The Great Debaters,to name two quality films,not so much. Not to say that some of us won't go see those films

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[–] C-Younkin 8 years ago

A pretty good number actually. As far as why more didn't come out, i'm going to say maybe because of the straight forward, somewhat generic way the film was presented in the trailers. I don't think many people saw the film at all cause the trailers kinda gave the whole thing away.

And if you're interested in a review of the film- https://youtu.be/ptvuTjOAXV8

Trying to go for an informative, and hopefully something people think is funny, youtube channel so hope you guys like. Thanks.

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] justjones4464 8 years ago

For the love of God please stop putting all black people in one darn category and box. And making the assumption that we all like the same things PEOPLE. We are not all loud, and we don't all talk in the movies and we don't all fall all over Tyler Perry and Little Kevin Hart. Some of us,like substance and quality to a movie. This is so wrong to be judged by the wrongs of others. How about I start doing that to you all when you dance out in public? ?

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[–] Ultraviolenxe 8 years ago

And white people don't? How dense are you?

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[–] horsenbuggy 8 years ago

To be fair, I went to a Saturday 10:30 am showing. There were a total of six women in the audience: two singles (including me) and a group of four. The group of four had two white women and two black women. That group kinda acted like they were watching it in their own living room. But I couldn't tell which race were the ones who didn't know how to whisper - could have been any of them.

[–] 8 years ago

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