Oregon Cinema Loses Rights to Screen Melania Trump Documentary Following Controversial Marquee
A Portland-area movie theatre has been officially banned from screening Melania Trump's documentary after displaying what has been described as disrespectful signage about the former First Lady on its prominent marquee. The Lake Theater & Cafe in Lake Oswego, Oregon, revealed earlier this week through online announcements that Amazon MGM Studios had informed them via telephone that they would no longer be authorised to show the film titled Melania.
Contentious Signage and Immediate Backlash
The self-titled documentary, which follows the First Lady for twenty days leading up to President Donald Trump's inauguration for his second term, was advertised with notably snarky messages on the theatre's exterior marquee. Previously, the sign read statements including 'TO DEFEAT THE ENEMY, YOU MUST KNOW THEM' and 'DOES MELANIA WEAR PRADA?', the latter being a clear reference to the 2006 comedy-drama The Devil Wears Prada.
Following Amazon's decisive phone call to communicate the banishment, the signage was promptly updated to inform patrons of the cancellation. The new message stated: 'AMAZON CALLED, OUR MARQUEE MADE THEM MAD, ALL MELANIA SHOWS CANCELED, SHOW YOUR SUPPORT AT WHOLE FOODS INSTEAD.' Whole Foods is, of course, owned by Amazon, adding another layer of pointed commentary to the theatre's response.
Theatre Management's Candid Explanation
In the business's detailed announcement, they acknowledged receiving countless complaints from the public. These complaints questioned both the decision to screen Melania Trump's film initially and the rationale behind the disparaging remarks directed at her name. Jordan Perry, the theatre's manager, provided a frank statement on the establishment's website, explaining his choice to programme the documentary.
'Financially, the film marketplace this week and next were a desert,' Perry stated. 'So, to fill a screen, why not get this inexplicable vanity piece from the current president’s wife? I mean, it just seems so weird that it even exists (who wants a movie about Melania lol?), and wouldn’t it then be exponentially weirder, to the point of being funny, to show it here, at your obviously anti-establishment, occasionally troublemaking, neighborhood cinema?'
Perry further elaborated that the theatre was likely blacklisted by Amazon and noted his belief that most of the venue's patrons lean politically left, which consciously influences the wording he selects for the marquee. He addressed the complaints directly, remarking, 'I do not think Melania is the enemy, I do not think she is the devil, but I think times are messed up in a way that you must be dense to not recognize that the thinking of some on the left gets close to that.'
Historical Context of Edgy Displays
The Lake Theater & Cafe is no stranger to provocative marquee displays, having established a reputation for edgy and controversial signage. Previous examples include a jab at actress Dakota Johnson and another contentious sign that read 'IN THIS CASE ABORTION IS OK' to promote the 2024 horror sci-fi film Alien: Romulus. This history of bold messaging forms part of the theatre's identity as a self-described anti-establishment venue.
Public Reaction and Box Office Performance
Despite the theatre's banishment by Amazon, many moviegoers were quick to applaud the studio's decision to withdraw the documentary. One social media user commented: 'No loss. I’m sure there are wonderful, deserving movies to take their place.' Another supporter added: 'This just makes me want to go to this theater even more. Just when I thought I couldn’t love it any more than I already do.' A third remarked: 'No problem. No one was going to go see it anyway. Show something people want to see.'
Interestingly, the documentary itself performed surprisingly well at the box office during its opening weekend, confounding initial expectations. The film earned an impressive $7 million in ticket sales across the United States and Canada. This achievement makes it the best-performing theatrical documentary release since 2012, excluding concert films, much to the astonishment of many within the Hollywood industry.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Amazon for further comment on this developing situation, though no additional statement has been provided at this time.
