Joker: People on Hollywood Boulevard react to security outside movie theaters

Members of the public on Hollywood Boulevard differed in opinions on Thursday (October 3) when asked about added security to 'Joker' screenings in the United States.

Police in major US cities was on alert as 'Joker' opened in movie theatres after weeks of publicity surrounding its disturbing portrait of a bullied loner raised fears it might spark violence. Read the review of 'Joker' here. 

Brad Sponenburgh, from Idaho, told Reuters "There's been some pretty crazy stuff happen in the past so it doesn't hurt, I don't think, to be prepared. I think it's fine. If it doesn't add any extra concern, problems, then I don't think it's bad to be prepared for it in case it did."

However, not everyone felt safe about the idea of seeing the film in a movie theatre. Sandy Schlafge from Minneapolis, said "I would wait a while for it to die down before I see it. I'm conflicted about it because of the issues in America about gun violence. It's a tough time right now."

Tyson Sheean, who lives in Los Angeles but is from Australia, said "I've been looking at seeing it for quite a while and I've been looking at all the trailers and everything. I think it's definitely deterred me from going into the theatre and seeing it just because I'm from Australia and we have quite strict gun laws and here they're quite lax and they had the cinema shooting a couple of years back so it's sort of deterred me from seeing it in the cinema, at least for the first week or two."

John Holmes from the UK, bought a ticket to see the film on its opening night and said, "I'm not especially concerned because the moment you change your behaviour is the minute these kinds of people have won, so you just have to keep going to these things."

Also read: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro didn't get along well on sets of 'Joker'