Mario Van Peebles Reflects on the Legacy of ‘New Jack City’ for American Cinematheque’s 1990s Black Film Series
Angelique Jackson On March 8, 1991, Mario Van Peebles’ feature directorial debut “New Jack City” premiered at the Mann Village Theatre in Westwood. On Saturday, a little more than 30 years later, Van Peebles walked the red carpet outside the very same cinema — now renamed the Regency Village Theatre — for a special screening of his classic crime thriller, hosted by the American Cinematheque.Van Peebles was joined for the special event by “New Jack City” star Vanessa Estelle Williams, plus his children — Mandela and Makaylo, who joined their dad onstage to record his introduction to the movie, as well as Marley and Maya.As Van Peebles reflected on the full-circle moment, he called out one of the gangster movie’s most famous (and Bible-borrowed) lines, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” and the massive crowd yelled back, “Yes I am.” The call and response is a reference to the iconic scene where (spoiler alert) Harlem drug kingpin Nino Brown (Wesley Snipes) and his Cash Money Brothers compatriot Gee Money’s (Allen Payne) rooftop confrontation comes to a tearful end.