SCALA!!! (Blu-ray)

Archive footage, eye-popping movie clips, acid-crazed animation and some famous names collide to tell the story of London’s infamous, influential Scala cinema. With its cracked marble floors, resident cats and mysterious, extrasensory rumblings, the Scala was magic and a refuge from the violence of Thatcher’s Britain. 

Hilarious, irreverent, and ultimately heartbreaking with a fabulous original score by Barry Adamson, SCALA!!! is more than mere nostalgia, it’s an X-rated love letter and a universal shout-out to the power of cinemas to inspire impressionable young minds and create a sense of community for outsiders. A place where everyone is welcome.

• Presented in High Definition
• Audio commentary by directors Jane Giles and Ali Catterall
• Scala Interviews (2022, 60 mins): a selection of previously unseen footage shot for the film, chosen by the directors
• Scala (1990, 35 mins): a portrait of the cinema, originally made to be shown on the Cable London television channel, directed by Michael Clifford
• Scala Cinema (1992, 4 mins): a short student film, shot at the Scala cinema, directed by Ali Peck and Victor de Jesus
• London Film Festival introduction (2023, 13 mins): an introduction to the screening of the film, featuring the directors, the cast, the crew and audience participation, recorded at the London Film Festival in 2023
• Animations by Osbert Parker (2022-23, 4 mins total): artist Osbert Parker’s animations, made for the film
• Cartoons by Viz artist Davey Jones (2023): the Viz artist draws a special cartoon for the film
• Shorts Shown at the Scala (1989-91): a selection of short films seen at the cinema – Relax (Christopher Newby, 1991, 23 mins), Flames of Passion (Richard Kwietniowski, 1989, 18 mins), and Coping With Cupid (Viv Albertine, 1990, 19 mins)
• Scala Programmes 1978-1993 (2023, 12 mins): a closer look at 15 editions of the Scala programme
• Cabinet of Curiosities (2023, 18 mins): a guided tour of photos, ephemera and clippings from the Scala archive
• Theatrical trailer
• English language with optional descriptive subtitles and audio description