Scala!!!
Delirious, debaucherous and downright dangerous – the Scala played home to sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll (and John Waters) in Thatcher-era London.
Every city has a Scala, but only London has the Scala. Nestled in the city’s infamous King’s Cross district, the building is, on the outside, an example of stunning Art Deco architecture. But within, from 1978 to 1993, it hosted perverse pink flamingos, enigmatic eraserheads, kinky king kongs of the jungle and other titillating cinematic thrills – including many too scandalous to mention. It was a palace for the freaks and weirdos of the town – or, in the words of Waters himself, “a country club for criminals and lunatics and people that were high”.
Waters is joined by filmmakers Peter Strickland, Ben Wheatley, Isaac Julien, Mary Harron and more, alongside former Scala staff and programmers, in telling the wild, untold story of this iconic venue. Brimming with exuberant anecdotes and film clips, this fast-paced documentary is a wickedly good time from the scuzzy end of town, torn out of the history books of Margaret Thatcher’s conservative reign. Grab your choc-top and experience this with a crowd. Three exclamation points up!!!
“Suitably riotous … taking us inside the shuddering walls and recreating the unique atmosphere of the venue that was nicknamed the ‘Sodom Odeon’.” – The Observer
Tickets
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