Dir. Ali Catterall and Jane Giles
2023, UK, 96 min
Rated 18A
A heartwarming documentary tribute to Scala Cinema, one of repertory cinema’s all-time greatest venues – Scala!!! will keep your love of movies shining bright in the vein of Los Angeles Plays Itself and Jodorowsky’s Dune. During London’s post-punk 1980s scene, Scala Cinema pushed the boundaries of convention with a diverse calendar covering all bases from sexploitation to horror, from martial arts to LGBTQIA+. Scala!!! is a universal shout-out to cinema’s ability to inspire young minds and create a sense of community for outsiders – a place where everyone is welcome. Featuring interviews from fifty Scala alums and friends (including John Waters), over one hundred films in clip form, previously unseen vintage footage of Scala itself, and an original soundtrack by Barry Adamson (former bassist of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds), Scala!!! is your ticket to cinematic paradise.
“A riotous reminder of how great the theatrical experience can be.” – Hanna Flint, The Sun
“A fun, filthy jaunt through the life of London’s cinematic answer to CBGB.” – David Jenkins, Little White Lies
“A vibrant, suitably punkish doc, full of crazy anecdotes and pulsing to a bombastic score from Barry Adamson (himself a regular Scala attendee).” – Anton Bitel, BFI