THE SCALA CINEMA.

THE LATE, GREAT AND MUCH MISSED INDY CINEMA.

KING'S CROSS - LONDON.

Originally starting out in The West End area of London in the 70's, before moving to the far less glamourous area of London named King's Cross in 1981, "The Scala" was truly heaven for the alternative/rabid movie fan.

Run by 'Palace Pictures' head Stephen Woolley (so influential in the success of "The Evil Dead" outside of the U.S), there was nothing quite like "The Scala" and watching a series of off the wall/cult movies, with a rabid audience as the Underground trains rumbled away deep below you, was quite an experience. It was a unique place to say the least.

it became home to many a wonderful film festival, including the 'Eastern Heroes' Hong Kong festivals, the "Film Extremes" festivals and the "Shock Around the Clock" all night Horror fesivals, and provider of some of the best movie line-ups in the UK. With theme nights and cult get-togethers really adding to the 'all friends together' feel for those attending the place.

Guests over the years included: Chow Yun Fat, Jorg Buttgereit, Donnie Yen, Lydia Lunch, H.G. Lewis, Nick Cave, The Cramps, John Waters and Dario Argento.

A stunning range of films were part of 'The Scala's' program, including: "Pink Flamingos", "Cafe Flesh", "King Kong", "Thundercrack", "Salo", "The Evil Dead", "Apocalypse Now", "Driller Killer", "Man Bites Dog", "Eraserhead", "The Killer", "Nekromantik", "Pink Narcissus", "A Chinese Ghost Story", "Henry Portrait of a Serial killer", "Witness for the Prosecution", "Project A", "Ai No Corrida", "Bad Taste", "The Night Porter", "The Toolbox Murders" and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre".

But after disgustingly high rent increases, the decline of the King's Cross area and a shameful court case where the cinema was sued by 'Warner Bros' and Stanley Kubrick for being 'evil' enough to show "A Clockwork Orange" (against Kubrick's, stupidly still in force, self-ban on the film in the UK) "The Scala Cinema" took it's final bow....

And so on the 7th June 1993, a day after the stunning Chow Yun Fat attended "Full Contact With a Killer" festival and a final midnight showing of "King Kong" (the movie it opened with in 1981), "The Scala" closed.............And I speak for many a movie fan in the UK when I say it is still deeply missed.

RIP "The Scala Cinema".

The "Save the Scala" postcard featuring The Scala's resident cat in King Kong mode!

All photos by, and remain the property of, David Brock. No reproduction without permission.