Thursday, October 17, 2024

SCALA!!!, an Audacious 3-Disc BD Set Featuring the Acclaimed Doc on London's Legendary Repertory Cinema, is Available Now from Severin Films

O-CARD

“The Scala had magic, it was like joining a club, a very secret club, like a biker gang or something. It’s like they were a country club for
criminals and lunatics and people that were high. Which is a good way to see movies.”
-- John Waters

“If any British movie theatre deserved three exclamation marks it’s the Scala.”
-- The Guardian

“ Take a trip to one of the cultiest corners of cinemaand embrace the weirdness.”
-- Time Out

SEVERIN FILMS PRESENTS ACCLAIMED DOCUMENTARY
ON LONDON’S LEGENDARY REPERTORY CINEMA
IN AN AUDACIOUS 3-DISC SET FEATURING 13+ HOURS
OF CONTENT

Pre-order at the Severin Webstore for North American Disc Premiere,

Plus Standalone Releases of Scala Favorites From Ray Dennis Steckler
& Al Adamson

OFFICIAL TRAILER

The floors were sticky. The patrons were dodgy. Its legacy is extraordinary: Severin Films today announced the North American Disc Premiere of the award-winning documentary SCALA!!! OR, THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE RISE AND FALL OF THE WORLD’S WILDEST CINEMA AND HOW IT INFLUENCED A MIXED-UP GENERATION OF WEIRDOS AND MISFITS in an unprecedented 3-disc collection with hours of Special Features curated exclusively for this release.



Between the politically volatile years of 1978 to 1993, London’s most infamous repertory movie theater/pleasure dome screened over 4000 mind-warping films that influenced a generation of remarkable writers, musicians, filmmakers, actors, artists and activists. Co-directors Jane Giles and Ali Catterall now reveal the incredible true story of The Scala Cinema featuring rare archival footage, dozens of film clips from Scala favorites and interviews with former Scala audience members, guests and staff that include John Waters, Ben Wheatley, Jah Wobble, Cathi Unsworth, Mary Harron, Kim Newman, Nick Kent, Isaac Julien, Matt Johnson and more. Two additional discs include the new documentary SPLATTERFEST EXHUMED directed by Jasper Sharp (THE CREEPING GARDEN) about the notorious 1990 all-night horror festival featuring interviews with attendees John McNaughton, Brian Yuzna, Scott Spiegel and more, plus 12 specially curated Scala-screened short films, hours of additional material that include audio commentaries, an archive of Scala schedules, extended interviews, outtakes and animation, plus a replica Scala membership card and much more.

In addition, Severin will be releasing first-time-ever standalone Blu-ray discs of two Scala-screened favorites: Ray Dennis Steckler’s immortal 1964 monster musical THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE CREATURES WHO STOPPED LIVING AND BECAME MIXED-UP ZOMBIES and the classic Al Adamson biker double-feature of SATAN’S SADISTS and ANGELS’ WILD WOMEN.

All three collections are now available for pre-order at The Severin Webstore with wide release scheduled for 12/3/2024.

Special Features for SCALA!!!:
Disc 1
- Audio Commentary With Co-Directors Jane Giles And Ali Catterall
- Introduction From The UK Premiere At The 2023 BFI London Film Festival
- Introduction To SCALA By Director Michael Clifford
- SCALA (Michael Clifford, 1990)
- SCALA CINEMA (Ali Peck/Victor de Jesus, 1992)
- Director Commentary For SCALA CINEMA
- Scala Programs 1978–1993
- Cabinet Of Curiosities – Inside The Scala Archive
- Extended Interviews
- Mary Harron Outtakes
- Nick Kent Outtakes
- Thurston Moore Outtakes
- John Waters Outtakes
- Cartoons By Davey Jones
- Osbert Parker's SCALA!!! Animation Experiments And Outtakes
- Primatarium Animation
- Scala Programs Animation
- Tentacles Animation
- Trailer

Disc 2:
Short Films
- DIVIDE AND RULE – NEVER! (Newsreel Collective, 1978)
- DEAD CAT (David Lewis, 1989)
David Lewis Remembers DEAD CAT
- THE MARK OF LILITH (Bruna Fionda/Polly Gladwin/Zachary Nataf, 1986)
- RELAX (Chris Newby, 1991)
- BOOBS A LOT (Aggy Read, 1968)
- KAMA SUTRA RIDES AGAIN (Bob Godfrey, 1971)
- COPING WITH CUPID (Viv Albertine, 1991)
- ON GUARD (Susan Lambert, 1984)

Disc 3:

Documentaries
- THE ART OF THE CALENDAR (Kier-La Janisse, 2024)
- SPLATTERFEST EXHUMED (Jasper Sharp, 2024)
Short Films
- MANIAC 2: MR. ROBBIE (Buddy Giovinazzo, 1986)
- Audio Commentary For MANIAC 2: MR. ROBBIE With Buddy Giovinazzo
- HORRORSHOW (Paul Hart-Wilden, 1990)
- Audio Commentary For HORRORSHOW With Director Paul Hart-Wilden
- CLEVELAND SMITH: BOUNTY HUNTER (Josh Becker, 1982) – Original Cut
- CLEVELAND SMITH: BOUNTY HUNTER (Josh Becker, 1982) – Producer's Cut
- Audio Commentary For The Producer's Cut Of CLEVELAND SMITH:
- BOUNTY HUNTER With Producer Scott Spiegel
- MONGOLITOS (Stéphane Ambiel, 1988)
- Audio Commentary For MONGOLITOS With Director Stéphane Ambiel
- The Legendary H.G. Lewis Speaks: 1989 Scala Appearance By The Godfather Of Gore

Feature Specs for SCALA!!!:
Run Time: 96 mins
Audio: English 5.1, English Stereo
Closed Captions: English SDH
Region: Disc 1 & Disc 2: A, Disc 3: A/B/C
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE CREATURES WHO STOPPED LIVING AND BECAME MIXED-UP ZOMBIES

In what The New York Times hails as “his cinematic tour-de-force,” American exploitation auteur Ray Dennis Steckler (WILD GUITAR, RAT PFINK A BOO BOO) created ‘The First Monster Musical,’ filmed in ‘Hallucinogenic Hypno-Vision’ and ‘Terrorama.’ More than half a century later, it still exists within a seminal celluloid universe all its own: Producer/director Steckler stars – under the name ‘Cash Flagg’ – as a man who falls for a carnival stripper, only to be turned into a zombie by her evil gypsy sister. Singing, dancing and homicidal mayhem ensue. Carolyn Brandt (THE THRILL KILLERS) co-stars in “the demented offering that launched one of the oddest Hollywood careers ever” (CineSavant), now scanned in 2K from the original 16mm AB rolls for the ultimate in Incredibly Strange viewing.

Special Features for THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE CREATURES…:
- Introduction By Joe Bob Briggs
Audio Commentary With Director Ray Dennis Steckler
- Audio Commentary With Joe Bob Briggs
- Archival Interview With Ray Dennis Steckler
Archival Interview With Carolyn Brandt
- Deleted Scenes
- VHS Trailer
- Trailer
- TEENAGE PSYCHO MEETS BLOODY MARY Re-Release Trailer
- TEENAGE PSYCHO MEETS BLOODY MARY Radio Spot

Feature Specs for THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE CREATURES…:
Run Time: 82 mins
Audio: English Mono
Closed Captions: English SDH
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 1.75:1

SATAN’S SADISTS/ANGELS’ WILD WOMEN

“If LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT was a biker movie,” says Cool Ass Cinema, “it would look a lot like SATAN'S SADISTS.” Scott Brady, Gary Kent, Greydon Clark, John ‘Bud’ Cardos, Regina ‘The Freak Out Girl’ Carrol and Oscar® nominee Russ Tamblyn star in Independent-International’s ‘Rebellion of Human Garbage!’ directed by Al Adamson, produced by Samuel M. Sherman and filmed at Spahn Ranch – ‘Where the Tate Suspects Lived Their Wild Experiences!’ As a Bonus, Ross Hagen, Kent Taylor and Regina Carrol star in Adamson and Sherman’s hot, hard and mean follow-up, ANGELS’ WILD WOMEN. Both films are now restored in 2K from original vault elements with 3 combined hours of Wild Beyond Belief! special features.

Special Features for SATAN’S SADISTS / ANGELS’ WILD WOMEN:

SATAN'S SADISTS
- Archival Audio Commentary with Producer / Distributor Samuel M. Sherman
- Outtakes
- Trailers
- TV Spots
- Radio Spot

ANGELS’ WILD WOMEN
- Archival Audio Commentary with Producer / Distributor Samuel M. Sherman
- Trailer
- TV Spot
- Radio Spot

Feature Specs for SATAN’S SADISTS / ANGELS’ WILD WOMEN
Run Time: SATAN’S SADIST 87 mins / ANGELS’ WILD WOMEN 85 mins
Audio: English Mono
Closed Captions: English SDH
Region: A
Aspect Ratio: SATAN’S SADISTS 1.33:1 / ANGELS’ WILD WOMEN 1.85:1

 

Severin Films is the foremost independent studio dedicated to rescuing, restoring and releasing the works of Oscar nominees and cult icons alike for Blu-ray, 4K UHD and digital platforms. Founded in 2006, their distribution catalogue includes projects by iconic filmmakers Russ Meyer, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Dario Argento, Paul Morrissey, Mike Leigh, Lucio Fulci, Peter Greenaway, Penelope Spheeris, Just Jaeckin, Roman Polanski, Alex de la Iglesia and UK comedy legends The Comic Strip; classics of Blaxploitation, Ozploitation, Sharksploitation and Nunsploitation; groundbreaking Filipino, Indonesian, Spanish and Soviet horror; American drive-in indies, controversial documentaries, renowned UK comedies and the industry’s most formidable collection of Italian gialli, cannibal, zombie, erotic thrillers and ‘80s action hits. Along the way, Severin has elevated the oeuvres of such fringe auteurs as Bruno Mattei, Al Adamson, Andy Milligan, Joe D’Amato, Claudio Fragrasso, Umberto Lenzi, Ray Dennis Steckler and Goya-Award winner – and Severin patron saint – Jess Franco. Severin has also produced the award-winning documentaries BLOOD & FLESH: THE REAL LIFE & GHASTLY DEATH OF AL ADAMSON; LOST SOUL: THE DOOMED JOURNEY OF RICHARD STANLEY’S ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU; WOODLANDS DARK AND DAYS BEWITCHED: A HISTORY OF FOLK HORROR; TALES OF THE UNCANNY; ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE, which premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival; MANCUNIAN MAN: THE LEGENDARY LIFE OF CLIFF TWEMLOW; SUZZANNA: THE QUEEN OF BLACK MAGIC and EXORCISMO: THE TRANSGRESSIVE LEGACY OF CLASIFICADA “S”.