I was very happy to be spending a weekend afternoon watching a cosy documentary on an old, notorious indie cinema. It was quite a surprise, then, to find that the BBFC certificate was an 18.
Turns out, one of the things the Scala was notorious for was late night screenings of films that include unsimulated sex. The Watershed it ain’t
The film is suffused with a deep seated love for the place from all the contributors, including but not limited to Stewart Lee, Adam Buxton, and John Waters. It’s clearly a labour of love, much as the cinema itself was.
It does kind of put me in mind of the Cube, a place where it feels like if a volunteer wants to do something, it will happen; that’s run on a shoestring and through love; a place with a cause. I’m sad that I missed it.
At the same time, though, lord I can imagine it would be a nightmare if you just wanted to watch a film there. I find Watershed audiences bad enough.