Scala Cinema Club
25 Tottenham Street,
London,
W1T 2AW
25 Tottenham Street,
London,
W1T 2AW
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An office block named Scala House was built on the site of the old Scala Theatre in the early 1970’s. The Other Cinema opened on 15th October 1976 in the basement of the building, and had its entrance on Tottenham Street where the old Scala Theatre’s stage door had been located.
It screened independent films, revivals of cult classics, avante-garde movies and political films. If an uncensored film was screened, then to gain admittance you had to join the ‘cinema club’. The initial concept was not a great success, and The Other Cinema closed on 15th February 1977.
It re-opened on 1st June 1978 as the Scala Cinema Club, with daily changes in the programme which proved to be successful. Again, being a cinema club, you had to join to be admitted. Both 16mm and 35mm films were screened.
When Channel 4 Television took over Scala House as their headquarters in 1980, the Scala Cinema Club lost their home, and they re-located to the circle of the former Odeon Kings Cross, and that cinema was re-named Scala Cinema in 1981.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
it was used for concerts around 1980, Spandau Ballet played one of their first gigs here.
The buildings Charlotte Street tower and lower floors were refaced in glass and white cladding in 2008, no trace remains of the former cinema entrance
a press ad from dec 1979 showing the arthouse rep booking programme
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