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25 February

Bar Trash: SCARECROW IN A GARDEN OF CUCUMBERS (1972) with Avery McNeilly

Running time: 150 mins

GIRL TRASH: CELEBRATING THE GODDESSES OF EXPLOITATION CINEMA

Our season continues with SCARECROW IN A GARDEN OF CUCUMBERS (1972) where we’ll be joined by queer horror academic and professional pervert Avery McNeilly to introduce the film.

GIRL TRASH takes a walk on the light side with SCARECROW IN A GARDEN OF CUCUMBERS – a queer, countercultural fairytale with a trans actress squarely at its centre. It's a frothy melange of musical numbers, screwball comedy, surreal vaudeville, and fun facts – did YOU know that Richard Nixon was a lesbian?

GIRL TRASH GODDESS Holly Woodlawn stars in the leading role, one she chose over a supporting part in a Merchant Ivory production, opting instead for the highest pay she’d ever received: $6,500. SCARECROW was pitched as a movie with a transgender lead and a secret. Robert J. Kaplan's concept for the film was that a trans woman would be the leading lady and her “sex” would never be revealed. With a simple plot – a small-town girl, Eve, arrives in the big city and tries to find a normal roommate – and low budget, the film relies on Holly’s slap-stick comedic timing and stunning beauty to solidify its cult status.

Add cameos from Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin, and you have a film bursting with future legends. It was one of only two features directed by Kaplan (the other an X-rated JAWS spoof involving an orally fixated mermaid that just shot to the top of our watchlists), and was written by crime and YA author Sandra Scoppettone (who claimed she also directed significant amounts of the film uncredited).

Soon after its release, the film all but disappeared, made available only on low quality video transfers for decades. Its recent rediscovery and restoration by the Academy Film Archive restores its place as a jewel in the crown of queer film history – exactly the recognition Holly Woodlawn had hoped for. "I'm so sorry that Holly isn't around to know, because she was desperate to find that movie," said Scoppettone.

/// GIRL TRASH celebrates the femme filmmakers of trash and exploitation cinema, hosted by Zodiac Film Club and Token Homo. All films are served with introductions, intermissions, prize giveaways, and subtitles / captions where possible. Tickets from £3.50 + fees. Adults 18+ only. Follow @zodiacfilmclub and @tokenhomo on Instagram for info and updates. Please contact the venue for access information. ///

Programme supported by Film Hub London, managed by Film London. Proud to be a partner of the BFI Film Audience Network, funded by the National Lottery. www.filmlondon.org.uk/film-hub-london

Bartrash

If I Had Legs I'd Kick You

Running time: 113 mins

With her life crashing down around her, Linda attempts to navigate her child's mysterious illness, her absent husband, a missing person, and an increasingly hostile relationship with her therapist. Nominated for 1 Oscar and 1 Bafta

Paul McCartney: Man On The Run

Running time: 115 mins

What happens when you wake up the morning after leaving the most important rock band of all time? In April 1970, Paul released his first solo album, McCartney, alongside a shocking press release that announced the beloved band had split. When asked what he’d do next, he said his only plan… was to grow up. Man On The Run captures Paul’s transformative decade in the wake of The Beatles’ break-up. Through stunning archival footage, Linda McCartney’s exceptional photographs, and interviews with Mick Jagger, Chrissie Hynde, Sean Ono Lennon, Mary, and Stella McCartney, all the living Wings members, and of course Paul himself, the film examines this time through a uniquely vulnerable lens. Includes a bonus conversation with Paul McCartney & director Morgan Neville, exclusive to cinemas.

The Moment

Running time: 100 mins

A rising pop star navigates the complexities of fame and industry pressure while preparing for her arena tour debut. From writer-director Aidan Zamiri and starring Charli XCX, Rosanna Arquette, Hailey Benton Gates, Kate Berlant, Jaime Demetriou, Kylie Jenner, Isaac Powell, Rachel Sennott, and Alexander Skarsgard. THIS FILM CONTAIN FLASHING IMAGES WHICH MAY AFFECT VIEWERS WHO ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO PHOTOSENSITIVE EPILEPSY

The Secret Agent

Running time: 158 mins

A technology expert flees from a mysterious past and returns to his hometown of Recife in search of peace. He soon realizes that the city is far from the refuge he seeks. Nominated for 4 Oscars including 'Best Picture' and 2 Baftas.

Wasteman

Running time: 90 mins

The directorial debut of Cal McMau, Wasteman tells the incredible story of how a convict's chances for early prison release come under threat from his ruthlessly violent new cellmate in this uncompromisingly brutal British thriller. After years in prison, in which time his son has grown up without him, Taylor's parole is approaching. It's bad timing, then, that new cellmate Dee ropes Taylor into violent inmate rivalries, endangering his fresh start. Cal McMau's feature debut is an intense and claustrophobic portrait of a merciless prison eco-system, featuring standout performances from rising British stars David Jonsson and Tom Blyth. THIS FILM CONTAIN FLASHING IMAGES WHICH MAY AFFECT VIEWERS WHO ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO PHOTOSENSITIVE EPILEPSY |

Wuthering Heights

Running time: 137 mins

A passionate and tumultuous love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, exploring the intense and destructive relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw.

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