past events
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PAST EVENTS
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Est. 2015
We specialise in
repertory / cult / classic / genre / retrospective
film screenings
– presenting overlooked, important or influential titles –
screening events have included themed double-bills, director retrospectives and 35mm presentations.
Our activity has also highlighted
the intersection of
‘Screen Culture‘
across cinema and videogames.
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Our screenings take place at Sheffield’s historic Abbeydale Picture House
– opened in 1920, a Grade II listed picture palace cinema –
info about the building can be found here:
www.theabbeydalepicturehouse.com
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our activity has occasionally taken place in other locations too…
these include Bradford’s National Media Museum, and with Sheffield’s Sensoria Festival.
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Previous screenings
include
(or view our Letterboxd list):
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An original concept from Reel Steel…
the cult martial arts classic
Shaolin Invincibles (1977)
featuring the premiere
of a live re-score
from BAFTA-nominated videogame music composer
CHIPZEL
part of Sensoria Festival 2024
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The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue (1974)
and
Nightmare City (1980)
double-bill screening
Saturday October 28th, 2023
On Halloween weekend…
Reel Steel present a ‘radioactive‘ Zombie double-bill screening; The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue (1974), alongside Nightmare City (1980).
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Eraserhead (1977)
presented in 35mm
Saturday September 2nd, 2023
Reel Steel present the rarely-screened debut feature from director David Lynch, in 35mm, at Sheffield’s historic Abbeydale Picture House.
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The Big Boss (1971)
and
Bruce Lee vs Superman (1975)
double-bill screening
Saturday August 26th, 2023
Reel Steel present a Bruce Lee double-bill special at Sheffield’s historic Abbeydale Picture House; showcasing the career-launching movie with his first major film role – The Big Boss (1971) – and the wild exploitation genre which emerged following his untimely passing – Bruce Lee vs Superman (1975).
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Videodrome (1983)
and
The Video Dead (1987)
double-bill screening
Friday May 26th, 2023
Reel Steel present a ‘Screen Horror’ double-bill at Sheffield’s historic Abbeydale Picture House – marking the 40th Anniversary of director David Cronenberg’s sci-fi horror, Videodrome (1983), presented alongside a cult classic of screen-based terror, The Video Dead (1987).
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Bruce Lee’s
Enter the Dragon (1973)
Saturday April 8th, 2023
2023 marks the 50th Anniversary of Bruce Lee’s final film – Enter the Dragon (1973) – an anniversary which will be celebrated with a special screening at Sheffield’s historic Abbeydale Picture House, where the film originally screened on its UK release.
Marking the 50th Anniversary of the film, and 50 years since the untimely death of Bruce Lee (which occurred one month before the release of Enter the Dragon), see why Bruce Lee became known across the world as one of the most exciting stars on screen, with this presentation of his final film – back where it was originally screened to audiences in Sheffield.
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Ahead of the film, we’ll have the videogame classic Tekken 3 (1997) hooked up to the big screen – with the Tekken videogame character ‘Law’ based on Bruce Lee – for anyone to play and test their fighting skills, ahead of seeing this classic martial arts film.
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Hammer Horror
&
Cinema Poster Exhibition
Weekender
Sat Nov 19th – Sun Nov 20th, 2022
In collaboration with the Abbeydale Picture House… Reel Steel present a Hammer Horror weekender, featuring a series of standout titles from a period in cinema where British horror changed the shape of the genre.
The Plague of the Zombies (1966)
The Devil Rides Out (1968)
The Gorgon (1964)
Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)
These screenings will take place alongside a special cinema poster exhibition at the Abbeydale Picture House – featuring original cinema release quad posters from a private collection (gathered since the 1960s) – presenting rare original film posters from across Hammer and the wider horror genre, displaying the standout artwork created in promotion of these iconic titles, exhibiting a period in which the horror genre dominated cinema.
Supported by and taking place as part of the BFI’s In Dreams Are Monsters season.
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Candyman (1992)
and
Hellraiser (1987)
35mm double-bill
Saturday October 29th, 2022
Reel Steel and the Abbeydale Picture House present a 35mm double-bill special, with two horror films based on the work of author Clive Barker – Candyman (1992), and Hellraiser (1987).
Adapted from Clive Barker’s story The Forbidden from Books of Blood – Candyman (1992) is the story of an urban legend, of a man who loved and paid the price with his life, whose spirit now haunts the site of his death, and those who dare to summon him.
Based on his own novella The Hellbound Heart, Hellraiser (1987) marks the directorial debut of Clive Barker, and is one of the standout genre offerings of the 1980s.
This screening also features a 35mm projection demonstration.
Supported by and taking place as part of the BFI’s In Dreams Are Monsters season.
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Zombie Flesh Eaters (1979)
Friday October 28th, 2022
Reel Steel present a screening of a film where the very mention of its name has the power to shock and send shudders down the spines of the disapproving – Zombie Flesh Eaters (1979).
From the legendary “godfather of gore”, director Lucio Fulci, comes Zombie Flesh Eaters – known as one of the infamous “video nasties” of the 1980s, and regarded as one of the best zombie films of all time… and probably the only film where you’ll see a zombie fight a shark.
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New York Ninja (1984)
Sunday October 9th, 2022
Taking to the streets as a sword wielding ninja, hell bent on cleaning up the streets of the city he once loved, one man rids New York of its muggers, drug dealers, and gang members.
Originally directed by and starring martial arts actor John Liu (Invincible Armour) in his only American production, New York Ninja was filmed entirely on 35mm in 1984, but the project was abandoned during production.
35 years later, US distributor Vinegar Syndrome acquired the original unedited camera negative and painstakingly constructed and completed the film.
Restored in 4K from the original camera elements, New York Ninja is finally released in all of its ridiculous over-the-top glory.
If you love cult 80s movies but feel like you’ve seen them all, this is a film that was hidden from the world after spending nearly four decades in cinema obscurity.
Ahead of the film starting, we have the videogame classic Streets of Rage 2 (1992) hooked up to the big screen – from a SEGA Mega Drive mini console – for anyone who feels like taking to the streets and handing out their own brand of vigilante action against criminals and gang members, before seeing this 80s genre classic of one man and his quest for justice.
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Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow (1978)
Sunday October 2nd, 2022
Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow (1978) is the kung fu classic starring superstar Jackie Chan (Dragon Fist, Police Story, Rumble in the Bronx).
This star-making film was the first to feature Jackie Chan’s trademark mix of comedy and mind-blowing martial arts action, it also marked the historic first collaboration between Jackie and director Yuen Woo Ping (who would later go on to oversee the action choreography for The Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon).
Ahead of the film starting, we have the videogame classic Street Fighter II (1992) hooked up to the big screen – from a SNES mini classic console – for anyone to play and test their fighting skills, ahead of watching this classic martial arts film.
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The Warriors (1979)
and
Escape From New York (1981)
double-bill screening
Saturday September 3rd, 2022
Reel Steel present a double-bill of films set on the mean streets of New York city at Sheffield’s Abbeydale Picture House: the 1979 classic The Warriors, back-to-back with John Carpenter’s Escape From New York (1981).
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Miami Connection (1987)
and
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai
Across the 8th Dimension (1984)
double-bill screening
Saturday August 27th, 2022
A double-bill of cult classics featuring bands in a battle to save the day comes to Sheffield’s Abbeydale Picture House – Miami Connection (1987), and The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984).
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Bruce Lee’s
The Way of the Dragon (1972)
Sunday June 12th, 2022
The film written, directed by and starring Bruce Lee, The Way of the Dragon (1972) is widely regarded as a classic of martial arts cinema.
Reel Steel present a rare screening of this iconic film
– coming by way of special permission –
celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2022.
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Dead-End Drive-In (1986)
and
The Man from Hong Kong (1975)
Ozploitation
double-bill screening
Saturday June 18th, 2022
Presented by Reel Spirit – a collaboration between Reel Steel and the Spirit of Independence Film Festival – this feature double-bill celebrating independent cult cinema highlights the ‘Ozploitation’ genre, with a pair of films directed by legendary cult film director Brian Trenchard-Smith.
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Night of the Living Dead (1968)
and
Demons (1985)
Bank Holiday Sunday August 29th, 2021
The film which started it all, Night of the Living Dead from horror master George A. Romero is the midnight hit that became one of the most influential films of all time.
A tale of a group of strangers trapped in a farmhouse who find themselves having to defend against a horde of zombies, this vision of 1960s America literally tearing itself apart re-wrote the rules of the horror genre, and quietly broke new ground by casting a black actor (Duane Jones) in its lead role.
With a social narrative still relevant to this day, see the film which set the template for the zombie genre.
We then follow unsuspecting members of an audience to the cinema, in one of the best horror films of the 1980s – Demons.
While attending a screening of a mystery film, the horror onscreen begins to mirror reality when a demonic curse turns members of the audience into undead monsters.
Trapped in the cinema, they must find a way to escape the building, as they quickly realise the doors are locked from the outside, and they now must fight for survival against a growing horde of monsters.
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Blade Runner (1982)
and
The Running Man (1987)
double-bill screening
Saturday November 2nd, 2019
Each set in the year 2019, a sci-fi double-bill screening featuring two classics of the genre – Blade Runner (1982), and The Running Man (1987), will take place at Sheffield’s historic Abbeydale Picture House.
Unquestionably one of the greatest and most influential films of all time, Blade Runner takes on a whole new dimension this year – with director Ridley Scott’s sci-fi classic being set in November 2019.
We then tune in to witness a game of life and death on the highest rated Television Show in history – The Running Man.
In the year 2019, an innocent man accused of a crime has a choice – Hard Time, or Prime Time. He must pay, or play for the prize – his life, in a game of survival against brutal “stalkers”, broadcast live to a national audience.
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Star Wars (1977)
Bank Holiday Monday
August 26th, 2019
still from Star Wars (1977)
© Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.
August Bank Holiday Monday will see a rare screening of one of the most iconic and influential films of all time take place at Sheffield’s historic Abbeydale Picture House – Star Wars.
Released in 1977, the global impact of Star Wars (Episode IV – A New Hope) was something that not just cinema but the world had never seen…
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Back To The Future Trilogy
all 3 films – 1 day
Sunday August 26th, 2018
August bank holiday Sunday will see one of cinema’s most iconic film trilogies come to Sheffield’s historic Abbeydale Picture House – the Back To The Future Trilogy.
All three films – one day – one ticket.
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My Neighbour Totoro
30th Anniversary screening
presented in 35mm
Sunday February 25th, 2018
2018 marks the 30th Anniversary of one of the most iconic animated films to be produced by the world renowned Studio Ghibli – My Neighbour Totoro.
To celebrate this, Reel Steel present a special 35mm film screening of this dearly loved classic at Sheffield’s historic Abbeydale Picture House.
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Alien and Predator
double-bill screening
Saturday November 11th, 2017
2017 marks the 30th Anniversary of the cult sci-fi action classic Predator, to celebrate this we’ll be putting it head-to-head in a double-bill screening with another of the most iconic creatures from another world – Alien.
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The Thing
and
Big Trouble in Little China
double-bill screening
Saturday August 26th, 2017
The movie partnership of legendary horror film director John Carpenter and Hollywood favourite Kurt Russell produced several films through the 1980’s and 90’s, we’re celebrating this movie duo with a back-to-back screening of a pair of films holding a cult status only matched by their levels of danger from another world – The Thing, and Big Trouble In Little China.
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Evil Dead 2
30th Anniversary screening
Friday March 31st, 2017
2017 marks the 30th anniversary of a film widely regarded as the definitive cult horror – Evil Dead 2.
Evil Dead 2 follows the story of Ash (played by Bruce Campbell), whose stay at a cabin in the woods turns unnatural following the discovery of the Book of the Dead, when an evil is released from which he must survive the night…
Having to defend himself against evil spirits, zombies and a possessed hand, we see why Evil Dead 2 became an influential cult movie favourite – with the perfect balance of gore and humour, it’s an imaginative and unique horror film that’s delirious and demented fun.
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Enter the Dragon
November 27th, 2015
Read our feature film review
of
Enter The Dragon
>here<
November 27th, 2015 marks what would have been Bruce Lee’s 75th birthday – an anniversary which will be celebrated at the Abbeydale Picture House with a screening of his final film, Enter The Dragon.
Enter The Dragon is widely regarded as one of the greatest martial arts movies of all time – in it we follow Lee, a Shaolin martial artist from Hong Kong, who receives an invitation to a martial arts tournament organised on an island fortress by the criminal warlord known as Han.
Going undercover on a mission to restore Shaolin honour and avenge the death of his sister, we see why Bruce Lee became known across the world as one of the most exciting stars on screen, in the most enthralling martial arts movie of its time.
Hosted at the Abbeydale Picture House – a Grade II listed 1920’s picture palace cinema, bringing the sense of occasion to match an anniversary of a movie icon.
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OTHER EVENTS:
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Friday October 6th, 2023
– High Scores –
Sensoria Festival, in association with Reel Steel, present an evening showcasing the influence of videogame scores with a selection of artists who pay homage to the past while shaping the present of electronic music.
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Marking the 50th Anniversary of Enter the Dragon (1973), and 50 years since his untimely passing, see why Bruce Lee became known across the world as one of the most exciting stars on screen, in this presentation of his final film at Bradford’s National Science and Media Museum.
Sunday August 27th, 2023
Featuring our ‘Play the Film’ activity with the videogame classic Tekken 3 (1997) – from a PlayStation Classic (PS1) console – setup in the Pictureville bar.
With the Tekken videogame character ‘Law’ based on Bruce Lee, the game’s story (as with Enter the Dragon) follows fighters from around the world competing in a martial arts tournament – play and test your fighting skills, ahead of seeing this classic martial arts film.
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Presenting a 35mm film screening of
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
at the 2018 Widescreen Weekend Film Festival
at the National Science and Media Museum.
Bringing both the first foreign-language and first martial arts film to the annual event.
REEL STEEL 
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