This August Bank Holiday weekend... 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).
In The Big Boss - Bruce Lee stars as Cheng, an immigrant worker who takes a job with his cousin at an ice factory in Thailand, and discovers a host of suspicious activity.
Cheng once made a family promise to never fight again, but when he begins to investigate a series of disappearances - the latest of which has seen his own cousin go missing - he can't help but display his formidable martial arts skills.
Taking on one opponent after another, Cheng will not stop until he has fought his way to the truth, and the inevitable confrontation with the man known only as 'The Big Boss'.
The Big Boss was the break-out film for Bruce Lee, launching him to instant superstardom and setting a new standard for martial arts action, the likes of which had never been seen before.
Following Bruce Lee's untimely passing in 1973, a wave of low-budget exploitation films, which entirely revolved around the image of Bruce Lee, flooded cinemas in the years following his death - creating a wild new genre of its own, these films are known as 'Bruceploitation'.
In Bruce Lee vs Superman; gangsters call Superman out of retiremant to kidnap a scientist who has solved the global food shortage crisis, which he agrees to do in exchange for money, girls and booze.
The authorities enlist Kato (the TV character originally performed by Bruce Lee - played here by Bruce Li), the Green Hornet's partner, to help.
Kato hires his friend Carter (also played by Bruce Li), who looks, dresses, acts, and wields nunchucks just like Bruce Lee.
The result is total madness.
A fascinating time capsule from the golden era of gonzo exploitation filmmaking, there is nothing else quite like Bruce Lee vs Superman.
Preserved and released by the American Genre Film Archive from the only known 35mm print in existence.
See Bruce Lee in his first major film role, and the wild exploitation genre which emerged following his untimely passing.
Bank Holiday weekend
Saturday August 26th
Doors open - 5pm
The Big Boss (The Mandarin Cut): 6pm - 7:50pm
- 30 minute interval -
Bruce Lee vs Superman: 8:20pm - 9:50pm.
Reel Steel will be presenting 'The Mandarin Cut' of The Big Boss - the rarely seen extended version of the film not seen in any previous release.
The Big Boss will be screened in Mandarin with English subtitles.
Bruce Lee vs Superman will be in the English language.
This event is 18+ only - these films contain scenes of bloody violence, and some scenes of a sexual nature.
Entry to this event will only be for those (including ticket holders) above this age.
Due to renovation building work taking place in the Abbeydale Picture House auditorium, this screening will take place in the venue’s Fly Tower Cinema. This cinema space is not wheelchair accessible.
Booking in advance is recommended.
- Featured in
- Film picks
