Lost Reels continues its celebration of forgotten, lost, or unavailable British crime films with the action-packed revenge thriller Sitting Target (1972) featuring Oliver Reed, Ian McShane, Jill St. John and Edward Woodward.
Sitting Target (1972), directed by Douglas Hickox. Run time: 93 minutes.
After earning the dubious distinction of being one of the first British films to be given an ‘X’ rating entirely for on-screen violence, Douglas Hickox’s Sitting Target was overshadowed by Get Carter (1971) and Villain (1971) as just another grim, seedy British crime thriller and is now mostly forgotten. Oliver Reed plays the brutish convict Harry Lomart who after learning his wife Pat (Jill St. John) has become pregnant by another man, plans a daring prison escape with his friend Birdy (Ian McShane) so he can kill her in murderous revenge. A truly nail-biting breakout sequence is followed by a series of audacious action set-pieces including fist fights, shootings and thrilling motorcycle and car chases, with the near-maniacal Reed unrelenting in his quest for vengeance. Strikingly filmed by Edward Scaife, director Hickox keeps the film moving at breakneck speed and provides a heavy dose of gun-fetishism along with the action for good measure.
Never released on Blu-ray and unavailable in any format in the UK, Lost Reels is proud to present a special screening of this fast-paced hard-bitten action thriller from a rare high-definition 35mm scan sourced from the US.
High-definition scan courtesy of Lost Reels.
Event format: Doors will open at 18.30 for a 19.30 start. Film will be preceded by an introduction and the event will finish around 21.30.
About Lost Reels:
Lost Reels is an independent film organisation dedicated to bringing forgotten, lost, or unavailable films back to UK cinemas. Visit Lost Reels at lostreels.co.uk and follow on X, Threads, Bluesky, Instagram and YouTube at @lostreelsuk.
Refreshments will be available in our licensed cafe/bar.
TICKETS & PRICING
Tickets £10.
Advance tickets may be purchased from Ticketlab, or direct from the Museum by calling 020 7840 2200 in office hours.
