Ghosts and ghouls, vampire counts and killer clowns. We’ve all that and then some at Showroom Cinema this October. At Sheffield’s leading independent cinema, the programming team have packed the treats; tracking down hard-to-find frights and bringing back some horrifying hits so you can celebrate the season. Let’s get into it!
The BBC’s beloved spooky sitcom makes its big-screen debut in Ghosts: The Possession of Button House (PG), from Fri 23 Oct. The host of ghosts all return for a hilarious body-swapping adventure, after a trespassing teenager passes over, while Julian Fawcett MP (Simon Farnaby) is unleashed on the world of the living.
Speaking of scaring the pants off you, things get serious in the leadup to fright night. We head back to Derry on Thu 29 Oct at 19.00, for a rare screening of It, the classic 90s miniseries based on Stephen King’s epic. Showroom marks the passing of Tim Curry with his iconic (and nightmare-inducing) performance as the wicked clown Pennywise, one of his best in a wonderful career.
On the same night, our ‘What the Film?!’ strand spotlights Takashi Miike's brutal thriller, Audition, at 20.00. A widower auditions unwitting actresses for the role of his new wife. His fascination with the quiet Asami takes a very twisted turn when she ruthlessly pursues the part he’s offered. Its unforgettable climax makes this a true WTF.
The same is true for Ken Russell’s The Devils (18), whose definitive version was finally let out of the vault after 55 years, in time for Halloween. From Fri 30 Oct, experience this psychosexual masterpiece, a hallucinatory odyssey about a charismatic 17th-century priest (Oliver Reed) who’s targeted with witchcraft allegations by a sexually obsessed nun (Vanessa Redgrave).
What’s horror season without Hammer? The revered British studio has a new 4K restoration of Dracula, screening Sat 31 Oct and Sun 1 Nov at Showroom. Christopher Lee’s Count remains the definitive interpretation of Bram Stoker's immortal vampire, starring opposite Peter Cushing as the fearless Van Helsing.
Finally, take a trip to Spooky Island or drop into Coolsville, with a groovy double feature of the early aughts Scooby-Doo on Sat 31 Oct at 15.00. Mystery Incorporated (Matthew Lillard, Freddie Prinze, Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Linda Cardellini) have never looked this iconic. Double bill tickets are just £10 for CINE26 members.
Whatever your taste, enjoy scares aplenty this season at Showroom: https://showroomcinema.org.uk/festivals/halloween-2026
By Nathan Makalena, Creative Coordinator
Paternoster Row, Sheffield City Centre, Sheffield S1 2BX
Bike racks, nearby tram parking, tram and bus access
