Johnny 5 is back at Hucknall's Arc Cinema for special anniversary screening of cult sci-fi favourite Short Circuit

The Arc Cinema in Hucknall is staging another special night this weekend by screening the hit 1986 movie Short Circuit.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

And the star of the film, Johnny 5 himself will be there – or an exact copy of him in any case.

Back in August, the Dispatch reported on Hucknall man Ryan Howard who had built a life-size replica of Johnny 5, ready to take to the huge Em-Con 2021 event at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena that month.

And when Arc Cinema manager Mark Gallagher saw the story, he instantly had an idea for another great event at the Hucknall venue.

Johnny 5 will be at Hucknall's Arc Cinema this weekend for a special 35th anniversary screening of Short CircuitJohnny 5 will be at Hucknall's Arc Cinema this weekend for a special 35th anniversary screening of Short Circuit
Johnny 5 will be at Hucknall's Arc Cinema this weekend for a special 35th anniversary screening of Short Circuit

But while getting Johnny to come along for the night proved straightforward enough, getting the actual film itself was far less so.

Mark recalled: “When the film came out originally, it was made by Tristar pictures, who have long since been bought by Sony.

"So I got hold of our Sony contact and told them I really wanted to show Short Circuit and they said the rights had been sold on to another company and I kept being passed from company to company until I finally got put on to this Scandinavian company who told me the rights had referred back to the original producer, John Hyde.

Read More
Campaigners against 3,000 homes on Hucknall green belt inviting everyone on a wi...

"They gave me his email, I emailed him explaining that a local man had built a Johnny 5 and could I show the movie at the cinema and he replied saying no.

"Apparently, he’s optioned the film for a sequel next year and he thought me showing the original might jeopardise that.

"I don’t know why he would think that but you find that it’s actually quite common that when a new film is out that’s a sequel or a new addition to a series or franchise, the film studios stop the originals being shown in cinemas.

"Ghostbusters was a good example of that.”

"So I went to email him back but I looked him up on IMDB first and then I realised what big player he is in Hollywood.

"He produced Flight Of The Navigator and The Lost Boys and he was vice-president of the Jim Henson Company.

"So I realised he was the real deal so I sent him another email basically begging him to let us show it, saying we were a little cinema in the middle of nowhere and our screening wouldn’t interfere with anything and he sent me a beautiful reply back saying he’d allow me two screenings.”

Such was the journey involved in securing the rights, Mark is now confident Hucknall will be the only cinema in the UK and possibly the world showing the original Short Circuit this weekend.

And the tickets have sold like hot cakes.

Mark continued: “We put tickets on sale the day we announced the film and by the evening, they’d sold out.

"I don’t know what we’ve tapped into here but this one appears to have really got people going.

"I certainly know that I want a selfie with Johnny 5 when I meet him.”