Film reels refer to a type of physical storage medium used to hold movies before digital formats became popular. They are circular containers that carry long strips of film, allowing people to watch movies in theaters. Full definition
The mass culture of film reeled across class, ethnic, racial, and regional lines, drawing one and all into shared stories and imbuing us with the sense that reality itself is as changeable and ephemeral as the names on the movie marquee. (scientificamerican.com)
This is why people were unnerved watching The Hobbit at 48 frames per second as opposed to the 24 fps we've been seeing from film reels for decades, later mimicked by digital cameras and projectors. (digitaltrends.com)
He also interned at LUX, London's agency for artists» film and video work, and, tasked with checking returned film reels for scratches and other damage, he would watch this random, decontextualized footage for hours on end, on an ancient Steenbeck editing suite with a dodgy sound connection. (frieze.com)