Blue Velvet18

Directed by David Lynch | USA | 1986 | 2h 1m | Starring Isabella Rossellini, Kyle MacLachlan, Dennis Hopper, Laura Dern, Dean Stockwell

A severed human ear is discovered, drawing a clean-cut amateur detective into the dark and twisted underbelly of his seemingly idyllic hometown. As his investigation deepens, he becomes entangled in a dangerous and disturbing relationship between a troubled nightclub singer and a psychotic gangster. After the big-budget disappointment of Dune, David Lynch returned with this subversive melodrama, exposing the sinister secrets lurking beneath the polished surface of suburban America. Marking the first of Lynch’s many collaborations with composer Angelo Badalamenti, Blue Velvet earned Lynch his second Oscar nomination for Best Director and is now celebrated as a landmark of 1980s American cinema.

One-off screening plus a guest introduction. Part of our David Lynch Weekender – click here to purchase a limited Weekend Pass.

Reviews

‘Erotic, neurotic, euphoric and at all times unutterably twisted and bizarre…The film releases a toxic narcosis of fear.’
★★★★★
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

‘Isabella Rossellini’s singer Dorothy is a heart-rending open wound, Dennis Hopper’s Frank Booth one of cinema’s great nutjobs, and Lynch’s control a thing of nightmarish beauty.’
★★★★★
Jamie Graham, Total Film

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Blue Velvet between June 17, 2023 and March 15, 2025.

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What else is on?

Today (Wednesday 25th March)

14:30

One Battle After Another 15
2h 41m
A paranoid ex-revolutionary and his daughter are forced into confrontation when an old nemesis returns. Leonardo DiCaprio stars in Paul Thomas Anderson’s (There Will Be Blood, The Master) sharp satirical adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s ‘Vineland’.

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17:45

The Testament of Ann Lee 15
2h 17m
From poverty in England to revolutionary America, Ann Lee’s spiritual vision and utopian dreams shape the lives of a newly formed religious community. Mona Fastvold’s sweeping historical epic stars Amanda Seyfried as the founder of the Shaker Movement.

Book here

20:45

Sirāt 15
1h 54m | Spanish, French & Arabic w/ English subtitles
Oliver Laxe’s intense, hallucinatory road movie follows a father and son through Morocco as they try to find a missing relative at various sprawling, illegal raves. Winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes Film Festival 2025.

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Tomorrow (Thursday 26th March)

14:45

The Testament of Ann Lee 15
Descriptive subtitles
2h 17m
From poverty in England to revolutionary America, Ann Lee’s spiritual vision and utopian dreams shape the lives of a newly formed religious community. Mona Fastvold’s sweeping historical epic stars Amanda Seyfried as the founder of the Shaker Movement.

Book here

17:45

Sirāt 15
1h 54m | Spanish, French & Arabic w/ English subtitles
Oliver Laxe’s intense, hallucinatory road movie follows a father and son through Morocco as they try to find a missing relative at various sprawling, illegal raves. Winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes Film Festival 2025.

Book here

20:30

Blue Morpho U
1h 45m
Radiohead guitarist Ed O'Brien joins us for a Q&A screening of short film Blue Morpho, focussing on his journey through the wilds of Wales as he prepares for the release of his new solo album. A special event screening plus two short film screenings by director Kit Monteith.

Book here


Plan your visit

Our beautiful art deco inspired auditorium can be found just off East Oxford's Cowley Road.We are open 7 days a week. We open the cinema and box office 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of each film, and the Box Office then closes 10 minutes after the film starts. We only show a few adverts – less than most cinemas – and we only play a couple of trailers, so please don’t be late as the film itself starts very close to the advertised time!