Shogun Assassin18

Directed by Misumi Kenji | Japan | 1972 | 1h 24m | Starring Tomisaburô Wakayama, Kayo Matsuo, Minoru Ôki, Shin Kishida, Akihiro Tomikawa

After his wife is murdered by a ruthless shogun, a vengeful rōnin wanders the countryside with his young son, taking down ninja assassins with cold precision in operatic bursts of surreal, stylised violence. Shogun Assassin, with its pulsing synth soundtrack and wild action sequences—featuring flashing swords, spurting blood, and severed limbs—became an instant cult classic, influencing artists from the Wu-Tang Clan to Quentin Tarantino.

This screening is part of the BFI’s national Art Of Action tour. For more information go to: https://www.bfiartofaction.co.uk/home

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Shogun Assassin between November 23, 2024 and November 23, 2024.

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What else is on?

Today (Friday 5th June)

18:00

The Christophers 15
1h 40m
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20:30

Reflection in a Dead Diamond 15
1h 27m | French & Italian w/ English subtitles
When a mysterious woman vanishes from the room next door, an ageing former spy living on the Côte d’Azur is drawn back into a world of fractured memories and buried secrets. Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani’s stylised thriller blends espionage, psychological intrigue and grindhouse homage.

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Tomorrow (Saturday 6th June)

15:00

People's Emergency Briefing 12A
+ Discussion
50m (+ 30min Q&A)
The National Emergency Briefing in Westminster (November 2025) brings scientists together to present evidence on the climate and nature crisis. This film extends the findings nationwide, encouraging UK communities to gather, hear the evidence, and discuss solutions locally.

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17:00

Stalker PG
2h 42m | Russian w/ English subtitles
In a mysterious wasteland known as the Zone, a guide leads a writer and scientist toward a room where their dreams will come true. A towering work of world cinema, Tarkovsky’s classic is revered for its philosophical depth, slow cinema style, and spiritual ambiguity.

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20:30

The Christophers 15
1h 40m
A reclusive London artist (Ian McKellen) becomes the target of a scheme by his estranged children, who recruit a young painter (Michaela Coel) to infiltrate his home and uncover hidden works. Steven Soderbergh’s darkly comic chamber piece explores deception, legacy and artistic value.

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!