History of the UPP – Free TalkU

Dream Palaces: A history of the Ultimate Picture Palace and early cinema in Oxford

When the Oxford Picture Palace (now the Ultimate Picture Palace) opened in 1911 it was Oxford’s first purpose- built ‘electric theatre’. The technology of projecting moving images on to a screen was still in its infancy, but the ‘cinematograph’ had become wildly popular and a wave of new cinemas quickly followed, offering thrilling entertainment to both Town and Gown. In a 27-year period no fewer than ten new cinemas opened.

Join local historian Liz Woolley (www.lizwoolley.co.uk) for this FREE talk and find out more about this fascinating aspect of Oxford’s history. Booking essential.

This talk is part of Oxford Open Doors 2025, organised by The Oxford Preservation Trust. 

Book tickets

Saturday 13 September

 1.00pmBook tickets
Sunday 14 September

 10.30amBook tickets

What else is on?

Today (Friday 29th August)
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16:00

Savages PG
1h 27m | French w/ English subtitles
In Borneo, a young girl and an orphaned orangutang form a powerful bond as they confront the threats of deforestation. Through their journey, they discover the beauty of their rainforest home and the urgent need to protect it.

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18:15

Bring Her Back 18
1h 44m
After a death in the family, two siblings uncover a chilling secret about their mysterious new sister. From the creators of Talk To Me, this twisted psychological horror starring Sally Hawkins spirals into dark, unforgettable territory.

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20:45

Weapons 18
2h 8m
From Barbarian’s Zack Cregger comes a chilling mystery: an entire classroom’s children vanish in an instant, except one. As fear consumes a small town, social norms unravel in this tense, thought-provoking thriller about mob mentality and collective paranoia.

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Tomorrow (Saturday 30th August)
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15:30

Bring Her Back 18
Deaf/HOH Subtitles
1h 44m
After a death in the family, two siblings uncover a chilling secret about their mysterious new sister. From the creators of Talk To Me, this twisted psychological horror starring Sally Hawkins spirals into dark, unforgettable territory.

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18:00

The Terminator 15
1h 47m
In James Cameron's iconic sci-fi thriller a cyborg assassin (Arnold Schwarzenegger) from 2029 targets Sarah Connor in 1984 to prevent her son from leading a future rebellion. A lone warrior must protect her from the unstoppable machine.

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18:00

Terminator Double-Feature 15
1h 47m + 2h 17m (+ 45min intermission)
Double-feature screening of James Cameron's iconic sci-fi action movies The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Presented in association with Malone Wolf Theatre to launch the UK tour of I’ll Be Back: The One Woman Terminator Parody.

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20:45

Terminator 2: Judgment Day 15
2h 17m
A decade after The Terminator, John Connor is hunted by a shape-shifting T-1000. His only hope: a reprogrammed Terminator sent to protect him. James Cameron’s thrilling sequel blends cutting-edge effects with emotional depth, redefining sci-fi action for a generation.

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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 don’t show adverts, just a couple of trailers, so don't be late as the film itself starts very close to the advertised time!

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