Anyone Can Play Guitar + Director Q&A12A

Directed by Jon Spira | UK | 2010 | 1h 40m

It’s funny how certain music scenes have become legendary. Merseybeat in the 60’s, London’s summer of punk in the 70’s, Sheffield’s Electro 80’s and Manchester’s ‘Baggy’ 90’s. When you break them down, they’re just a small handful of bands making very similar music during a very short but high-profile period. When people talk about regional music scenes, they never talk about Oxford. Yet Oxford’s tight music community has been steadily producing genre-defining bands of the highest quality and integrity for pushing 30 years.

Narrated by Stewart Lee and featuring exclusive interviews with Radiohead, Foals, Supergrass, Ride and Swervedriver, Anyone Can Play Guitar tells the unheard stories of some of the greatest bands (and the greatest stories of some of the unheard bands) as the backdrop to a truly unique and epic saga of success, failure, good intentions, and bad outcomes. From the DIY spirit of the early 80’s right through to the controversial corporatisation of Oxford’s best-loved venue, the film tracks three decades of highs and lows in a punchy, engaging documentary.

Screening followed by a conversation between director Jon Spira and Dave Gilyeat (BBC Radio Oxford). The Ultimate Picture Palace presents in partnership with the Museum of Oxford as part of the Sounds of the City exhibition & project (https://museumofoxford.org/whats-on/special-exhibitions/)

Book tickets

Saturday 24 October

5.30pmBook tickets

What else is on?

Today (Friday 25th September)

15:30

The Incomer 12A
1h 42m
A man and his sister survive on a remote Scottish island, hunting seabirds and retelling ancestral stories, until a council worker arrives to move them to the mainland. Domhnall Gleeson stars in Louis Paxton's Sundance award-winning comedy.

Book here

18:00

Leviticus 15
1h 28m
Two teenage boys in an isolated Australian town are hunted by an entity that takes the form of the person they desire most – each other. Adrian Chiarella's assured coming-of-age horror confronts religious fanaticism and its cost to queer youth.

Book here

20:15

Late Fame 15
1h 37m
A forgotten poet turned postal worker (Willem Dafoe) is adopted by a circle of young admirers hoping to make him their literary figurehead. A wistful rumination on art and authenticity set in New York City.

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Tomorrow (Saturday 26th September)

15:15

Just an Illusion 12A
1h 59m | French w/ English subtitles
Paris, 1985: 12-year-old Vincent navigates friendship, first love and a fractious family. A heart-warming comedy with strong performances from Louis Garrel and Camille Cottin, set to an infectious 1980s soundtrack.

Book here

18:00

The Incomer 12A
1h 42m
A man and his sister survive on a remote Scottish island, hunting seabirds and retelling ancestral stories, until a council worker arrives to move them to the mainland. Domhnall Gleeson stars in Louis Paxton's Sundance award-winning comedy.

Book here

20:30

Leviticus 15
1h 28m
Two teenage boys in an isolated Australian town are hunted by an entity that takes the form of the person they desire most – each other. Adrian Chiarella's assured coming-of-age horror confronts religious fanaticism and its cost to queer youth.

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!