Black NarcissusPG

Directed by Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger | UK | 1947 | 1h 41m | Starring Deborah Kerr, David Farrar, Kathleen Byron, Flora Robson, Jenny Laird

A group of Anglican nuns open a makeshift convent in the Himalayan mountains. However, the harsh climate and the unexpected presence of a British agent sow discord among the sisters, escalating tensions within their secluded world. Renowned for its exquisite cinematography and highlighted by Deborah Kerr’s exceptional lead performance, Powell and Pressburger’s psychosexual melodrama delves into the intricate interplay between faith, desire, and isolation.

Reviews

‘There’s something truly unearthly about this place of howling winds, yawning chasms and atmosphere thick with temptation. Sanctity, it will be proven, is no match for sin.’
★★★★★
Keith Uhlich, Time Out

‘Run, don’t walk to see this 1947 classic from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.’
★★★★★
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Black Narcissus between December 17, 2023 and December 18, 2023.

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What else is on?

Today (Thursday 11th June)

17:30

Gattaca 15
1h 46m
Vincent is an all-too-human man who dares to defy a system obsessed with genetic perfection. He is an “In-Valid” who assumes the identity of a member of the genetic elite to pursue his goal of traveling into space with the Gattaca Aerospace Corporation.

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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.

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Tomorrow (Friday 12th June)

15:15

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

17:45

Backrooms 15
1h 45m
When a patient vanishes through a strange basement doorway of a furniture showroom, his therapist follows him into a disorienting dimension. Expanding Kane Parsons’ cult online series, this feature-length adaptation stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve and bringing “liminal horror” to the big screen.

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20:15

Fairyland 15
1h 56m
Set in San Francisco from the 1970s to 1980s, this drama follows a father and daughter navigating bohemian life and social change as their bond is tested by the AIDS crisis. Adapted from Alysia Abbott’s memoir, it’s a tender coming-of-age story of love and resilience.

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23:00

Army of Darkness 15
1h 21m
To celebrate 10 amazing and chaotic years of Oxford’s underground, gonzo movie night, Cinema Under the Stairs, the gang bring Sam Raimi’s Army of Darkness to the UPP for a special evening of midnight movie mania. Book now to avoid disappointment. GROOVY!

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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 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!