Harakiri15

Directed by Masaki Kobayashi | Japan | 1964 | 2h 14m | Japanese w/ English subtitles | Starring Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Ishihama, Shima Iwashita, Tetsurô Tanba, Masao Mishima

After the fall of his clan, masterless samurai Hanshirō arrives at the estate of Lord Iyi, asking permission to end his life through ritual suicide. The clan’s senior counsellor doubts the ronin’s sincerity, suspecting he’s simply looking for charity. But Hanshirō is not what he seems, and his quiet determination hides a deeper purpose. Masaki Kobayashi’s gripping period drama, winner of the Cannes Special Jury Prize, is a bold critique of hypocrisy, a stirring portrait of individual will, and is now hailed as one of the greatest achievements in Japanese cinema.

Classic Season: Samurai Summer

Reviews

‘It would be wrong for me to reveal the details of the story Tsugumo tells. What I can say is that it is heartbreaking.’
★★★★★
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

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We showed Harakiri between July 28, 2025 and July 30, 2025.

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Today (Wednesday 20th May)
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17:45

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20:30

Who Are You, Polly Maggoo? 18
1h 42m | French w/ English subtitles
Director's Cuts: Peter Strickland
Supermodel Polly Maggoo navigates relentless media attention as a documentary crew attempts to capture her life. William Klein’s witty satire dismantles fashion and fame, revealing an absurd world where modern identity is constructed, consumed, and endlessly performed.

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Tomorrow (Thursday 21st May)
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15:15

Rose of Nevada 15
Descriptive Subtitles
1h 54m
When a long-lost fishing boat returns to a Cornish village, hope rises for renewal. Nick and newcomer Liam join a voyage, but return transformed and caught in a haunting time loop. Shot on grainy 16mm, Mark Jenkin (Bait) delivers a haunting, mind-bending folktale.

Book here

Find out more

18:00

Who Are You, Polly Maggoo? 18
1h 42m | French w/ English subtitles
Director's Cuts: Peter Strickland
Supermodel Polly Maggoo navigates relentless media attention as a documentary crew attempts to capture her life. William Klein’s witty satire dismantles fashion and fame, revealing an absurd world where modern identity is constructed, consumed, and endlessly performed.

Book here

Find out more

20:30

Colours of Time 15
2h 6m | French w/ English subtitles
When cousins inherit a Normandy house, they uncover a hidden lineage linking them to ancestor Adèle Munier. As they retrace her journey to Paris amid Impressionism’s rise, past and present intertwine, revealing new identities and unexpected connections across generations.

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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!

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