Naked Lunch18

Directed by David Cronenberg | Canada | 1991 | 1h 55m (+ 20min short film) | Starring Peter Weller, Judy Davis, Ian Holm, Julian Sands, Roy Scheider, Monique Mercure

Bug exterminator Bill Lee discovers that the insecticide he uses has potent hallucinogenic effects. After becoming deeply addicted, Bill descends into the nightmarish Interzone, a bizarre underworld filled with sinister government conspiracies and giant, talking insects. Equal parts darkly humorous and grotesque, cult filmmaker David Cronenberg (The Fly, Videodrome, Crash) brings to life this surreal adaptation of William S. Burroughs’ hallucinatory novel, once considered impossible to film.

Naked Lunch will be preceded by a special presentation of Kōji Yamamura’s short film Franz Kafka’s A Country Doctor (2007).

Kafkaesque Klassics

Reviews

‘Obviously this is not everybody’s cup of weird tea: you must have a taste for the aesthetics of disgust. For those up to the dare, it’s one clammily compelling movie.’
David Ansen, Newsweek

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Naked Lunch between October 21, 2024 and October 25, 2024.

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What else is on?

Tomorrow (Wednesday 25th February)
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15:00

Ben Wheatley Filmmaking Workshop /
Are you aged 16-25, have an amazing idea for a film, but don't have the budget? Join us to hear from some young BFI Film Academy funded filmmakers, as well as special guest speaker Ben Wheatley. Tickets cost £5 (and includes entry to our Q&A screening of Bulk).

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18:00

Bulk 15
+ Director Q&A
1h 35m + 30m Q&A
When an ambitious scientist takes his string theory experiments too far, his “brane” explodes, and someone is left to deal with the consequences. Join us for a one-off screening of Ben Wheatley’s mind-bending sci-fi thriller, and a playful love letter to filmmaking.

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20:45

Nouvelle Vague 12A
1h 46m | French w/ English subtitles
Paris, 1959. Aspiring filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard sets out to make Breathless, unknowingly igniting a cinematic revolution. Directed by Richard Linklater (Boyhood), this lively, affectionate comedy-drama captures the birth of the French New Wave.

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Thursday 26th February
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15:30

Nouvelle Vague 12A
1h 46m | French w/ English subtitles
Paris, 1959. Aspiring filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard sets out to make Breathless, unknowingly igniting a cinematic revolution. Directed by Richard Linklater (Boyhood), this lively, affectionate comedy-drama captures the birth of the French New Wave.

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18:00

H Is for Hawk 12A
1h 55m
Grieving her father’s death, Helen finds solace in training a wild goshawk, forcing her to confront her own emotional isolation. Claire Foy gives a career-best performance in this deeply moving adaptation of Helen MacDonald’s acclaimed memoir.

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20:45

No Other Choice 15
2h 19m | Korean w/ English subtitles
After losing his job of 25 years, a desperate family man turns to murder to eliminate his rivals. Adapted from Donald E. Westlake’s The Ax, Park Chan-wook (Decision to Leave) delivers a wicked, stylish thriller with razor-sharp dark humour.

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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!

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