The Enigma of Kaspar HauserPG

Directed by Werner Herzog | West Germany | 1974 | 1h 49m | German w/ English subtitles | Starring Bruno S., Walter Ladengast, Brigitte Mira, Willy Semmelrogge, Michael Kroecher

Barely able to walk or talk due to a life spent in isolation, a young man arrives in 1820s Nuremberg, clutching a note with his name written on it. Initially regarded by the locals as a novel curiosity, he is taken under the wing of a compassionate professor who gradually assists him in adapting to conventional life. Werner Herzog’s eloquent interpretation of this remarkable true story, featuring a mesmerising performance by non-professional actor Bruno S, is back in cinemas to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

Grand Jury Prize winner at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival.

Reviews

‘Werner Herzog’s enduringly gripping and influential movie is rereleased for its 50th anniversary; it is Herzog’s early masterpiece, a bold and brilliant retelling of a strange true story from German history’
★★★★★
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

‘This terrific movie from Werner Herzog’s golden period in the 1970s is deliberately-paced, perfectly played and as moving as it is thought-provoking.’
★★★★★
Kim Newman, Empire Magazine

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser between February 11, 2024 and February 12, 2024.

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What else is on?

Today (Wednesday 4th December)

15:15

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1h 38m
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17:45

Anora 18
Deaf/HOH Subtitles
2h 19m
A young sex worker and the son of a Russian billionaire go on the run after spontaneously getting married against his father's wishes in Sean Baker's (The Florida Project) freewheeling, Palme d'Or-winning modern romance.

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20:45

Love Actually 15
2h 15m
To me, you are perfect! Ten interwoven stories all build to a grand crescendo on Christmas Eve, proving that love is the common thread driving each of their lives. One-off festive screening presented by Oxford University Filmmaking Foundation.

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Tomorrow (Thursday 5th December)

15:45

No Other Land 15
1h 32m | Arabic & Hebrew w/ English subtitles
Award-winning documentary created by a collective of four young Palestinian-Israeli activists, filmed over five years, examining the displacement and destruction faced by a young Palestinian’s community in the southern West Bank.

Book here

18:00

NT Live: Prima Facie 15
1h 53m
Directed by Justin Martin, this solo tour de force theatre production stars Jodie Comer (Killing Eve) in an Olivier and Tony Award-winning performance. Filmed live during its sold-out 2022 run at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London’s West End.

Book here

20:30

Heretic 15
1h 51m
Two young Mormon missionaries get caught in a sinister game of cat-and-mouse in this delightfully twisted and darkly funny chamber horror from writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (A Quiet Place), starring Hugh Grant.

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 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!