The Last Emperor15

Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci | China | 1987 | 2h 43m | Starring John Lone, Joan Chen, Peter O’Toole, Ruocheng Ying, Victor Wong

Sweeping historical epic about the life of Chinese Emperor Pu Yi, who took the throne at age three, in 1908, before witnessing decades of cultural and political upheaval, within and without the walls of the Forbidden City. Recreating Ching dynasty China with astonishing detail and unparalleled craftsmanship, the film won nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Score for composers Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Byrne, and Cong Su.

Classic Season: Sakamoto / Vangelis / Badalamenti

Reviews

‘There’s no doubting its spectacular richness and heartfelt, deeply satisfying storytelling.’
★★★★★
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

‘One of the most visually arresting pictures of recent years.’
★★★★
David Parkinson, Radio Times

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed The Last Emperor between June 4, 2023 and June 4, 2023.

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Today (Tuesday 22nd September)
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£6 for Members
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Tomorrow (Wednesday 23rd September)
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15:30

Bitter Christmas 15
1h 51m | Spanish w/ English subtitles
Pedro Almodóvar’s latest film is a sun-dappled exploration of life, art and storytelling, as two filmmakers’ lives intertwine in a playful meditation on memory, creativity and the blurred boundaries between reality and fiction.

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18:00

Teenage Sex & Death at Camp Mias 15
1h 52m
Jane Schoenbrun (I Saw the TV Glow) unleashes a bloody, bewildering meta-horror, as a young director and a reclusive scream queen descend into a delirious world of queer desire, fear and blood-soaked obsession. Starring Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson.

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20:30

Trainspotting 18
1h 34m
Danny Boyle’s electrifying adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s cult novel remains a visceral portrait of addiction, alienation and self-destruction. Back on the big screen for the film's 30th anniversary, Trainspotting is as exhilarating, darkly comic and provocative as ever.

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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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