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 (Wednesday 12th February)
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Tomorrow (Thursday 13th February)
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15:45

Babygirl 18
1h 55m
A high powered CEO risks it all when she becomes embroiled in an illicit affair with an intern. A gripping erotic thriller delving into themes of power and desire, featuring seductive performances from Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson.

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18:15

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1h 30m
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Two cousins travel to Poland to honour their Jewish grandmother but soon recall why they’ve grown apart in the first place. Golden Globe-winning actor Kieran Culkin stars in this moving road-trip comedy, directed by co-star Jesse Eisenberg.

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20:30

A Complete Unknown 15
2h 20m
Awards Season 2025
Timothée Chalamet plays a young Bob Dylan as he arrives in New York in the early 1960s, takes the folk scene by storm, and controversially rips up the rulebook, reshaping the trajectory of American rock music.

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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 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!

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