This summer, step into the shadowed world of warriors bound by code and caught between tradition and chaos. Our Samurai Summer season celebrates the enduring allure of the samurai on screen.
From the existential cool of Le Samouraï to the searing moral reckoning of Harakiri, the operatic grandeur of Kurosawa’s Ran, the ruthless descent of The Sword of Doom, and the modern urban zen of Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, this curated series spans cultures and eras, exploring the myth and reality of the samurai archetype in cinema.
Le Samouraï (1967)
Saturday 19 July 6pm
Thursday 24 July 8.30pm
Harakiri (1962)
Monday 28 July 8.15pm
Tuesday 29th July 6pm (£6 for Members)
Wednesday 30 July 3pm
Ran (1985)
Sunday 3 August 2pm
Monday 4 August 7pm
Thursday 7 August 2.45pm
The Sword of Doom (1966)
Monday 11 August 8.45pm
Tuesday 12 August 6pm (£6 for Members)
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)
Friday 15 August 6pm
Saturday 16 August 8.30pm
Use the film links underneath to book tickets and find out more.
Jef Costello is a hitman of few words and exacting precision, until a botched job puts him in everyone’s crosshairs. Jean-Pierre Melville’s stylish noir is a minimalist masterpiece of cool detachment, silent tension, and existential menace.
A samurai’s plea for ritual suicide hides a quiet rebellion. As his past unfolds, a brutal hypocrisy is laid bare. Harakiri is a masterwork of honour, vengeance, and emotional power. An essential entry in the canon of Japanese cinema.
Kurosawa’s King Lear retold in feudal Japan: a warlord’s plan to divide his realm brings ruin to all. Epic, tragic, and visually jaw-dropping, Ran is a towering tale of power, betrayal, and the high cost of pride – now restored in 4K.
A cold-blooded killer leaves a trail of carnage through feudal Japan, but the demons inside may prove deadlier than any sword. This nihilistic samurai classic is a haunting descent into madness, with unforgettable turns from Tatsuya Nakadai and Toshiro Mifune.
A lone hitman follows ancient samurai code in modern-day New York, until betrayal by the mob turns hunter into hunted. Forest Whitaker stars in Jim Jarmusch’s hypnotic blend of gangster grit, spiritual discipline, and the Wu-Tang Clan’s unforgettable original score.
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!