The Prince Charles Cinema

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The Thing
1982 108mins USA (18) Sci-Fi / Horror
Directed by John Carpenter Starring Keith David, Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley

In remote Antarctica, a group of American research scientists are disturbed at their base camp by a helicopter shooting at a sled dog. When they take in the dog, it brutally attacks both human beings and canines in the camp and they discover that the beast can assume the shape of its victims. A resourceful helicopter pilot (Kurt Russell) and the camp doctor (Richard Dysart) lead the camp crew in a desperate, gory battle against the vicious creature before it picks them all off, one by one.

La Haine
1995 98mins France (15) Crime
Directed by Mathieu Kassovitz Starring Hubert Koundé, Saïd Taghmaoui, Vincent Cassel

Hatred breeds hatred...

24 hours in the lives of three young men in the French suburbs the day after a violent riot.

The Shining [UK Version]
1980 119mins UK, USA (15) Horror
Directed by Stanley Kubrick Starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd

Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) becomes winter caretaker at the isolated Overlook Hotel in Colorado, hoping to cure his writer's block. He settles in along with his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and his son, Danny (Danny Lloyd), who is plagued by psychic premonitions. As Jack's writing goes nowhere and Danny's visions become more disturbing, Jack discovers the hotel's dark secrets and begins to unravel into a homicidal maniac hell-bent on terrorizing his family.

The Lost Boys
1987 97mins USA (15) Supernatural / Horror
Directed by Joel Schumacher Starring Corey Haim, Dianne Wiest, Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland

Teenage brothers Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim) move with their mother (Dianne Wiest) to a small town in northern California. While the younger Sam meets a pair of kindred spirits in geeky comic-book nerds Edward (Corey Feldman) and Alan (Jamison Newlander), the angst-ridden Michael soon falls for Star (Jami Gertz) -- who turns out to be in thrall to David (Kiefer Sutherland), leader of a local gang of vampires. Sam and his new friends must save Michael and Star from the undead.

Apocalypse Now : Final Cut
1979 181mins USA (15) War
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola Starring Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall

In Vietnam in 1970, Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) takes a perilous and increasingly hallucinatory journey upriver to find and terminate Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando), a once-promising officer who has reportedly gone completely mad. In the company of a Navy patrol boat filled with street-smart kids, a surfing-obsessed Air Cavalry officer (Robert Duvall), and a crazed freelance photographer (Dennis Hopper), Willard travels further and further into the heart of darkness.

Scream
1996 111mins USA (18) Horror / Comedy
Directed by Wes Craven Starring Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Drew Barrymore, Matthew Lillard, Neve Campbell, Rose McGowan

Wes Craven re-invented and revitalised the slasher-horror genre with this modern horror classic, which manages to be funny, clever and scary, as a fright-masked knife maniac stalks high-school students in middle-class suburbia. Craven is happy to provide both tension and self-parody as the body count mounts - but the victims aren't always the ones you'd expect.

Scream 2
1997 122mins USA (18) Horror / Comedy
Directed by Wes Craven Starring Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Jada Pinkett Smith, Neve Campbell

Sydney (Neve Campbell) and tabloid reporter Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) survived the events of the first "Scream," but their nightmare isn't over. When two college students are murdered at a sneak preview of "Stab," a movie based on the events from the first film, it's clear a copycat killer is on the loose. Sydney and Gail, as well as fellow survivors Deputy Dewey (David Arquette) and Randy (Jamie Kennedy) have to find out who is behind this new murder spree, before they all end up dead.

Possession
1981 124mins France, West Germany (18) Horror
Directed by Andrzej Zulawski Starring Sam Neill, Isabelle Adjani, Margit Carstensen, Sam Neil

After Anna (Isabelle Adjani) reveals to her husband, Mark (Sam Neill), that she is having an affair, she leaves him and their son. Mark is devastated, and seeks out Heinrich (Heinz Bennent), the man who cuckolded him, only to receive a beating. After a series of violent confrontations between Mark and Anna, Mark hires a private investigator to follow her. Anna descends into madness, and it's soon clear that she is hiding a much bigger secret -- one that is both inexplicable and shocking.

Psycho
1960 108mins USA (15) Horror
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock Starring Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles

Phoenix secretary Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), on the lam after stealing $40,000 from her employer in order to run away with her boyfriend, Sam Loomis (John Gavin), is overcome by exhaustion during a heavy rainstorm. Traveling on the back roads to avoid the police, she stops for the night at the ramshackle Bates Motel and meets the polite but highly strung proprietor Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), a young man with an interest in taxidermy and a difficult relationship with his mother.

Zodiac
2007 157mins USA (15) Thriller / Mystery
Directed by David Fincher Starring Robert Downey Jr., Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Chloe Sevigny, Anthony Edwards

In the late 1960s and 1970s, fear grips the city of San Francisco as a serial killer called Zodiac stalks its residents. Investigators (Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards) and reporters (Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr.) become obsessed with learning the killer's identity and bringing him to justice. Meanwhile, Zodiac claims victim after victim and taunts the authorities with cryptic messages, cyphers and menacing phone calls.

Nosferatu
1922 94mins Germany (PG) Horror
Directed by F.W. Murnau Starring Alexander Granach, Gustav von Wangenheim, Max Schreck

This performance will feature a live score performed by Hugo Max.

"I first saw Murnau’s Symphony of Horror when I was nine years old. The film’s expressionistic images continue to haunt me, the chiaroscuro compositions tapping vividly into timeless subconscious fears.

My improvisations on viola and piano draw inspiration from the leitmotifs and sound effects of 70s horror soundtracks and the languages of Second Viennese School composers contemporary to Murnau, also Jewish Traditional Music that informs my personal approach to creating a score for the film." - Hugo Max

Please view this YouTube video for a sample of Hugo's work.


Photo Credit - Richard Ecclestone

An iconic film of the German expressionist cinema, and one of the most famous of all silent movies, F. W. Murnau's Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror continues to haunt — and, indeed, terrify — modern audiences with the unshakable power of its images. By teasing a host of occult atmospherics out of dilapidated set-pieces and innocuous real-world locations alike, Murnau captured on celluloid the deeply-rooted elements of a waking nightmare, and launched the signature "Murnau-style" that would change cinema history forever.

In this first-ever screen adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula, a simple real-estate transaction leads an intrepid businessman deep into the superstitious heart of Transylvania. There he encounters the otherworldly Count Orlok — portrayed by the legendary Max Schreck, in a performance the very backstory of which has spawned its own mythology — who soon after embarks upon a cross-continental voyage to take up residence in a distant new land... and establish his ambiguous dominion. As to whether the count's campaign against the plague-wracked populace erupts from satanic decree, erotic compulsion, or the simple impulse of survival — that remains, perhaps, the greatest mystery of all in this film that's like a blackout...

Paris, Texas
1984 145mins France, Germany, UK, USA, West Germany (12A) Drama
Directed by Wim Wenders Starring Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell

A disheveled man who wanders out of the desert, Travis Henderson (Harry Dean Stanton) seems to have no idea who he is. When a stranger manages to contact his brother, Walt (Dean Stockwell), Travis is awkwardly reunited with his sibling. Travis has been missing for years, and his presence unsettles Walt and his family, which also includes Travis's own son, Hunter (Hunter Carson). Soon Travis must confront his wife, Jane (Nastassja Kinski), and try to put his life back together.

In The Mood For Love
2000 98mins Hong Kong (PG) Romance
Directed by Wong Kar Wai Starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Maggie Cheung, Rebecca Pan, Lai Chen, Paulyn Sun

In 1962 Hong Kong, neighbors Su Li-zhen (Mrs. Chan) and Chow Mo-wan (Mr. Chow) discover their spouses are having an affair. As they spend time together, they develop feelings for each other, but their relationship remains chaste and unspoken, reflecting societal constraints and their own moral compass.

The Exorcist (Extended Cut)
1973 132mins USA (18) Horror
Directed by William Friedkin Starring Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Max von Sydow

One of the most profitable horror movies ever made, this tale of an exorcism is based loosely on actual events. When young Regan (Linda Blair) starts acting odd -- levitating, speaking in tongues -- her worried mother (Ellen Burstyn) seeks medical help, only to hit a dead end. A local priest (Jason Miller), however, thinks the girl may be seized by the devil. The priest makes a request to perform an exorcism, and the church sends in an expert (Max von Sydow) to help with the difficult job.

A Nightmare On Elm Street
1984 89mins USA (15) Horror
Directed by Wes Craven Starring Johnny Depp, Heather Langenkamp, Robert Englund

In Wes Craven's classic slasher film, several Midwestern teenagers fall prey to Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), a disfigured midnight mangler who preys on the teenagers in their dreams -- which, in turn, kills them in reality. After investigating the phenomenon, Nancy (Heather Langenkamp) begins to suspect that a dark secret kept by her and her friends' parents may be the key to unraveling the mystery, but can Nancy and her boyfriend Glen (Johnny Depp) solve the puzzle before it's too late?

Barry Lyndon
1975 185mins UK, USA (12A) Drama
Directed by Stanley Kubrick Starring Ryan O'Neal, Patrick Magee, Marisa Berenson

Stanley Kubrick bent the conventions of the historical drama to his own will in this dazzling vision of a pitiless aristocracy, adapted from a novel by William Makepeace Thackeray. In picaresque detail, Barry Lyndon chronicles the adventures of an incorrigible trickster (Ryan O’Neal) whose opportunism takes him from an Irish farm to the battlefields of the Seven Years’ War and the parlours of high society. For the most sumptuously crafted film of his career, Kubrick recreated the decadent surfaces and intricate social codes of the period, evoking the light and texture of eighteenth-century painting with the help of pioneering cinematographic techniques and lavish costume and production design, all of which earned Academy Awards. The result is a masterpiece—a sardonic, devastating portrait of a vanishing world whose opulence conceals the moral vacancy at its heart.

Please Note: The film will be presented with a short 5min intermission. 

Night of the Living Dead (1968)
1968 96mins USA (15) Horror
Directed by George A. Romero Starring Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea, Karl Hardman

New 4K Restoration!

A disparate group of individuals takes refuge in an abandoned house when corpses begin to leave the graveyard in search of fresh human bodies to devour. The pragmatic Ben (Duane Jones) does his best to control the situation, but when the re-animated bodies surround the house, the other survivors begin to panic. As any semblance of order within the group begins to dissipate, the zombies start to find ways inside. One by one, the living humans become the prey of the deceased ones.

"Night of the Living Dead was restored by the Museum of Modern Art and The Film Foundation, with funding provided by the George Lucas Family Foundation and the Celeste Bartos Preservation Fund."

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Live Score)
1920 77mins Germany (U) Horror
Directed by Robert Wiene Starring Conrad Veidt, Friedrich Fehér, Hans Heinz v. Twardowski, Lil Dagover, Rudolf Lettinger, Werner Krauss

This performance will feature a live score performed by Hugo Max

The rich timbre of the viola perfectly captures the aura of Robert Wiene's The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. My improvisations translate the film's angular painted shadows into unnerving melodies inspired by musical techniques that were evolving during the 1920s. The nefarious showmanship of Caligari invites theatrical and macabre sounds, in contrast with ghostly gestures evoking ‘the somnambulist' who is compelled to act against his will.


THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI : One of the most iconic masterpieces in cinema history, Robert Wiene's Das Cabinet des Dr Caligari shook filmgoers worldwide and changed the direction of the art form. Now presented in a definitive restoration, the film's chilling, radically expressionist vision is set to grip viewers again.

At a local carnival in a small German town, hypnotist Dr. Caligari presents the somnambulist Cesare, who can purportedly predict the future of curious fairgoers. But at night, the doctor wakes Cesare from his sleep to enact his evil bidding…

Incalculably influential, the film's nightmarishly jagged sets, sinister atmospheric and psychological emphasis left an immediate impact in its wake (horror, film noir, and gothic cinema would all be shaped directly by it).

Vampyr
1932 75mins France, Germany (PG) Gothic Horror
Directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer Starring Julian West, Maurice Schutz, Rena Mandel, Jan Hieronimko

After Allan Gray (Julian West) rents a room near Courtempierre in France, strange events unfold: An elderly man leaves a packet on Gray's table, and shadows that are seemingly alive lead him toward a castle. At a nearby manor, he witnesses the same man being murdered and gradually learns about the curse of the Vampyr. As Gray faces the horrors of the castle, he attempts to save the victim's daughters -- one of whom, Léone (Jan Hieronimko), has fallen ill after mysteriously being bitten.

Dracula (1931)
1931 74mins USA (PG) Horror
Directed by Karl Freund|Tod Browning Starring Bela Lugosi, David Manners, Helen Chandler

The dashing, mysterious Count Dracula (Bela Lugosi), after hypnotizing a British soldier, Renfield (Dwight Frye), into his mindless slave, travels to London and takes up residence in an old castle. Soon Dracula begins to wreak havoc, sucking the blood of young women and turning them into vampires. When he sets his sights on Mina (Helen Chandler), the daughter of a prominent doctor, vampire-hunter Van Helsing (Edward Van Sloan) is enlisted to put a stop to the count's never-ending bloodlust.

2001 : A Space Odyssey
1968 160mins UK, USA (U) Science Fiction
Directed by Stanley Kubrick Starring Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester

Warner Bros. Pictures present an ‘unrestored’ 70mm print of the director’s groundbreaking science fiction epic!


"For the first time since the original release, this 70mm print was struck from new printing elements made from the original camera negative. This is a true photochemical film recreation. There are no digital tricks, remastered effects, or revisionist edits. This is the unrestored film - that recreates the cinematic event that audiences experienced fifty years ago." - Christopher Nolan


Stanley Kubrick’s dazzling, Academy Award®-winning* achievement is a compelling drama of man vs. machine, a stunning meld of music and motion. Kubrick (who co-wrote the screenplay with Arthur C. Clarke) first visits our prehistoric ape-ancestry past, then leaps millennia (via one of the most mind-blowing jump cuts ever) into colonized space, and ultimately whisks astronaut Bowman (Keir Dullea) into uncharted space, perhaps even into immortality. “Open the pod bay doors, HAL.” Let an awesome journey unlike any other begin.


Please Note: Our 70mm screenings of '2001: A Space Odyssey' follow a partictular presentation procedure;

- Overture (3mins / Music)

- 1st half of feature (86mins)

- * Intermission* (usually 10 for quieter shows, can be 20mins for busier ones)

- Entracte (2mins / Music)

- 2nd half of feature (54mins)

- Exit (5mins / Music)


- Total time; approx 170mins (though this is dependent on Intermission length)


Bram Stoker's Dracula
1992 127mins USA (18) Horror
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola Starring Anthony Hopkins, Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder

Count Dracula, a 15th-century prince, is condemned to live off the blood of the living for eternity. Young lawyer Jonathan Harker is sent to Dracula's castle to finalise a land deal, but when the Count sees a photo of Harker's fiancée, Mina, the spitting image of his dead wife, he imprisons him and sets off for London to track her down.

The Godfather
1972 175mins USA (15) Crime
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola Starring Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Richard Castellano

Widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, this mob drama, based on Mario Puzo's novel of the same name, focuses on the powerful Italian-American crime family of Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando). When the don's youngest son, Michael (Al Pacino), reluctantly joins the Mafia, he becomes involved in the inevitable cycle of violence and betrayal. Although Michael tries to maintain a normal relationship with his wife, Kay (Diane Keaton), he is drawn deeper into the family business.

Kwaidan
1964 183mins Japan (PG) Horror
Directed by Masaki Kobayashi Starring Michiyo Aratama, Misako Watanabe, Rentaro Mikuni

Taking its title from an archaic Japanese word meaning "ghost story," this anthology adapts four folk tales. A penniless samurai marries for money with tragic results. A man stranded in a blizzard is saved by Yuki the Snow Maiden, but his rescue comes at a cost. Blind musician Hoichi is forced to perform for an audience of ghosts. An author relates the story of a samurai who sees another warrior's reflection in his teacup.

An American Werewolf in London
1981 97mins UK, USA (15) Horror / Comedy
Directed by John Landis Starring David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, Griffin Dunne

David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne), two American college students, are backpacking through Britain when a large wolf attacks them. David survives with a bite, but Jack is brutally killed. As David heals in the hospital, he's plagued by violent nightmares of his mutilated friend, who warns David that he is becoming a werewolf. When David discovers the horrible truth, he contemplates committing suicide before the next full moon causes him to transform from man to murderous beast.

Jaws
1975 125mins USA (12A) Horror
Directed by Steven Spielberg Starring Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw, Roy Scheider

When the seaside community of Amity finds itself under attack by a dangerous great white shark, the town's chief of police, a young marine biologist, and a grizzled hunter embark on a desperate quest to destroy the beast before it strikes again.

There Will Be Blood
2007 158mins USA (15) Thriller / Western
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Ciarán Hinds

Ruthless silver miner, turned oil prospector, Daniel Plainview moves to oil-rich California. Using his adopted son HW to project a trustworthy, family-man image, Plainview cons local landowners into selling him their valuable properties for a pittance. However, local preacher Eli Sunday suspects Plainviews motives and intentions, starting a slow-burning feud that threatens both their lives.
 

Eraserhead
1977 89mins USA (18) Mind F**k
Directed by David Lynch Starring Allen Joseph, Charlotte Stewart, Jack Nance

First time father Henry Spencer tries to survive his industrial environment, his angry girlfriend, and the unbearable screams of his newly born mutant child. David Lynch arrived on the scene in 1977, almost like a mystical UFO gracing the landscape of LA with its enigmatic radiance. His inaugural work, "Eraserhead" (1977), stood out as a cinematic anomaly, painting a surreal narrative of a young man navigating a dystopian, industrialized America, grappling not only with his tumultuous home life but also contending with an irate girlfriend and a mutant child.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
2007 160mins Canada, UK, USA (15) Western / Crime
Directed by Andrew Dominik Starring Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Shepard

Infamous and unpredictable, Jesse James (Brad Pitt), nicknamed the fastest gun in the west, plans his next big heist while he launches pre-emptive strikes against those looking to collect the reward the law has placed on his head. Jesse's newest recruits, Robert (Casey Affleck) and Charley Ford (Sam Rockwell), grow increasingly jealous of the outlaw. When they sense an opportunity to kill Jesse, they gun him down, but their actions backfire when Jesse's fame is elevated to near mythical status.

The Red Shoes
1948 135mins UK (PG) Musical / Romance
Directed by Emeric Pressburger|Michael Powell Starring Anton Walbrook, Marius Goring, Moira Shearer

In this classic drama, Vicky Page (Moira Shearer) is an aspiring ballerina torn between her dedication to dance and her desire to love. While her imperious instructor, Boris Lermontov (Anton Walbrook), urges to her to forget anything but ballet, Vicky begins to fall for the charming young composer Julian Craster (Marius Goring). Eventually Vicky, under great emotional stress, must choose to pursue either her art or her romance, a decision that carries serious consequences.

The Silence of the Lambs
1991 119mins USA (15) Horror / Thriller
Directed by Jonathan Demme Starring Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster, Lawrence A. Bonney

Jodie Foster stars as Clarice Starling, a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out.

Double Indemnity
1944 107mins USA (PG) Film Noir
Directed by Billy Wilder Starring Barbara St, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, Fred MacMurray

In this classic film noir, insurance salesman Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) gets roped into a murderous scheme when he falls for the sensual Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck), who is intent on killing her husband (Tom Powers) and living off the fraudulent accidental death claim. Prompted by the late Mr. Dietrichson's daughter, Lola (Jean Heather), insurance investigator Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson) looks into the case, and gradually begins to uncover the sinister truth.

Nashville
1975 160mins USA (15) Musical
Directed by Robert Altman Starring Karen Black, Keith Carradine, Ronee Blakley

In this acclaimed Robert Altman drama, the lives of numerous people in the Tennessee capital intersect in unpredictable ways. Delbert Reese (Ned Beatty) is a lawyer and political organizer who is having difficulties in his marriage to Linnea (Lily Tomlin), a gospel vocalist. Other performers heavily featured in this renowned ensemble production include country singers Barbara Jean (Ronee Blakley) and Connie White (Karen Black), who are rivals in the city's thriving music scene.

Solaris (1972)
1972 167mins Soviet Union (12A) Science Fiction
Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky Starring Donatas Banionis, Jüri Järvet, Natalya Bondarchuk

A psychologist is sent to a station orbiting a distant planet in order to discover what has caused the crew to go insane.

Stalker
1979 161mins Soviet Union (PG) Science Fiction
Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky Starring Aleksandr Kaydanovskiy, Alisa Freyndlikh, Anatoliy Solonitsyn

In an unnamed country at an unspecified time, there is a fiercely protected post-apocalyptic wasteland known as The Zone. An illegal guide (Aleksandr Kajdanovsky), whose mutant child suggests unspeakable horrors within The Zone, leads a writer (Anatoliy Solonitsyn) and a scientist (Nikolay Grinko) into the heart of the devastation in search of a mythical place known only as The Room. Anyone who enters The Room will supposedly have any of his earthly desires immediately fulfilled.

Casablanca
1942 102mins USA (U) Romance
Directed by Michael Curtiz Starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid

Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), who owns a nightclub in Casablanca, discovers his old flame Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) is in town with her husband, Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid). Laszlo is a famed rebel, and with Germans on his tail, Ilsa knows Rick can help them get out of the country.

E.T. The Extra Terrestrial
1982 114mins USA (U) Sci-Fi / Adventure
Directed by Steven Spielberg Starring Drew Barrymore, Henry Thomas, Peter Coyote

After a gentle alien becomes stranded on Earth, the being is discovered and befriended by a young boy named Elliott (Henry Thomas). Bringing the extraterrestrial into his suburban California house, Elliott introduces E.T., as the alien is dubbed, to his brother and his little sister, Gertie (Drew Barrymore), and the children decide to keep its existence a secret. Soon, however, E.T. falls ill, resulting in government intervention and a dire situation for both Elliott and the alien.

Blade Runner : The Final Cut
1982 118mins USA (15) Science Fiction
Directed by Ridley Scott Starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young

Deckard (Harrison Ford) is forced by the police Boss (M. Emmet Walsh) to continue his old job as Replicant Hunter. His assignment: eliminate four escaped Replicants from the colonies who have returned to Earth. Before starting the job, Deckard goes to the Tyrell Corporation and he meets Rachel (Sean Young), a Replicant girl he falls in love with.

Matilda
98mins (PG) Family / Comedy
Directed by Danny DeVito Starring Mara Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman

Matilda Wormwood is an exquisite and intelligent little girl. Unfortunately, her parents, Harry and Zinnia misunderstand her because they think she is so different. As time passes, she finally starts school and has a kind teacher, loyal friends, and a sadistic headmistress. As she gets fed up with the constant cruelty, she begins to realize that she has a gift of telekinetic powers. After some days of practice, she suddenly turns the tables to stand up to Harry and Zinnia and outwit the headmistress.

Yi Yi
2000 173mins Taiwan (15) Drama
Directed by Edward Yang Starring Wu Nien-jen, Elaine Jin, Issey Ogata, Kelly Lee, Jonathan Chang, Hsi-Sheng Chen, Su-Yun Ko, Lawrence Ko

The extraordinary, internationally embraced Yi Yi (A One and a Two . . .), directed by the late Taiwanese master Edward Yang, follows a middle-class family in Taipei over the course of one year, beginning with a wedding and ending with a funeral. Whether chronicling middle-age father NJ’s tentative flirtations with an old flame or precocious young son Yang-Yang’s attempts at capturing reality with his beloved camera, the filmmaker deftly imbues every gorgeous frame with a compassionate clarity. Warm, sprawling, and dazzling, this intimate epic is one of the undisputed masterworks of the new century.

4K digital restoration carried out by Pony Canyon Inc., with analog and digital processes provided by Imagica Entertainment Media Services, Inc.

Cinema Paradiso [Nuovo Cinema Paradiso]
1988 124mins Italy (12A) Drama
Directed by Giuseppe Tornatore Starring Antonella Attili, Enzo Cannavale, Philippe Noiret

A winner of awards across the world including Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, 5 BAFTA Awards including Best Actor, Original Screenplay and Score, the Grand Prize of the Jury at the Cannes Film Festival and many more.

Giuseppe Tornatore's loving homage to the cinema tells the story of Salvatore, a successful film director, returning home for the funeral of Alfredo, his old friend who was the projectionist at the local cinema throughout his childhood. Soon memories of his first love affair with the beautiful Elena and all the highs and lows that shaped his life come flooding back, as Salvatore reconnects with the community he left 30 years earlier.

Night of the Juggler
1980 101mins USA (18) Crime / Thriller
Directed by Robert Butler Starring James Brolin, Cliff Gorman, Richard S. Castellano

UK Premiere of Night of The Juggler, showing from a new 4K restoration courtesy of Transmission. 

A young girl is kidnapped in broad daylight in Central Park by a murderous psychopath (Cliff Gorman, All That Jazz), who plans to demand a huge ransom for her return, mistakenly believing she is the daughter of a wealthy property developer. Unfortunately for him, she’s actually the daughter of Sean Boyd (James Brolin, True Grit), a devoted dad and grizzled ex-cop who will stop at absolutely nothing to get her back, even if it means taking out the kidnapper, his enemies in the NYPD, and the entire scuzzy underworld populating the mean streets of 1970s New York…

Adapted from a novel by William P. McGivern (The Big HeatOdds Against Tomorrow) and directed by Sidney J Furie (The Ipcress File) and Robert Butler (Turbulence), Night of the Juggler is a relentless, adrenaline packed crime thriller, combining staggering action-packed chase sequences, incredible photography (Victor J. Kemper, Dog Dag Afternoon) of the mean streets of 1970s New York at the peak of its notorious ‘Fear City’ era, and a superlative cast of supporting character actors, including Dan Hedaya, Mandy Patinkin, Richard S. Castellano, Barton Heyman and Julie Carmen.

Long unavailable on home video formats, Transmission is proud to present an all time cult classic restored in glorious 4K - presented on cinema screens in London for the first time ever. Link to 4K Blu-Ray Pre-order!

The Princess Bride
1987 98mins USA (PG) Romance/Comedy
Directed by Rob Reiner Starring Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Robin Wright

A fairy tale adventure about a beautiful young woman and her one true love. He must find her after a long separation and save her. They must battle the evils of the mythical kingdom of Florin to be reunited with each other.

Taxi Driver
1976 113mins USA (18) Crime
Directed by Martin Scorsese Starring Robert De Niro, Albert Brooks, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd

Suffering from insomnia, disturbed loner Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) takes a job as a New York City cabbie, haunting the streets nightly, growing increasingly detached from reality as he dreams of cleaning up the filthy city. When Travis meets pretty campaign worker Betsy (Cybill Shepherd), he becomes obsessed with the idea of saving the world, first plotting to assassinate a presidential candidate, then directing his attentions toward rescuing 12-year-old prostitute Iris (Jodie Foster).

Tampopo
1985 114mins Japan (15) Comedy / Western
Directed by Jûzô Itami Starring Ken Watanabe, Nobuko Miyamoto, Tsutomu Yamazaki

The tale of an eccentric band of culinary ronin who guide the widow of a noodle-shop owner on her quest for the perfect recipe, this rapturous “ramen western” by Japanese director Juzo Itami is an entertaining, genre-bending adventure underpinned by a deft satire of the way social conventions distort the most natural of human urges—our appetites. Interspersing the efforts of Tampopo (Nobuko Miyamoto) and friends to make her café a success with the erotic exploits of a gastronome gangster and glimpses of food culture both high and low, the sweet, sexy, and surreal Tampopo is a lavishly inclusive paean to the sensual joys of nourishment, and one of the most mouthwatering examples of food on film ever made.

Misery
1990 107mins USA (18) Horror / Thriller
Directed by Rob Reiner Starring James Caan, Richard Farnsworth, Frances Sternhagen, Lauren Bacall, Kathy Bates, Graham Jarvis

After a serious car crash, novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan) is rescued by former nurse Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), who claims to be his biggest fan. Annie brings him to her remote cabin to recover, where her obsession takes a dark turn when she discovers Sheldon is killing off her favorite character from his novels. As Sheldon devises plans for escape, Annie grows increasingly controlling, even violent, as she forces the author to shape his writing to suit her twisted fantasies.

Playtime
1967 123mins France, Italy (PG) Comedy Genius
Directed by Jacques Tati Starring Barbara Dennek, Jacques Tati, Rita Maiden

Clumsy Monsieur Hulot (Jacques Tati) finds himself perplexed by the intimidating complexity of a gadget-filled Paris. He attempts to meet with a business contact but soon becomes lost. His roundabout journey parallels that of an American tourist (Barbara Dennek), and as they weave through the inventive urban environment, they intermittently meet, developing an interest in one another. They eventually get together at a chaotic restaurant, along with several other quirky characters.

Woman In The Dunes
1965 127mins Japan (15) Psychological Thriller
Directed by Hiroshi Teshigahara Starring Eiji Okada, Kyoko Kishida

An entomologist misses the last bus home and spends the night sharing a young widow’s desert shack, only to find the next morning that he’s unable to leave. He soon becomes psychologically and erotically entangled in her strange existence, which includes a daily ritual of shovelling away endlessly drifting sand. 

Winner of a Special Jury Prize at Cannes in 1964 and nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Foreign Film and Best Director, the film combines an extremely erotic drama with a terrifically gripping thriller. Adapted from Kobe Abe’s novel by acclaimed director Hiroshi Teshigahara, the film also features startling high-contrast black and white photography from Hiroshi Segawa and a superb minimalist score by Toru Takemitsu.

Memories of Murder [Salinui chueok]
2003 132mins South Korea (15) Crime / Thriller
Directed by Bong Joon Ho Starring Kang-ho Song, Roe-ha Kim, Sang-kyung Kim

In 1986, Park (Song Kang-ho) and Cho (Kim Roi-ha) are two simple-minded detectives assigned to a double murder investigation in a South Korean province. But when the murderer strikes several more times with the same pattern, the detectives realize that they are chasing the country's first documented serial killer. Relying on only their basic skills and tools, Park and Jo attempt to piece together the clues and solve the case in this thriller based on true events.

Singin' in the Rain
1952 103mins USA (U) Musical / Comedy
Directed by Gene Kelly|Stanley Donen Starring Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor, Gene Kelly

When the transition is being made from silent films to `talkies', everyone has trouble adapting. Don and Lina have been cast repeatedly as a romantic couple, but when their latest film is remade into a musical, only Don has the voice for the new singing part. After a lot of practise with a diction coach, Lina still sounds terrible, and Kathy, a bright young aspiring actress, is hired to record over her voice.

Seven Samurai [Shichinin no samurai]
1954 207mins Japan (PG) Western
Directed by Akira Kurosawa Starring Toshi, Keiko Tsushima, Takashi Shimura, Toshirô Mifune

Farmers from a village exploited by bandits hire a veteran samurai for protection, who gathers six other samurai to join him.

Badlands
1973 94mins USA (15) Crime / Romance
Directed by Terrence Malick Starring Sissy Spacek, Martin Sheen, Warren Oates

Badlands announced the arrival of a major talent: Terrence Malick. His impressionistic take on the notorious Charles Starkweather killing spree of the late 1950s uses a serial-killer narrative as a springboard for an oblique teenage romance, lovingly and idiosyncratically enacted by Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek. The film introduced many of the elements that would earn Malick his passionate following: the enigmatic approach to narrative and character, the unusual use of voice-over, the juxtaposition of human violence with natural beauty, the poetic investigation of American dreams and nightmares. This debut has spawned countless imitations, but none have equaled its strange sublimity.

Come and See
1985 141mins Russia (15) War / Horror
Directed by Elem Klimov Starring Aleksei Kravchenko, Olga Mironova

This widely acclaimed film from Soviet director Elem Klimov is a stunning, senses-shattering plunge into the dehumanizing horrors of war. As Nazi forces encroach on his small village in present-day Belarus, teenage Flyora (Aleksei Kravchenko, in one of the screen’s most searing depictions of anguish since Renée Falconetti’s Joan of Arc) eagerly joins the Soviet resistance. Rather than the adventure and glory he envisioned, what he finds is a waking nightmare of unimaginable carnage and cruelty—rendered with a feverish, otherworldly intensity by Klimov’s subjective camerawork and expressionistic sound design. Nearly suppressed by Soviet censors who took eight years to approve its script, Come and See is perhaps the most visceral, impossible-to-forget antiwar film ever made.

Full Metal Jacket
1987 116mins UK, USA (18) War
Directed by Stanley Kubrick Starring Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey, Vincent D'Onofrio

A pragmatic U.S. Marine observes the dehumanizing effects the Vietnam War has on his fellow recruits from their brutal boot camp training to the bloody street fighting in Hue.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo)
1966 180mins Italy, Spain, USA, West Germany (18) Western
Directed by Sergio Leone Starring Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee Van Cleef

While the Civil War rages on between the Union and the Confederacy, three men – a quiet loner, a ruthless hitman, and a Mexican bandit – comb the American Southwest in search of a strongbox containing $200,000 in stolen gold.

The Muppet Christmas Carol
1992 89mins USA (U) Musical / Comedy
Directed by Brian Henson Starring Dave Goelz, Frank Oz, Meredith Braun, Michael Caine, Steve Whitmire

'Tis the season for love, laughter, and one of the most cherished stories of all time! Join Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and all the hilarious Muppets in this merry, magical version of Charles Dickens' classic tale. Academy Award® winner Michael Caine (Best Supporting Actor) gives a performance that's anything but "bah, humbug!" as greedy, penny-pinching Ebenezer Scrooge. One fateful Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. Together with kind, humble Bob Cratchit (Kermit the Frog) and his family, the Spirits open Scrooge's eyes -- and his heart -- to the true meaning of Christmas. Filled with original music and dazzling special effects, THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL will become a holiday tradition your family will treasure all the days of the year.

Featuring the film’s famous long-lost song ‘When Love is Gone’!

------

As always you can expect SING ALONG performances of this new version of THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL this Christmas - and now we don't need to pretend that we weren't going to just play the lost scene regardless! Performances will feature a Hosted Pre-Show with our very own Father Christmas, where you will be prepped on what to do throughout the film. Costumes aren't mandatory, but 'Tis the season, and we love seeing you dressed up in your favourite Christmas Jumpers! All this, and a few more surprises up our sleeves, makes this one of the must-see events this Christmas!

If you're wanting to Sing Along with The Muppet Christmas Carol, simply book for the performances marked SING ALONG [it's next to the start time]. All other screenings will be regular performances, and nothing will be written next to the start time. 

It's A Wonderful Life
1946 130mins USA (U) Family/Drama
Directed by Frank Capra Starring Donna Reed, James Stewart, Lionel Barrymore

Screenings from both 35mm and Digital. 35mm performances will be noted next to the time. If there is no note next to the time, the performance is Digital.

Beset with personal and professional problems, George Bailey finds his previously happy life falling apart around him on Christmas Eve. Seeing no way out, George considers suicide from the edge of a bridge ­ but Clarence, his guardian angel, intervenes and shows George what his beloved hometown of Bedford Falls would be like without him. 
 

Rear Window
1954 111mins USA (PG) Thriller / Mystery
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock Starring Grace Kelly, James Stewart, Wendell Corey

A wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his Greenwich Village courtyard apartment window and, despite the skepticism of his fashion-model girlfriend, becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.

Die Hard [is a Christmas Movie]
1988 131mins USA (15) Christmas / Action
Directed by John McTiernan Starring Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, Bruce Willis

New York City policeman John McClane (Bruce Willis) is visiting his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) and two daughters on Christmas Eve. He joins her at a holiday party in the headquarters of the Japanese-owned business she works for. But the festivities are interrupted by a group of terrorists who take over the exclusive high-rise, and everyone in it. Very soon McClane realizes that there's no one to save the hostages -- but him.

The Nightmare Before Christmas
1993 73mins USA (PG) Animated / Musical
Directed by Henry Selick Starring Catherine O'Hara, Chris Sarandon, Danny Elfman

The film follows the misadventures of Jack Skellington, Halloweentown's beloved pumpkin king, who has become bored with the same annual routine of frightening people in the "real world." When Jack accidentally stumbles on Christmastown, all bright colors and warm spirits, he gets a new lease on life -- he plots to bring Christmas under his control by kidnapping Santa Claus and taking over the role. But Jack soon discovers even the best-laid plans of mice and skeleton men can go seriously awry.

Interstellar
2014 168mins USA (12A) Science Fiction
Directed by Christopher Nolan Starring Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Matthew McConaughey

In Earth's future, a global crop blight and second Dust Bowl are slowly rendering the planet uninhabitable. Professor Brand (Michael Caine), a brilliant NASA physicist, is working on plans to save mankind by transporting Earth's population to a new home via a wormhole. But first, Brand must send former NASA pilot Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) and a team of researchers through the wormhole and across the galaxy to find out which of three planets could be mankind's new home.

The Holy Mountain
1973 115mins Mexico (18) Mind F**k
Directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky Starring Alejandro Jodorowsky, Horacio Salinas, Zamira Saunders

In a corrupt, greed-fueled world, a powerful alchemist leads a messianic character and seven materialistic figures to the Holy Mountain, where they hope to achieve enlightenment.

The Shop Around the Corner
1940 98mins USA (U) Romance/Comedy
Directed by Ernst Lubitsch Starring Frank Morgan, James Stewart, Margaret Sullavan

Alfred Kralik (James Stewart) and Klara Novak (Margaret Sullavan) are employees at Matuschek and Company, a general store in Budapest. Klara and Alfred are constantly at odds with each other, butting heads and disagreeing on almost everything. Both are enamored of their respective pen pals, who serve as welcome distractions in their lives. Little do they know, they are each the other's pen pal and, despite outward differences, have unwittingly fallen in love through their letters.

The French Connection
1971 104mins USA (18) Neo Noir
Directed by William Friedkin Starring Roy Scheider, Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey

New York Detective "Popeye" Doyle (Gene Hackman) and his partner (Roy Scheider) chase a French heroin smuggler.

The Silent Partner
1978 103mins USA (18) Neo Noir
Directed by Daryl Duke Starring Christopher Plummer, Elliott Gould, Susannah York

A masterpiece of cunning and suspense… Miles Cullen (Elliott Gould, The Long Goodbye) discovers how interesting life can be when he is transformed from mild-mannered bank teller into daring, ingenious bank robber in a matter of seconds. Held up at the bank by the criminal Reikle (Christopher Plummer, Ordeal by Innocence), Miles manages to stash most of the money in a deposit box first. When Reikle realizes he’s been shortchanged, he plans to take revenge—and a great battle of wits ensues.

To keep the money, Miles reaches new heights of courage, seducing the robber’s girlfriend (Céline Lomez, Plague) and his boss’s mistress (Susannah York, The Killing of Sister George). Filled with equal parts intrigue, romance and unexpected twists, this chilling psychological thriller also features comedy legend John Candy (Delirious) in an early film role. The screenplay by future filmmaker extraordinaire Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential) was based on the book Think of a Number by Anders Bodelsen. Wonderfully directed by Daryl Duke (Payday).

Eyes Wide Shut
1999 159mins UK, USA (18) Thriller / Mystery
Directed by Stanley Kubrick Starring Nicole Kidman, Sydney Pollack, Todd Field, Tom Cruise

Stanley Kubrick's daring last film is many things. It is a compelling psychosexual journey. A haunting dreamscape. A riveting tale of suspense. A major milestone in the careers of stars Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. And "a worthy final chapter to a great director's career" (Roger Ebert).

Cruise plays Dr William Hartford, who plunges into an erotic foray that threatens his marriage - and may even ensnare him in a lurid murder mystery - after his wife's (Kidman) admission of sexual longings. As the story sweeps from doubt and fear to self-discovery and reconciliation, Kubrick orchestrates it with masterful flourishes. Graceful tracking shots, controlled pacing, rich colours, startling images: bravura traits that make Kubrick a filmmaker for the ages are here to keep everyone's eyes wide shut.

Home Alone
1990 103mins USA (PG) Family / Comedy
Directed by Chris Columbus Starring Catherine O'Hara, Daniel Stern, Joe Pesci, John Candy, John Heard, Macaulay Culkin

When bratty 8-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) acts out the night before a family trip to Paris, his mother (Catherine O'Hara) makes him sleep in the attic. After the McCallisters mistakenly leave for the airport without Kevin, he awakens to an empty house and assumes his wish to have no family has come true. But his excitement sours when he realizes that two con men (Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern) plan to rob the McCallister residence, and that he alone must protect the family home.

Elf
2003 97mins USA (PG) Comedy
Directed by Jon Favreau Starring Edward Asner, James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, Patrick Baynham, Will Ferrell, Zooey Deschanel

Buddy (Will Ferrell) was accidentally transported to the North Pole as a toddler and raised to adulthood among Santa's elves. Unable to shake the feeling that he doesn't fit in, the adult Buddy travels to New York, in full elf uniform, in search of his real father. As it happens, this is Walter Hobbs (James Caan), a cynical businessman. After a DNA test proves this, Walter reluctantly attempts to start a relationship with the childlike Buddy with increasingly chaotic results.

Before Sunrise
1995 101mins USA (15) Romance/Drama
Directed by Richard Linklater Starring Andrea Eckert, Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy

On his way to Vienna, American Jesse (Ethan Hawke) meets Celine (Julie Delpy), a student returning to Paris. After long conversations forge a surprising connection between them, Jesse convinces Celine to get off the train with him in Vienna. Since his flight to the U.S. departs the next morning and he has no money for lodging, they wander the city together, taking in the experiences of Vienna and each other. As the night progresses, their bond makes separating in the morning a difficult choice.

Goodfellas
1990 145mins USA (18) Crime
Directed by Martin Scorsese Starring Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco , Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro

Young Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), with his friends Jimmy (Robert De Niro) and Tommy (Joe Pesci), grows up in the mob and works very hard to advance himself through the ranks. He enjoys his life of money and luxury, but is oblivious to the horror that he causes. A drug addiction and a few mistakes ultimately unravel his climb to the top. Based on the book "Wiseguy" by Nicholas Pileggi.

The Apartment
1960 125mins USA (PG) Comedy
Directed by Billy Wilder Starring Fred MacMurray, Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine

Insurance worker C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) lends his Upper West Side apartment to company bosses to use for extramarital affairs. When his manager Mr. Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray) begins using Baxter's apartment in exchange for promoting him, Baxter is disappointed to learn that Sheldrake's mistress is Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine), the elevator girl at work whom Baxter is interested in himself. Soon Baxter must decide between the girl he loves and the advancement of his career.

American Psycho
2000 101mins Canada, USA (18) Horror
Directed by Mary Harron Starring Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe, Reese Witherspoon, Jared Leto, Justin Theroux, Josh Lucas, Chloe Sevigny

A wealthy New York investment banking executive hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he escalates deeper into his illogical, gratuitous fantasies.

Heat
1995 171mins USA (15) Crime
Directed by Michael Mann Starring Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer

A group of high-end professional thieves start to feel the heat from the LAPD when they unknowingly leave a verbal clue at their latest heist.

Original Cut from a 35mm print. 

Brief Encounter
1945 87mins UK (PG) Romance/Drama
Directed by David Lean Starring Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard, Stanley Holloway

Returning home from a shopping trip to a nearby town, bored suburban housewife Laura Jesson (Celia Johnson) is thrown by happenstance into an acquaintance with virtuous doctor Alec Harvey (Trevor Howard). Their casual friendship soon develops during their weekly visits into something more emotionally fulfilling than either expected, and they must wrestle with the potential havoc their deepening relationship would have on their lives and the lives of those they love.

Fargo
1996 100mins UK, USA (15) Crime/Comedy
Directed by Ethan Coen|Joel Coen Starring Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, William H. Macy

Minnesota car salesman Jerry Lundegaard's inept crime falls apart due to his and his henchmen's bungling and the persistent police work of the quite pregnant Marge Gunderson.

Gremlins
1984 106mins USA (12A) Horror / Comedy
Directed by Joe Dante Starring Hoyt Axton, Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates

A gadget salesman is looking for a special gift for his son and finds one at a store in Chinatown. The shopkeeper is reluctant to sell him the `mogwai' but sells it to him with the warning to never expose him to bright light, water, or to feed him after midnight. All of this happens and the result is a gang of gremlins that decide to tear up the town on Christmas Eve.

Superman (1978)
1978 142mins Panama, Switzerland, UK, USA (PG) Action/Adventure
Directed by Richard Donner Starring Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder, Terence Stamp

* ON SALE 12th DEC *

Just before the destruction of the planet Krypton, scientist Jor-El (Marlon Brando) sends his infant son Kal-El on a spaceship to Earth. Raised by kindly farmers Jonathan (Glenn Ford) and Martha Kent (Phyllis Thaxter), young Clark (Christopher Reeve) discovers the source of his superhuman powers and moves to Metropolis to fight evil. As Superman, he battles the villainous Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman), while, as novice reporter Clark Kent, he attempts to woo co-worker Lois Lane (Margot Kidder).

The Searchers
1956 114mins USA (U) Western
Directed by John Ford Starring John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles

In this revered Western, Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) returns home to Texas after the Civil War. When members of his brother's family are killed or abducted by Comanches, he vows to track down his surviving relatives and bring them home. Eventually, Edwards gets word that his niece Debbie (Natalie Wood) is alive, and, along with her adopted brother, Martin Pawley (Jeffrey Hunter), he embarks on a dangerous mission to find her, journeying deep into Comanche territory.

Wings of Desire [Der Himmel über Berlin]
1987 128mins France, Germany, West Germany (12A) Drama
Directed by Wim Wenders Starring Bruno Ganz, Solveig Dommartin, Otto Sander

Two angels, Damiel (Bruno Ganz) and Cassiel (Otto Sander), glide through the streets of Berlin, observing the bustling population, providing invisible rays of hope to the distressed but never interacting with them. When Damiel falls in love with lonely trapeze artist Marion (Solveig Dommartin), the angel longs to experience life in the physical world, and finds--with some words of wisdom from actor Peter Falk (playing himself) -- that it might be possible for him to take human form.

The Goonies
1985 114mins USA (12A) Adventure
Directed by Richard Donner Starring Corey Feldman, Jeff Cohen, Josh Brolin, Kerri Green, Martha Plimpton, Sean Astin

From the imagination of Steven Spielberg, The Goonies plunges a band of young heroes into a swashbuckling surprise-around-every corner quest beyond their wildest dreams!

In a harbour town under siege by greedy land developers working to turn out families, demolish a neighbourhood and turn "the Goondocks" side of town into a golf course, a group of friends who call themselves "The Goonies" rally to save their family homes. Desperate to help their parents raise enough money to stop the bank from foreclosing, The Goonies follow a mysterious old treasure map into a spectacular underground realm of twisting and treacherous passages, outrageous booby-traps and a long-lost pirate ship full of golden doubloons, gemstones and "rich stuff"! Pursued by criminals also after the hidden treasure, The Goonies race to stay one step ahead of a family of bumbling bad guys, their malevolent mama...and Sloth, a mild-mannered behemoth with a face only his mama could love.

The Goonies is from a story by Steven Spielberg, with a screenplay by Chris Columbus (Gremlins, Young Sherlock Holmes). Directed by Richard Donner and starring an ensemble cast with Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman, Jonathan Ke Quan, Martha Plimpton, and Kerri Green as The Goonies, and Robert Davi, Joe Pantoliano, Anne Ramsey, and John Matuszak as The Fratellis gang, The Goonies is a film that never says die-delighting the young and the young at heart for over three decades!

The Blues Brothers: Extended Edition
1980 148mins USA (15) Comedy
Directed by John Landis Starring Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Aretha Franklin, Carrie Fisher, James Brown

When they learn that their childhood orphanage is about to be torn down, brothers Jake and Elwood Blues set out to save it by reuniting their old R & B band for a fundraising performance.

Le Samourai
1967 105mins France, Italy (PG) Crime
Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville Starring Alain Delon, Caty Rosier, François Périer, Jacques Leroy, Michel Boisrond, Nathalie Delon

After professional hitman Jef Costello is seen by witnesses his efforts to provide himself an alibi drive him further into a corner.

Raging Bull
1980 129mins USA (15) Biography
Directed by Martin Scorsese Starring Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci, Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro teams up with director Martin Scorsese to create one of cinema's eternal masterpieces. Nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, this contemporary classic is 'ambitious, violent, poetic and lyrical' (The New York Times). De Niro turns in a powerful, Best Actor Oscar-winning performance as Jake La Motta, a boxer whose psychological and sexual complexities erupt into violence both in and out of the ring. Joe Pesci and Cathy Moriarty co-star.

Chungking Express
1994 101mins Hong Kong (12) Romance/Drama
Directed by Wong Kar Wai Starring Brigitte Lin, Faye Wong, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Valerie Chow

Every day, Cop 223 (Takeshi Kaneshiro) buys a can of pineapple with an expiration date of May 1, symbolizing the day he'll get over his lost love. He's also got his eye on a mysterious woman in a blond wig (Brigitte Lin), oblivious of the fact she's a drug dealer. Cop 663 (Tony Leung Chiu Wai) is distraught with heartbreak over a breakup. But when his ex drops a spare set of his keys at a local cafe, a waitress (Faye Wong) lets herself into his apartment and spruces up his life.

Boogie Nights
1997 156mins USA (18) Comedy / Drama
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson Starring Julianne Moore, Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds

In the San Fernando Valley in 1977, teenage busboy Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg) gets discovered by porn director Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds), who transforms him into adult-film sensation Dirk Diggler. Brought into a supportive circle of friends, including fellow actors Amber Waves (Julianne Moore), Rollergirl (Heather Graham) and Reed Rothchild (John C. Reilly), Dirk fulfills all his ambitions, but a toxic combination of drugs and egotism threatens to take him back down.

Magnolia
1999 188mins USA (18) Drama
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson Starring Jason Robards, John C. Reilly, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tom Cruise, William H. Macy

An epic mosaic of many interrelated characters in search of happiness, forgiveness, and meaning in the San Fernando Valley.

Three Days of the Condor
1975 107mins USA (15) Thriller
Directed by Sydney Pollack Starring Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson

** ON SALE 15th DEC **

On a seemingly ordinary day, Joe Turner (Robert Redford), a quiet CIA codebreaker, walks into his workplace and finds that all of his coworkers have been murdered. Horrified, Joe flees the scene and tries to tell his supervisors about the tragedy. Unfortunately, he soon learns that CIA higher-ups were involved in the murders. With no one to trust, and a merciless hit man (Max von Sydow) close on his tail, Joe must somehow survive long enough to figure out why his own agency wants him dead.

Rebecca
1940 130mins USA (PG) Mystery
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock Starring Olivier, George Sanders, Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier

Story of a young woman who marries a fascinating widower only to find out that she must live in the shadow of his former wife, Rebecca, who died mysteriously several years earlier. The young wife must come to grips with the terrible secret of her handsome, cold husband, Max De Winter (Laurence Olivier). She must also deal with the jealous, obsessed Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson), the housekeeper, who will not accept her as the mistress of the house.

Night Moves [1975]
1975 100mins USA (18) Thriller / Mystery
Directed by Arthur Penn Starring Gene Hackman, Jennifer Warren, Edward Binns

Hard-nosed private investigator Harry Moseby (Gene Hackman), to distract himself from a rapidly deteriorating marriage, takes a case from an aging B-movie queen (Janet Ward) to locate her runaway daughter, Delly (Melanie Griffith). His search takes him to the Florida Keys, where the girl has been hiding out with her stepfather, Tom (John Crawford), and Tom's lover, Paula (Jennifer Warren). Harry initiates an affair with Paula and soon learns the case is more complex than he first assessed it.

Something's Gotta Give
2003 128mins USA (12) Romance/Comedy
Directed by Nancy Meyers Starring Diane Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Keanu Reeves, Amanda Peet, Frances McDormand, Jon Favreau

** ON SALE 18th DEC **

When ageing womanizer Harry Sanborn (Jack Nicholson) and his young girlfriend, Marin (Amanda Peet), arrive at her family's beach house in the Hamptons, they find that her mother, dramatist Erica Barry (Diane Keaton), also plans to stay for the weekend. Erica is scandalized by the relationship and Harry's sexist ways. But when Harry has a heart attack, and a doctor (Keanu Reeves) prescribes bed rest at the Barry home, he finds himself falling for Erica -- who, for once, may be out of his league.

Citizen Kane
1941 120mins USA (U) Drama
Directed by Orson Welles Starring Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore

When a reporter is assigned to decipher newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane's (Orson Welles) dying words, his investigation gradually reveals the fascinating portrait of a complex man who rose from obscurity to staggering heights. Though Kane's friend and colleague Jedediah Leland (Joseph Cotten), and his mistress, Susan Alexander (Dorothy Comingore), shed fragments of light on Kane's life, the reporter fears he may never penetrate the mystery of the elusive man's final word, "Rosebud."

Trainspotting
1996 93mins UK (18) Drama
Directed by Danny Boyle Starring Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller

Heroin addict Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) stumbles through bad ideas and sobriety attempts with his unreliable friends -- Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), Begbie (Robert Carlyle), Spud (Ewen Bremner) and Tommy (Kevin McKidd). He also has an underage girlfriend, Diane (Kelly Macdonald), along for the ride. After cleaning up and moving from Edinburgh to London, Mark finds he can't escape the life he left behind when Begbie shows up at his front door on the lam, and a scheming Sick Boy follows.

BLEAK WEEK : CINEMA OF DESPAIR is co-presented by the American Cinematheque.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Wo hu cang long)
2000 120mins China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, USA (12) Action/Adventure
Directed by Ang Lee Starring Michelle Yeoh, Yun-Fat Chow, Ziyi Zhang

In 19th century Qing Dynasty China, a warrior (Chow Yun-Fat) gives his sword, Green Destiny, to his lover (Michelle Yeoh) to deliver to safe keeping, but it is stolen, and the chase is on to find it. The search leads to the House of Yu where the story takes on a whole different level.

Rashomon [Rashômon]
1950 88mins Japan (12A) Drama
Directed by Akira Kurosawa Starring Toshi, Machiko Kyo, Masayuki Mori, Toshirô Mifune

Set in feudal Japan, this film presents an intriguing tale of violent crime in the woods, told from the perspective of four different characters -- a bandit, a woman, her husband and a woodcutter. Only two things about the incident seem to be clear -- the woman was raped and her husband is now dead. However, the other elements radically differ as the four participants and/or witnesses relate their own stories (with the dead man, eerily enough, speaking through a medium). As each account is revealed, what seemed black-and-white turns to various hues of gray, leading to surprising -- and confounding -- revelations.

Pulp Fiction
1994 155mins USA (18) Crime
Directed by Quentin Tarantino Starring John Travolta, Bruce Willis, Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, Ving Rhames

Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) are hitmen with a penchant for philosophical discussions. In this ultra-hip, multi-strand crime movie, their storyline is interwoven with those of their boss, gangster Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) ; his actress wife, Mia (Uma Thurman) ; struggling boxer Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis) ; master fixer Winston Wolfe (Harvey Keitel) and a nervous pair of armed robbers, "Pumpkin" (Tim Roth) and "Honey Bunny" (Amanda Plummer).

The Vanishing (Spoorloos)
1988 106mins France, Netherlands (15) Psychological Thriller
Directed by George Sluizer Starring Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu, Gene Bervoets, Johanna ter Steege

Rex (Gene Bervoets) and Saskia (Johanna Ter Steege) are enjoying a biking holiday in France when, stopping at a gas station, Saskia disappears. Confounded, Rex searches everywhere, but to no avail. Three years later, he's still obsessed with finding her, pleading his case on television, putting up posters and ruining his new relationship in the process. Eventually an unassuming chemistry teacher, Raymond (Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu), approaches Rex, intimating that he knows what happened.

Paper Moon
1973 102mins USA (PG) Crime/Comedy
Directed by Peter Bogdanovich Starring Madeline Kahn, Ryan O'Neal, Tatum O'Neal

During the Great Depression, a con man finds himself saddled with a young girl who may or may not be his daughter, and the two forge an unlikely partnership.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
1975 134mins USA (18) Drama
Directed by Milos Forman Starring Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Brad Dourif, Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd

Adapted from Ken Kesey’s novel, the film centres on Randle McMurphy (Nicholson), a convict who simulates mental illness in the hope that a transfer to psychiatric hospital might ensure his early release. But he hasn’t bargained for the rigid regimen of Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher, also superb), who dislikes his disruptive — though he’d say liberating — effect on the ward.

Inspired casting (Danny DeVito, Brad Dourif and Christopher Lloyd are among the patients) and Forman’s naturalistic direction lend authenticity to the proceedings, so that the film succeeds both as anti-authoritarian parable and as an affecting reminder of the psychiatric practices of the past.

The Age of Innocence
1993 139mins USA (12A) Romance/Drama
Directed by Martin Scorsese Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder

Wealthy lawyer Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis) is engaged to sweet socialite May Welland (Winona Ryder) in 1870s New York. On the surface, it is a perfect match. But when May's beautiful cousin Countess Ellen Olenska (Michelle Pfeiffer), who is estranged from her brutish husband, arrives in town, Newland begins to question the meaning of passion and love as he desperately pursues a relationship with Ellen, even though she has been made a social outcast by Archer's peers.

This Is Spinal Tap
1984 87mins USA (15) Comedy
Directed by Rob Reiner Starring Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer

"This Is Spinal Tap" shines a light on the self-contained universe of a metal band struggling to get back on the charts, including everything from its complicated history of ups and downs, gold albums, name changes and undersold concert dates, along with the full host of requisite groupies, promoters, hangers-on and historians, sessions, release events and those special behind-the-scenes moments that keep it all real.

Persona
1966 85mins Sweden (15) Romance/Drama
Directed by Ingmar Bergman Starring Bibi Andersson, Liv Ullmann, Margaretha Krook

Famed stage actress Elisabeth Vogler (Liv Ullmann) suffers a moment of blankness during a performance and the next day lapses into total silence. Advised by her doctor to take time off to recover from what appears to be an emotional breakdown, Elisabeth goes to a beach house on the Baltic Sea with only Anna (Bibi Andersson), a nurse, as company. Over the next several weeks, as Anna struggles to reach her mute patient, the two women find themselves experiencing a strange emotional convergence.

Pickpocket
1959 74mins France (PG) Crime
Directed by Robert Bresson Starring Martin LaSalle, Marika Green, Jea Pélégri

Uncomplainingly jobless in late-50s Paris, Michel starts stealing from strangers, for reasons unclear even to himself. He spouts vague theories about exceptional individuals being above the law – but is he lost in another world, as Jeanne, a young woman he halfheartedly befriends, tells him?

Intentionally not a thriller but certainly not without suspense, Robert Bresson’s film is profoundly ambivalent about Michel’s ethics, sexuality (he seems aroused by his thefts), his capacity for compassion and his courtship of suspicion in others. His isolation, however, is undeniable. A riveting morality tale reminiscent of both Hitchcock and Dostoevsky, it’s imbued with the director’s distinctive rigour.

In a Lonely Place
94mins (PG) Film Noir
Directed by Nicholas Ray Starring Humphrey Bogart, Gloria Grahame, Frank Lovejoy

A screenwriter with a violent temper is a murder suspect until his lovely neighbor clears him. However, she soon starts to have her doubts.

Dreams
1990 120mins Japan, USA (PG) Fantasy
Directed by Akira Kurosawa Starring Toshi, Akira Terao, Mitsuko Baishô, Toshie Negishi

This imaginative Japanese production presents a series of short films by lauded director Akira Kurosawa. In one chapter, a young boy spies on foxes that are holding a wedding ceremony; the following installment features another youth, who witnesses a magical moment in an orchard. In the segment "Crows," an aspiring artist enters the world of a painting and encounters Vincent van Gogh (Martin Scorsese). Many of the films in this inventive movie are tied together by an environmental theme.

Gummo
1997 88mins USA (18) Drama
Directed by Harmony Korine Starring Chloe Sevigny, Jacob Sewell, Lara Tosh, Nick Sutton

Teen friends Tummler (Nick Sutton) and Solomon (Jacob Reynolds) navigate the ruins of a tiny, tornado-ravaged town in Ohio that is populated by the deformed, disturbed and perverted. When not gunning down stray cats for a few bucks, the boys pass their time getting stoned on household inhalants. Elsewhere, the mute Bunny Boy (Jacob Sewell) dons rabbit ears and is bullied by kids half his age, and sisters Dot (Chloe Sevigny) and Helen (Carisa Glucksman) dodge a pedophile.

Daisies (Sedmikrásky)
1966 76mins Czechoslovakia, Slovakia (15) Comedy
Directed by Vera Chytilová Starring Ivana Karbanová, Jitka Cerhová

After realizing that all world is spoiled, Marie and Marie are committed to be spoiled themselves. They rip off older men, feast in lavish meals and do all kinds of mischief. But what is all this leading to?

Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles
1975 202mins Belgium, France (15) Drama
Directed by Chantal Akerman Starring Delphine Seyrig, January Decorte, Henri Storck

Jeanne Dielman (Delphine Seyrig), the widowed mother of a teenage son, Sylvain (Jan Decorte), ekes out a drab, repetitive existence in her tiny Brussels apartment. Jeanne's days are divided between humdrum domestic chores -- shopping, cooking, housework -- and her job as an occasional prostitute, which keeps her financially afloat. She seems perfectly resigned to her situation until a series of slight interruptions in her routine leads to unexpected and dramatic changes.

Harakiri
1962 133mins Japan (15) Drama
Directed by Masaki Kobayashi Starring Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Ishihama, Shima Iwashita

Down-on-his-luck veteran Tsugumo Hanshirō enters the courtyard of the prosperous House of Iyi. Unemployed, and with no family, he hopes to find a place to commit seppuku—and a worthy second to deliver the coup de grâce in his suicide ritual. The senior counselor for the Iyi clan questions the ronin's resolve and integrity, suspecting Hanshirō of seeking charity rather than an honorable end. What follows is a pair of interlocking stories which lay bare the difference between honor and respect, and promises to examine the legendary foundations of the Samurai code.

Oldboy [Oldeuboi]
2003 120mins South Korea (18) Psychological Horror
Directed by Chan-wook Park Starring Hye-jeong Kang, Ji-tae Yu, Min-sik Choi

Dae-Su is an obnoxious drunk bailed from the police station yet again by a friend. However, he's abducted from the street and wakes up in a cell, where he remains for the next 15 years, drugged unconscious when human contact is unavoidable, otherwise with only the television as company. And then, suddenly released, he is invited to track down his jailor with a denouement that is simply stunning.

Once Upon a Time in the West
1968 166mins Italy, USA (15) Western
Directed by Sergio Leone Starring Claudia Cardinale, Henry Fonda, Jason Robards

There's a single piece of land around Flagstone with water on it, and rail baron Morton (Gabriele Ferzetti) aims to have it, knowing the new railroad will have to stop there. He sends his henchman Frank (Henry Fonda) to scare the land's owner, McBain (Frank Wolff), but Frank kills him instead and pins it on a known bandit, Cheyenne (Jason Robards). Meanwhile, a mysterious gunslinger with a score to settle (Charles Bronson) and McBain's new wife, Jill (Claudia Cardinale), arrive in town.

Battle Royale [Batoru rowaiaru]
2000 114mins Japan (18) Action / Thriller
Directed by Kinji Fukasaku Starring Aki Maeda, Tarô Yamamoto, Tatsuya Fuji, Tatsuya Fujiwara

42 9th graders are sent to a deserted island. They are given a map, food, and various weapons. An explosive collar is fitted around their neck. If they break a rule, the collar explodes. Their mission: kill each other and be the last one standing. The last survivor is allowed to leave the island. If there is more than one survivor, the collars explode and kill them all.

Assault on Precinct 13
1976 91mins USA (15) Action / Thriller
Directed by John Carpenter Starring Austin Stoker, Darwin Joston, Laurie Zimmer

When the LAPD kills several members of the South Central gang Street Thunder, the remaining members avenge themselves by way of a bloody war waged against cops and citizens alike. Caught in the crossfire is Lt. Ethan Bishop (Austin Stoker), who's managing a skeleton crew at the local and soon-to-be-closed police precinct. As the gang members close in, Bishop forms an unlikely alliance with a group of prisoners in order to defend the station and the lives of everyone in it.

The Best Years of Our Life
1946 172mins USA (U) Drama
Directed by William Wyler Starring Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Virginia Mayo, Fredric March, Teresa Wright, Harold Russell

Fred, Homer and Al, three World War II veterans, return home and dream of spending the rest of their lives with their families. However, they soon realise that the war has changed their lives forever.

The Lavender Hill Mob
1951 80mins UK (U) Comedy
Directed by Charles Crichton Starring Alec Guinness, Stanley Holloway

Henry, a shy bank clerk in charge of gold bullions, dreams of leading an opulent life. Soon, he comes in contact with a foundry owner, Alfred. Both plan to smuggle gold out of the bank.

L.A. Confidential
1997 137mins USA (18) Neo Noir
Directed by Curtis Hanson Starring Kim Basinger, Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe

Three detectives from Los Angeles Police Department investigate multiple homicides. While unearthing the evidence and the suspects, the trail leads to corruption in their own department.

The Big Lebowski
1998 117mins USA (18) Comedy
Directed by Ethan Coen|Joel Coen Starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore

Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire of the same name, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it.

Marathon Man
1976 126mins USA (15) Thriller
Directed by John Schlesinger Starring Dustin Hoffman, Roy Scheider, Laurence Olivier, Olivier

Babe Levy, a history student, tragically sees his older brother die in his arms. The ensuing investigation soon thrusts him into a deadly conspiracy involving smuggled diamonds and a war criminal.