Hollywood is very much a numbers game. Think how many millions of dollars get splashed on new releases. Tot up the box office takings from the latest sugar-rush blockbuster. Have a look at just how many sequels a successful movie can be milked for, see left.

But we have our arthouse cinemas to thank for showing us some of those gems which cheat the system and show us a sprinkle of the magic which film-watching should be all about.

The Phoenix in Jericho celebrates its centenary next year and welcomes the return of a ritual which is all but obsolete these days – the late-night show.

After Dark reintroduces late-night cult classic cinema to Oxford, kicking off this Saturday with a screening of the Coen brothers’ classic The Big Lebowski at 11.30pm.

Starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore and Phillip Seymour Hoffman, the film received only a lukewarm reception from critics when it was released in 1998 – faint praise such as “weirdly engaging” from the Washington Post.

However, the Coens’ absurdist Americana comedy’s popularity snowballed with drive-ins attracting hordes of cinema-goers, Lebowski festivals and even a religion springing from Bridges’ lead character (The Church of the Latter-Day Dude, founded in 2005 – I kid you not). But if that seems a bit excessive, no viewer can deny the iconic performances; not least Bridges as the amiable stoner Jeffrey Lebowski (AKA The Dude), gorgeously trippy dream sequences and superb script.

For those who might have missed The Big Lebowski, the plot follows Lebowski on his rambling strike-and-gutters journey of bowling, mistaken identity, porn stars and nihilists. But let’s face it, it’s not about the plot. This contemporary classic is a feast for the senses – not to mention a superbly eclectic soundtrack featuring the likes of Dylan, Nina Simone and The Gipsy Kings.

And what better way to blaze through this classic than with a serving of White Russian ice cream specially created by another of Oxford’s independent institutions – G+D’s. Come dressed in Dude attire and you could also win goodies including DVD boxsets and exclusive film merchandise. You’re in good company – the staff will be dressed in dressing gowns and slippers!

And if The Big Lebowski isn’t your thing, the next slice of After Dark will be The Evil Dead – Day of the Dead/ Halloween night on November 2 and the adrenaline shot to the heart that is Pulp Fiction (Mia Wallace wig optional), on November 24.

The Phoenix’s upstairs bar is a hidden treasure and the cinema offers reasonable membership, free E4 screenings and none of the irritating booking expenses you’ll get at the multiplexes.

Tuck in, tuck in and tune out – we’ll see you there.

The Phoenix Picturehouse, 57 Walton Street, Oxford. After Dark tickets £6 or £5 for members. To book, call 0871 902 5738 or visit picturehouses.co.uk Liz Nicholls