Nathaniel BellFriday, May 18
The slow-burn farces of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are timeless in their exuberant silliness. That's why they seem to play better to kids today than some of the other geniuses from the Golden Age of Comedy. The Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo comprehends their appeal, as evidenced by its annual Laurel & Hardy Festival, a weekend romp featuring some of the comic duo's funniest short subjects. The show likely will begin with an audience sing-along featuring the Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ. The theater has been in business since 1968 and still has plenty of charm. Be sure to bring cash, though, because this place is so old-fashioned it doesn't take credit cards. Old Town Music Hall, 140 Richmond St., El Segundo; Fri., May 18, 8:15 p.m.; $10. (310) 322-2592, oldtownmusichall.org.
Ryan Gosling in Drive; Credit: FilmDistrict
Saturday, May 19
Cinespia heads into the hotter days of summer with another screening among the headstones of Hollywood Forever Cemetery. This week, it's Nicolas Winding Refn's uber-cool Drive, starring the stoic Ryan Gosling as a getaway driver who gets more than he bargained for when he intervenes for the girl next door (Carey Mulligan). Shot in hot pop colors and featuring some of the fanciest stuntwork outside of The Fast and the Furious franchise, this violent action flick came ready-made for cult status. Cinespia, Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood; Sat., May 19, 8:30 p.m.; $16 (plus $12 for on-site parking). cinespia.org.
The Conformist; Credit: Raro Video
Sunday, May 20
Bernardo Bertolucci's The Conformist was an aesthetic breakthrough in 1970, when it thrust its young Italian director into the international spotlight. Today, it remains an impossibly stylish precursor to some of the decade's most intellectually stimulating thrillers. The Art Directors Guild Film Society has partnered with the American Cinematheque for a special screening sponsored by The Hollywood Reporter. The crisp digital screening will be followed by a discussion with production designer Hannah Beachler, moderated by Michael Allen Glover. Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Sun., May 20, 5:30 p.m.; $12. (323) 466-3456, americancinemathequecalendar.com.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Tuesday, May 22
The Art Theatre in Long Beach will screen the 1920 version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with a live musical score performed by the Jack Curtis Dubowsky Ensemble. Seeing a classic silent without a canned soundtrack can be revelatory, especially if the film is as good as this one — John Barrymore's intensely physical performance is the best take on the character until Fredric March won an Oscar for playing the ill-fated scientist a decade later. Unlike most versions, the transformation is achieved in a single take without makeup, allowing Barrymore to show off his epic facial contortions. Art Theatre, 2025 E. Fourth St., Long Beach; Tue., May 22, 7:30 p.m.; $11.50. (562) 438-5435, arttheatrelongbeach.org.
Night of the Living Dead marks its 50th anniversary this year.; Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Thursday, May 24
George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead — one of the first and greatest modern horror films — is 50 years old. To mark the anniversary, LACMA has teamed with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to host a special screening with a new score by The Paranoyds, L.A.'s own four-piece psych-punk rock ensemble. Come for the movie, stay for the reception. LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire; Thu., May 24, 7:30 p.m.; $25. (323) 857-6000, lacma.org. —Nathaniel Bell
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