the selector Thurday 9/19 “Dark Matters: The Films of William Friedkin” The Pacific Film Archive’s “Dark Matters: The Films of William Friedkin” wraps up this week with a trio of movies and a pair of special events. Thus far, the series has included 1985’s To Live and Die in LA, 1971’s The French Connection, and 1970’s The Boys in the Band, but not — in an omission so obvious it’s clearly deliberate — 1973’s The Exorcist. Friedkin himself visits Berkeley tonight for a discussion with film critic Michael Guillen (following a showing of 1977 nail-biter Sorcerer); the director returns Sat/21 to sign copies of his new memoir, The Friedkin Connection, and will appear in person at screenings of 1980’s Cruising and 2011’s Killer Joe. (Cheryl Eddy) Tonight, Sorcerer and discussion, 7pm Sat/21, book signing, 6pm; Cruising, 6:30pm; Killer Joe, 8:50pm $5.50–$9.50 Pacific Film Archive 2575 Bancroft, Berk. bampfa.berkeley.edu
The Jill & Julia Show Over a decade before Katy Perry released her vomitously bubblegum, gay-appropriating smash-hit single “I Kissed a Girl,” Jill Sobule released a single of the same name. Where Perry’s was vulgar and derivative, Sobule’s was honest, witty, and painfully poignant. Amusing and whimsical lyrics are a trademark of Sobule’s work, and her gift for words and humor are what make her a perfect match for Saturday Night Live veteran Julia Sweeney. Sweeney is most famous for her androgynous SNL character Pat and her biting one-woman monologues. Sweeney and Sobule met at a TED conference at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in 2006, and after professing their admiration for each other’s work, the women joined forces, resulting in the Jill & Julia Show, a touring production of Jill’s songs and Julia’s stories that is certain to leave you gasping for breath. (Haley Zaremba)
Swedish American Hall 2170 Market, SF (415) 861-5016 www.cafedunord.com
“Not Dead Yet: Movie and Music to End ALS” The inspiring resilience of Richmond, Calif. native Jason Becker — a talented young guitarist destined for metal-god status until he was immobilized by Lou Gehrig’s Disease — was chronicled in 2012’s Jason Becker: Not Dead
Bimbo’s 365 Club 1025 Columbus, SF www.bimbos365club.com
Hard Skin
The person who booked this show is either a deviant mastermind or holding a great social experiment. In one corner, sits the headliner Hard Skin, a sophomoric English oi! band from the ’90s that boasts such classics as “A.C.A.C. (All Coppers are Cunts)” and “Oi Not Jobs.” In the other corner sits the second band on the bill, Replica, a nearly-all girl hardcore band from a decidedly younger generation that may agree with the anti-police sentiment but not the liberal use of the “c-word.” Though the bands may differ from each other, there’s no mistaking that Hard Skin and Replica both come from supportive underground scenes.
8pm, $20
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Yet, its cheeky title a reference to the fact that Becker, now 44, has long outlived the grim prognosis of doctors who predicted he’d be dead by 25. As the doc shows, Becker continues to communicate and even compose complex music via a remarkable system that interprets his eye movements. Head to Bimbo’s tonight for a screening of Jesse Vile’s film, plus a concert with Pearl (featuring Scott Ian of Anthrax) and Forrest Day. Becker will also attend the event, which doubles as a fundraiser for the Jason Becker Special Needs Trust and the ALS Therapy Development Institute. (Eddy) 7pm, $30-75
With Heather Combs
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“Dark Matters: The Films of William Friedkin” thursday/19
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Hard Skin’s debut release, 1998’s Hard Nuts and Hard Cunts, sold 100,000 copies and the folks from Replica have gained local support and hype for their self-titled EP released earlier this year on Prank Records. Come see the generational, gender, and genre divides intersect at Thee Parkside, and take notes.This should be a doozy. (Erin Dage)
7:30pm, $7
With Replica, Glitz, Kicker
In 2000, experimental filmmaker James T. Hong’s scorching, Golden Gate Award-winning film Behold the Asian dubbed San Francisco “the white asshole paradise.” Though he now lives in Taiwan (for reasons that should be obvious), the former Mission District dweller — a man who fears no audience reaction — makes a rare return for a San Francisco Cinemathequehosted screening of his latest work. New films enhancing what the SF Cinematheque dubs “a confrontationally intense body of work
9pm, $10 Thee Parkside 1600 17th St, SF (415) 252-1330 www.theeparkside.com
Friday 9/20 Diaspora Tales #2: 1969 The late 1960s may be remembered more as a fight for freedom by African-American communities. But Asian-Americans were equally determined to demand equality. Both saxophonist-composer Francis Wong and choreographer-dancer Lenora Lee have use their artistic expression to convey the struggles that they have unearthed within their own families. Diaspora Tales #2: 1969, originally created for the 40th anniversary of UC Berkeley’s Third World Strike, is a multimedia performance work that commemorates the courage and sacrifices by those involved, Wong’s brother having been one of them. Kung Fu, both as martial arts and in its more lyrically expressive form, joins jazz, funk, and rap to evoke both a period and a challenge that yet has to be completely overcome. Olivia Ting created Diaspora’s visual components. (Rita Felciano) film
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Asian Improv aRts Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive 2626 Bancroft, Berk. bampfa.berkeley.edu
“The Era is Now: Films of James T. Hong”
exploring racialism, philosophy, and revisionist approaches to history” include two from 2012, installation Apologies and The Turner Film Diaries; and this year’s Cutaways of Jiang Chun Gen — Forward and Back Again. (Eddy) 7:30pm, $5–$10 Artists’ Television Access 992 Valencia, SF www.sfcinematheque.org
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