all day

Movies

It’s been 10 years, and finally Anthony Hopkins returns to his Oscar-winning role from “Silence of the Lambs” in its sequel, “Hannibal.” The Chianti-sipping gourmand, Dr. Lecter, decides to come out of “retirement” when his Italian sojourn is interrupted by a detective (Giancarlo Giannini) eager to cash in on the reward offered by the good doctor’s lone surviving victim (Gary Oldman). This tips off the FBI, in the person of agent extraordinaire Clarice Starling (with Julianne Moore succeeding Jodie Foster in the role). And the hunt is on. “Gladiator” director Ridley Scott takes over the helm for Jonathan Demme. David Mamet and Steven Zaillian adapted Thomas Harris’ novel. See Related Story, Page 12.

* “Hannibal,” rated R for strong gruesome violence, some nudity and language, opens Friday in general release.

all day

Movies

If you’re intrigued by the Coen brothers’ wacky “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” or the crackling, dialogue-driven ensemble humor of David Mamet’s “State and Main,” you may want to check out their forebears in the New Beverly Cinema’s Preston Sturges double feature this weekend. “Sullivan’s Travels,” writer-director Sturges’ 1941 satire about a movie director who wants to make a “serious” film (to be called “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”) and sets out in search of real people and real stories, stars Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake. Also showing is Sturges’ 1940 comedy “The Great McGinty,” starring Brian Donlevy as a bum elevated to the governor’s mansion by a corrupt political machine. Both films feature Sturges’ stock company of character actors.

* Preston Sturges Double Feature, New Beverly Cinema, 7165 Beverly Blvd., “Sullivan’s Travels,” Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 4:30 and 8 p.m.; “The Great McGinty,” Friday, 9:20 p.m.; Saturday, 2:50, 6:20 and 9:50 p.m. $3 to $6. (323) 938-4038.

7pm

Pop Music

The Promise Ring is allegedly the only Milwaukee band to be featured in Spin and Teen People magazines, which could be taken as an indicator of the quartet’s musical mission: a mix of punk energy and pop craft. Sincere and direct, the Ring has become a touchstone of a scene known variusly as “erno” and “intellijangle,” which values emotion, sincerity and directness. The group has also weathered a serious van accident and brain tumor surgery on singer-guitarist Davey vonBohlen while moving up to El Rey Theatre level.

* The Promise Ring, with the Push Kings and Tourist, El Rey Theatre, 5515 Wilshire Blvd., L.A., 7 p.m. $9.99 in advance, $11.99 at door. (323) 936-4790.

8pm

Theater

Circle X Theatre Company presents the dark tragedy “Edward II,” Eric Bentley’s English adaptation of Bertolt Brecht’s seldom-seen version of the Christopher Marlowe play.

* “Edward II,” Actors’ Gang Theatre, 6209 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Ends March 11. $15, except Sundays, pay-what-you-can. Adult audiences. Nudity. (323) 969-9239.

8pm

Dance

Once again, there’s a fungus among us: the ever-irreverent, experimental and gymnastic Pilobolus Dance Theatre, named after a sun-loving organism and celebrating its 30th anniversary by casting its spores in a number of Southland venues. On Friday and Saturday, the company dances “Apoplexy,” “Uno, Dos, Tray,”//is the Tray cq?/ “Sweet Dreams” and “Davenen” at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. The very next day, it moves to Pepperdine University in Malibu with “Tsu-Ku-Tsu,” “Femme Noire,” “Tantra Aranea” and “A Selection.” Performances in Santa Barbara on Tuesday and Wednesday and in La Jolla next Saturday further demonstrate the wide appeal of the dynamic Pilobolean aesthetic.

* Pilobolus Dance Theatre, Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale. 8 p.m. Also Saturday, 8 p.m. $20 to $43. (800) 233-3123. Also Sunday, 7 p.m. in the Smothers Theatre, Pepperdine University, 24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu. Sold out. (310) 456-4522.

8pm

Music

In residence at USC this week, legendary violinist Isaac Stern gives master classes and also performs with the Thornton Symphony, Sergiu Comissiona conducting. Stern will play Mozart’s Concerto No. 4 on a program with works by Brahms and Ravel.

* The Thornton Symphony, with Isaac Stern as soloist, plays at USC’s Bovard Auditorium, L.A., at 7 p.m. $15-$50. (213) 740-4672.

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FREEBIE:

The recently organized New Hollywood String Quartet plays music by Mozart, Tania Gabrielle French and Bedrich Smetana, at Los Angeles Harbor College, 1111 Figueroa Place, Wilmington, at 8 p.m. (310) 372-4222.

Jazz saxophone legend Teddy Edwards (the subject of a new documentary by Don McGlynn) leads his quartet, which includes trumpeter James Smith, bassist Wendell Williams and drummer Gerryck King, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., L.A., 5:30 p.m. (323) 857-6115.

* “Evidence of Love: Romance, Desire and Fantasy,” an exhibition of passion-inspired works from the romantic to the erotic by Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Willem De Kooning and others, opens at Jack Rutberg Fine Arts, 357 N. La Brea Ave., L.A. Tuesdays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Ends March 31. (323) 938-5222.