BEST BETS / Friday 1/19

all day

Movies

The popularity and critical acclaim received by “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” has introduced a new audience to martial arts. The Nuart Theatre offers a crash course in the highflying kicks, danger and romance of those films with Festival Hong Kong, a weeklong series of superstar double features. Two of “Crouching Tiger’s” stars are featured in twin bills of their earlier action hits: Chow Yun-Fat (John Woo’s “Hard-Boiled” and Ringo Lam’s “Full Contact”), Michelle Yeoh (“Wonder Seven” and “Wing Chun”), while Jet Li, best known to U.S. audiences for his role in “Lethal Weapon 4,” headlines “Dr. Wai and the Scripture With No Words” and “Hitman.”

* Festival Hong Kong, Landmark’s Nuart Theatre, 11272 Santa Monica Blvd., West L.A. Chow Yun-Fat double feature: “Full Contact” (1992), Friday, 5:35 and 10 p.m.; Saturday, 1:05, 5:35 and 10 p.m.; and “Hard-Boiled” (1992), Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 3 and 7:30 p.m. Jet Li double feature: “Dr. Wai and the Scripture With No Words” (1996), Sunday, 1:30, 5:40 and 9:45 p.m.; Monday, 5:40 and 9:45 p.m.; and “Hitman” (1998), Sunday, 3:20 and 7:30 p.m.; Monday, 7:30 p.m. Michelle Yeoh double feature: “Wonder Seven” (1994), Tuesday-next Thursday, 5:40 and 9:30 p.m., and “Wing Chun” (1994), 7:30 p.m. $5.50-$8.50. (310) 478-6379.

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all day

Photography

Private dealers and gallery representatives from around the world will convene at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium beginning Friday for the 10th annual “Photo L.A. 2001” print exhibition. The West’s largest photographic art exhibition will feature works from the early 19th century to the present by heavyweights such as Diane Arbus, Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Man Ray and Henri Cartier-Bresson, as well as lesser-known photographers. The fair also will feature collecting seminars and lectures by noted photographers Richard Misrach, Graciela Iturbide, James Fee and Jock Sturges.

* “Photo L.A. 2001,” Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 1855 Main St., Santa Monica. Show hours: Friday-Saturday, noon-8 p.m.; Sunday, noon-6 p.m. $12 for one day; $20 for three-day admission. Seminars, $50; lectures, $5. Saturday lectures: Graciela Iturbide, 10 a.m.; Jock Sturges, 1 p.m.; James Fee, 3 p.m. Sunday lecture: Richard Misrach, 10 a.m. Lectures take place at the DoubleTree Suites, 1707 4th St., Santa Monica. (323) 937-5525.

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8pm

Theater

Boris Vian’s anarchist vaudeville show, “The Knackers ABC,” will have its West Coast premiere, directed by Second City alum and “3rd Rock From the Sun” regular Ron West.

* “The Knackers ABC,” Open Fist Theatre, 1625 N. La Brea Ave., L.A. Fridays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Ends Feb. 24. $15, except pay-what-you-can on Sundays. (323) 882-6912.

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8pm

Theater

“Margaret,” Timothy McNeil’s coming-of-age play circa 1968, will be directed by “You Can Count on Me” star Mark Ruffalo.

* “Margaret,” Hudson Backstage Theatre, 6537 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. Friday, 8 p.m. Regular schedule: Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Ends Feb. 25. $15. (323) 856-4200, (323) 860-8835.

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8pm

Organ Music

If you’ve never heard a mighty Wurlitzer organ, it’s not too late. Though the old-time movie palaces that housed them are disappearing, there are organizations looking out for the world’s remaining Wurlitzers, including the Los Angeles and Orange County chapters of the Theatre Organ Society. This weekend, the chapters host Wurlitzer Weekend 2001: A Theatre Organ Odyssey, the annual drive-yourself tour of five of the region’s Wurlitzers, complete with concerts. New to this year’s tour: the Wurlitzer at the El Capitan, which was originally installed in San Francisco’s Fox Theatre in 1929.

* Wurlitzer Weekend 2001: A Theatre Organ Odyssey. Friday, 8 p.m.: Stan Kann at the San Gabriel Civic Auditorium, 320 S. Mission Drive, San Gabriel. Saturday, 10 a.m. or 2 p.m.: Jim Riggs at the Bay Theatre, 340 Main St., Seal Beach. Saturday, 8 p.m.: Eddington & Harris at Saxton Auditorium, Pasadena City College, 1570 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Sunday, 9:30 a.m.: Rob Richards at El Capitan, 6838 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. Sunday, 2 p.m.: Hector Olivera at Plummer Auditorium, 201 E. Chapman Ave., Fullerton. $12 each; $60 pass. (888) 528-6744.

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10pm

Jazz

When he’s not on tour, much-admired and much-in-demand Latin jazz percussionist Poncho Sanchez parks his congas right here in Southern California. This weekend provides an opportunity to see him on back-to-back nights.

* Poncho Sanchez, Conga Room, 5364 Wilshire Blvd., L.A., 10 p.m. $18 for general admission, $37.50 for reserved seating. (213) 938-1696. Also Saturday at La Ve Lee, 12514 Ventura Blvd., Studio City. 9 and 11 p.m. $20. (818) 980-8158.

FREEBIE

“Photographing People: Hollywood Moments by Leigh Wiener” opens Friday in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences galleries, 8949 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; weekends, noon to 6 p.m. Ends April 8. (310) 247-3000.

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Barry Brisk conducts the Beach Cities Symphony in music by Mozart, Brahms and Raickovich in Marsee Auditorium at El Camino College, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance, at 8:15 p.m. Soloist is pianist Anli Lin Tong. (310) 379-9725.