Surfers, cowboys and clowns

By Susan King

July 12, 2007 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

MOVIES are popping up all over this summer, with screenings in such diverse locations as ranches, cemeteries and town plazas.

Even the Aquarium of the Pacific is joining the pack with its first Surf Culture Film Series. Screening Friday is “Big Wednesday,” John Milius’ 1978 cult fave. Jan-Michael Vincent, Gary Busey and William Katt star in this surf-and-turf drama about three buddies in the ‘60s and early ‘70s.

And just where else can you catch a flick? Here’s an overview of some series:

For western fans, Pasadena’s One Colorado has its Best of the West festival on Friday and Saturday evenings in the courtyard. This Friday is Howard Hawks’ rousing 1948 cattle drive epic, “Red River,” starring John Wayne and a young Montgomery Clift. On Saturday is 1952’s “High Noon,” starring Gary Cooper in his Oscar-winning role as a small-town marshal.

The Autry National Center continues its centenary celebration of Gene Autry on Saturday afternoon with two of his earliest films, 1937’s “Public Cowboy No. 1” and 1938’s “The Man From Music Mountain.”

Looking for a few chills and thrills on Friday the 13th? Then the “Fright Night” of the California Institute of the Abnormalarts in North Hollywood may be just what the doctor ordered. The institute is serving up the 1981 3-D hoot “Comin’ at Ya” and a 1991 film called “Gross Out,” which the institute says is so shocking “we cannot tell you what it’s about.”

For those who love watching movies surrounded by the spirits of stars past, there’s Cinespia’s popular Saturday screenings at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. On tap this weekend is the 1975 Oscar-winning best film, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” directed by Milos Forman and starring Jack Nicholson.

For the more esoterically inclined, the Dinner and a Movie program at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana tonight serves up the haunting “Before the Rain,” the 1994 best foreign-language film Oscar nominee from Macedonia.

The Craft and Folk Art Museum presents its second film in the Global Link series, screening at the Goethe-Institut on Sunday: Philip Noyce’s acclaimed 2002 Australian drama “Rabbit Proof Fence.” The film explores the 20th century policy in Australia of taking aboriginal children from their families and placing them in state “education centers.” The daughter of the film’s director, Lucia Noyce of Artists for Amnesty, will discuss.

For 20 years, the Silent Society of Hollywood Heritage has sponsored a Silents Under the Stars festival Sunday evenings at the Paramount Movie Ranch in Agoura. Michael Mortilla will present live musical accompaniment for this Sunday’s showing of the 1927 Harold Lloyd comedy classic “The Kid Brother.”

And every Wednesday through Aug. 15, the Burbank Town Center closes down San Fernando Road and Cypress Street for an old-fashioned block party, which includes a movie. Next week is “Kicking & Screaming,” the 2005 Will Ferrell soccer comedy.

Elsewhere: The American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theatre shows its musical side with two 2007 documentaries. Up first, at 7:30 tonight, is director John Pirozzi’s “Sleepwalking Through the Mekong,” which chronicles L.A.-based band Dengue Fever’s travels to Cambodia. Afterward is a discussion with the director and band members.

Then, the Cinematheque unveils the L.A. premiere of “Brasilintime: Batucada Come Discos,” from director B+, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. The documentary features L.A.-based soul and jazz session drummers and turntablists working their magic in the City of Angels and Sao Paulo, Brazil. Discussion with the director, cast and crew follows.

AFI at the ArcLight celebrates Barbara Stanwyck’s 100th birthday with an 8 p.m. Wednesday screening of her 1944 Oscar-nominated performance in Billy Wilder’s “Double Indemnity.”

Also scheduled for 8 p.m. Wednesday at the 7 Dudley Cinema at the Sponto Gallery are rare Beat Generation film clips of legends such as Jack Kerouac, Lord Buckley and Lenny Bruce.

susan.king@latimes.com

Screenings

Summer series

* “Big Wednesday”: 7 p.m. Friday, www.aquariumofpacific.org

* “Red River”: 8:30 p.m. Friday, www.onecolorado.net

* “High Noon”: 8:30 p.m. Saturday, www.onecolorado.net

* “Public Cowboy No. 1” and “The Man From Music Mountain”: 1 p.m. Saturday, autrynationalcenter.org

* “Comin’ at Ya” and “Gross Out”: 9:15 p.m. Friday, www.ciabnormalarts.com

* “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”: 9 p.m. Saturday, www.cinespia.org

* “Before the Rain”: 7:30 tonight, www.bowers.org

* “Rabbit Proof Fence”: 3 p.m. Sunday, www.cafam.org

* “The Kid Brother”: 8 p.m. Sunday, www.hollywoodheritage.org