A veritable Republic of films

Back in 1935, Herbert J. Yates founded Republic Pictures, an indie film production-distribution company with its own studio facilities located where CBS/Radford Studios now stands in Studio City. Republic produced mostly B-movies, including westerns with a young John Wayne, Gene Autry, Rex Allen and Roy Rogers, as well as such serials as “The Adventures of Captain Marvel” and such classic Wayne films as 1949’s “Sands of Iwo Jima” and 1952’s “The Quiet Man,” for which John Ford won his fourth best-director Oscar.

On Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. there will be a free celebration of Republic’s movies at the former lot. Festivities will include screenings of Republic films, along with gun spinners, rope twirlers and cowboy poets. Several former Republic stars — including Theodore Bikel, Jane Kean, Joan Leslie, Anne Jeffreys and Jane Withers, among others — will be on hand. https://www.republicpictures75th.com/home.html

ARPA International Film Festival

The 13th annual ARPA International Film Festival continues through Sunday at the American Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theatre. Thursday evening’s programs include the Palme d’Or 2010 award-winning short film, “Chienne d’Histoire” (“Barking Island”). Among Friday’s offerings are the 2008 Armenian documentary “The Third Rider,” in its North American premiere, and the 2009 thriller “Nightbeasts,” directed by Wes Sullivan. Sunday’s programming includes an awards ceremony and reception. https://www.affma.org

‘Mummy’ and more ‘Mummies’ at the Aero

Karl Freund’s 1932 Universal horror masterwork, “The Mummy,” starring Boris Karloff as the 3,000-year-old Egyptian who returns from the dead to reclaim his long lost flame (Zita Johann), screens Saturday afternoon at the Cinematheque’s Aero Theatre. Beforehand, there will be a screening of the History Channel’s popular series “Chasing Mummies” and a lecture by its host David Cheetham. https://www.americancinematheque.com

‘Bride of Frankenstein’ at Billy Wilder Theatre

On Monday at the Billy Wilder Theatre, the UCLA Film and Television Archive’s series “Out of the Past: Film Restoration Today,” presents James Whale’s 1935 Universal classic “Bride of Frankenstein,” starring Karloff, Colin Clive and Elsa Lanchester. Universal’s preservationist Bob O’Neil will screen the film and discuss its 75th anniversary restoration. https://www.cinema.ucla.edu

susan.king@latimes.com