The Moviegoer, April 15-22

20th Annual Noir City: Hollywood The series is chockablock with great pictures including this tidy midweek double: The droll and popular radio and television character Sgt. Joe Friday (Jack Webb) made his way to the big screen in Dragnet (1954), as he and partner Frank Smith (Ben Alexander) investigate the murder of a bookie with ties to the mob with the assist of an undercover policewoman (Ann Robinson). With Loophole (1954), starring Barry Sullivan, Charles McGraw and Dorothy Malone. Discussion between the films with “Dragnet” actress Robinson. American Cinematheque and Film Noir Foundation, Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, (323) 466-3456. “Dragnet” and “Loophole,” April 18, 7:30 p.m. Series continues through April 22. $13-$15. www.americancinemathequecalendar.com/

Alex Film Society Charlie Chaplin was well ahead of the U.S. government’s official condemnation of Adolf Hitler with his 1940 anti-fascism satire, The Great Dictator. Chaplin, who wrote and directed, also plays the dual roles of anti-Semitic tyrant, Adenoid Hynkel, and the hero, an unnamed Jewish barber. Chaplin’s then-wife, Paulette Goddard, plays the barber’s love interest, Hannah, and Jack Oakie co-stars as the Dictator of Bacteria, Benzino Napaloni. Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, (818) 243-2539. April 19, 7:30 p.m. $12-$16. alexfilmsociety.org/

Friday Night Frights: Wes Craven Double The late horrormeister’s The People Under the Stairs (1991) and The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) screen with a discussion between with actors Sean Whalen, Brandon Adams, Kelly Jo Minter and Yan Birch. American Cinematheque, Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica. (310) 260-1528. April 20, 7:30 p.m. $12; $8 for Cinematheque members. www.americancinemathequecalendar.com/

Inexistent Time: A Retrospective of Malena Szlam The Montreal-based artist-filmmaker will be on hand for a selection of her film works including Chronogram of Inexistent Time (2008), Morphology of a Dream (2015) and others. Los Angeles Film Forum, Echo Park Film Center, 1200 N. Alvarado St., Los Angeles. (323) 377-7238. April 20, 8 p.m. $6-$10; free for Filmforum members. Szlam will present a lecture and performance with film, “Through the Margin of Mirrors,” on April 21, 7:30 p.m. $5; free for Filmforum members. www.lafilmforum.org

Lucretia Martel The celebrated Argentine writer-director will present her latest film, Zama (2017), an adaptation of the existential novel of the same name by Antonio di Benedetto, about an 18th century Spanish official posted in the then-colony of Paraguay who longs for a promotion and transfer. The next evening, Martel will also be on hand for her dreamy 2004 coming-of-age film, The Holy Girl. UCLA Film & Television Archive, Billy Wilder Theatre, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 206-8013. “Zama,” April 20, 7:30 p.m.; “The Holy Girl,” April 21, 7:30 p.m. $8-$10. www.cinema.ucla.edu/events

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