7 pm

Movies

The Japan America Society, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the American Cinematheque and the Japan Foundation have joined forces for “The Akira Kurosawa Film Project,” dedicated to organizing a complete restoration of Kurosawa’s films. They hope to strike new 35mm, English-subtitled prints of all 30 of his features to mount a Kurosawa retrospective. The project will be launched with screenings Friday of “Rashomon” and “Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams,” with presentations from project participants in between.

* “Akira Kurosawa Film Project” at Laemmle’s Music Hall, 9036 wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. “Rashomon” at 7 p.m., presentation at 8:45 p.m. and “Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams” at 9:15 p.m. $6 for one film; $10 for both. (213) 627-1191.

5pm

Movie Buffs

When larger-than-life pioneer film director Cecil B. DeMille finished production on his 1923 film “The Ten Commandments” in the Santa Barbara County town of Guadalupe, he had the entire set dismantled and buried in the sand, and there it remained for almost six decades. Artifacts excavated from the production of the silent epic include several five-ton sphinxes (a dozen or more are still believed buried), dozens of Egyptian statues and the walls of the custom-built “Pharaoh’s City.” Now you can spend “A Day With DeMille in the Dunes,” a one- or two-day program that includes a tour of the movie site with an archeologist; a question-answer reception with actor Pat Moore, who played the Pharaoh’s son; and a screening of “The Ten Commandments” in the very town where it was made.

* “A Day With DeMille in the Dunes,” Guadalupe Dunes Center, 951 Guadalupe St.; Royal Theater, 848 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe, off the northbound 101 Freeway. Friday, 5 p.m.: Meet the Pharaoh’s son, Pat Moore. Saturday, 11 a.m.: See the artifacts up close, lunch included. Noon: Tour the production site. 2 p.m.: A lecture with the project directors, a preview of the upcoming documentary “The Lost City of DeMille” and a screening of “The Ten Commandments.” $100 includes all the activities on Friday and Saturday. $25 for all the Saturday activities. $10 for Saturday screening only. (805) 925-2403.

7:30pm

Music

Champions of the local “Messiah” sweeps, the Paulist Boy Choristers of California, return with their 1998 edition of Handel’s most beloved oratorio, again seconded by the male choir Gentlemen of the Chapel Royal and the Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra. Dana Marsh conducts and serves as countertenor soloist; his colleagues are Ann Monoyios, Catherine Robbin, Jeffrey Thomas and Robert Stafford.

* The Paulist Boy Choristers, with auxiliary ensembles and soloists, present Handel’s “Messiah” at St. Paul the Apostle Church, 10750 Ohio Ave., Westwood, 7:30 p.m. $12 to $40. (310) 475-2070.

8pm

Theater

The national tour of Dante’s “Inferno,” adapted for stage by United States poet laureate Robert Pinsky from his translation, comes to the Getty Center, presented by the Getty in association with New York’s 92nd Street Y Unterberg Poetry Center.

* “Inferno,” Getty Center, Harold Williams Auditorium, 1200 Getty Center Drive, Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 7 p.m. $25. (213) 365-3500.

8pm

Music

Pop singers Peabo Bryson, Melissa Manchester, Christopher Cross and Oleta Adams come from diverse backgrounds and are known for different styles of music. But they share one thing: the holiday spirit. They join with full orchestra and choir to perform hits and holiday favorites in the annual, warmly festive musical event “The Colors of Christmas” in both Thousand Oaks and Cerritos.

* “The Colors of Christmas,” Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., 8 p.m. $29 to $59. (805) 449-2787. Also at Cerritos Center, 12700 Center Court Drive, Dec. 18 and 19, 8 p.m.; Dec. 20, 7 p.m. $47 to $67. (562) 916-8500.

7pm

Pop Music

The ninth annual “KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas” serves up its customary groaning board of modern rock stars in its new Shrine Auditorium locale. Friday’s bill includes Barenaked Ladies, Blink-182, the Cardigans, Hole, Korn and the Offspring, while a solo Billy Corgan and Depeche Mode anchor Saturday’s finale.

* “KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas,” Friday and Saturday at the Shrine Auditorium, 665 W. Jefferson Blvd, 7 p.m. Sold out. (323) 749-5123.

Freebie: Former Frank Zappa keyboardist Don Preston’s trio plays jazz at the L.A. County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., 5:30 p.m. (213) 857-6000.

Pianist Bryan Pezzone is joined by bassoonist John Steinmetz, clarinetist Gary Bovyer and oboist Leslie Reed for a performance at Los Angeles Harbor College in Wilmington at 8 p.m. Also Sunday at 3 p.m. at Pacific Unitarian Church, 5621 Montemalaga Drive, Rancho Palos Verdes. (310) 374-2141.