D.W. Griffith in California

No, it’s not a personal appearance by the legendary director, long since gone to his reward, but an unusual chance to see six of the great man’s one-reel pre-World War I shorts, all shot in Southern California: “Man’s Genesis,” “The New Dress,” “The Massacre,” “The Unchanging Sea,” “The Sands of Dee” and “The Female of the Species.” Not only will they be projected on the big screen, they will feature live musical accompaniment by Cliff Retallick and a talk by the University of Chicago’s Tom Gunning, the top academic expert on Griffith’s work. Presented by Los Angeles Filmforum tonight at 7:30 at the Echo Park Film Center, 1200 N. Alvarado St. at Sunset Boulevard.

-- Kenneth Turan