Night+Day

wednesday
october 25
Hungry Eye Most people know (and love) William Conrad for his TV roles, especially Cannon, that crime-fighting detective who -- in the words of one fan -- looks like "a bowling ball in a leisure suit." But before Conrad attained fame as a hefty hero, he tried his hand as a director. His only feature, 1965's Brainstorm, is the final entry in the Roxie's film noir program. Described as "a demented psycho-shocker," it features Anne Francis, Dana Andrews, and frizzy-haired B-movie queen Viveca Lindfors. Scope it out at 1, 5:20, and 9:45 p.m. at the Roxie, 3117 16th St, S.F. Tickets are $6; call 863-1087.

All Systems Go! Rocket From the Crypt is from San Diego. Rocket From the Crypt is handsome. Rocket From the Crypt is Speedo on vocals and guitar, N.D. on guitar, Petey X on bass, Atom on drums, Apollo 9 on sax, and J.C. 2000 on trumpet. Rocket From the Crypt rocks. The Rocket From the Crypt agenda, 1995: "a series of venomous attacks against the sudden crop of mediocre rebellious rockers who ... try desperately to tear their way out of the piss-soaked paper bag they've gleefully climbed into." (I think they're talking about trendy corporate punks.) Rocket From the Crypt makes some noise at 9:30 p.m. at Berkeley Square, 1333 University, Berkeley. Tickets are $8; call (510) 841-6555.

thursday
october 26
The Greil World As usual, the latest essay collection from cultural critic Greil Marcus, The Dustbin of History, transforms minuscule artifacts into earth-shatteringly important events. But Dustbin also contains some of his crankier insights; pithy essays on Susan Sontag and Robert Altman throw those celebrated artists into the titular trash heap. Other Dustbin topics: John Wayne, Camille Paglia, The Book of J, Robert Johnson, The Manchurian Candidate, and -- surprise, surprise -- punk pioneer Guy Debord. Hear Marcus at 7:30 p.m. at the Booksmith, 1644 Haight, S.F. Free; call 863-8688.

Rock for Choice Party Pro-Choice benefits the California Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League. It features food, prizes, comedy, and music by Sally Ann, Spike 1000, and a mystery acoustic guest star from 6:30 to 11 p.m. at Miss Pearl's Jam House, 601 Eddy, S.F. Tickets are $10; call 546-7211.

A Nightmare on Post Street By the time Joan Crawford made Berserk (1967), her hair -- a stone-solid bouffant -- was sturdier than her career. One of many low-budget '60s chillers starring Crawford, Berserk is the centerpiece of "Nightmare at the Kabuki," a fund-raising shindig for AIDS Emergency Fund and Immune Enhancement Project. Joan Jett Blakk, Tom Ammiano, makeup artiste Jerome Caja, and others host the event, which includes a cocktail party, a Crawford look-alike competition, and rare movie trailers. Go bonkers at 7 p.m. (cocktail party) and 8 p.m. (contest/film) at AMC Kabuki 8 Theatres, 1881 Post, S.F. Tickets are $20-25; call 437-5794.

Macho Man An L.A. beauty queen who won't give up her crown. A TV newscaster who channels Desi Arnaz. In The Pain of the Macho, Rick Najera plays both these characters, and (six) more. See the many faces of Najera at 8 p.m. at Osher Marin Jewish Community Center, 200 N. San Pedro, San Rafael. The Pain of the Macho continues through Sunday. Tickets are $16-18; call 472-3500.

So Sue Me Bono and Casey Kasem star (as themselves) in Craig Baldwin's latest film, Sonic Outlaws. A look at U2's infamous copyright infringement lawsuit against Negativland, Baldwin's documentary cannibalizes the contested material and much more, offering a collage commentary on stealing and sampling in contemporary American pop culture. See it at 6, 8, and 10 p.m. (also Friday) at the Roxie, 3117 16th St, S.F. Tickets are $6; call 863-1087.

friday
october 27
Scary Monsters, Super Freaks Denise Uyehara is a writer and performance artist. Her works include Hello (Sex) Kitty: Mad Asian Bitch on Wheels and Headless Turtle Neck Relatives: The Tale of Family and a Grandmother's Suicide by Fire. Justin Chin is a writer and performance artist. His works include M. Cockroach, And Judas Boogied Until His Slippers Wept, and Attack of the Man-Eating Lotus Blossoms. Uyehara and Chin combine their title-making talents in "Sex Ghosts, Latex Apparitions, & Other Frightful Things About the Freaky-Freaky." A showcase of new individual pieces, the evening starts at 8 p.m. (also Saturday) at Luna Sea, 2940 16th St, Room 216, S.F. Admission is $8-10; call 863-2989.

Mutton-Chop Bop You can hear bits and pieces of British rock history in Supergrass' sound: the dumb, young, and proud energy of early Who; the helium falsetto vocals of glam acts like Sweet; the short, sharp, catchy songwriting of the Buzzcocks. The group's debut LP, I Should Coco, has a lotta teen-age energy, and -- unlike most commercial punk these days -- it really is fronted by a teen-ager: 19-year-old Gaz Coombes. The Figgs and the Daisies open at 9 p.m. at Bimbo's 365 Club, 1025 Columbus, S.F. $10, 474-0365.

Gimme Gimme Gimme Shot on the streets and in bars, Midnight Dancers is the first Filipino film to address AIDS. A look at the lives of sibak (male prostitutes) in Manila, the film has inspired a strange mix of voyeurism and empathy in American reviewers. Take Stephen Holden of the New York Times: One minute he's praising director Mel Chionglo's "big heart," the next he's salivating over the "nubile" strippers. The film screens at 7 and 9:30 p.m. at the Castro Theatre, Castro & Market, S.F. Midnight Dancers continues through Tuesday. Tickets are $6; call 621-6120.