Saturday Happenings

Movies

-- La Strada (1954), Federico Fellini's neo-realist masterpiece about a violent strongman and his child protégée/slave marked a transitional period in Italian filmmaking that opened the possibility for much weirder, and more personal, movies. Screening as a part of the free Elements of Cinema series. Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Cambridge, 11 a.m. Free.

-- Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai are the hot directors out of Hong Kong these days. Their most recent picture, Mad Detective (2007) explores violence, mental illness, and the otherworldly as it follows an insane—yet preternaturally gifted—outcast police detective. Museum of Fine Arts, Remis Auditorium, 4:10 p.m. $10/$8.

Roller Derby

-- Boston Massacre vs Dallas Derby Devils. Red state-blue state hell on wheels is sure to produce some mighty purple bruises. Doors at 5, match at 6. Shriners Auditorium, 99 Fordham Rd, Wilmington. $14 advance, $16 door. (KS)

Spacemen

-- If you haven't made it to the Museum of Science's Baseball as America exhibit, today might be the day to go. Bill "Spaceman" Lee, the left-hander who pitched for the 1975 Red Sox World series team, lectures on "The Art and Science of Pitching." Lee is only one of a series of Red Sox oddballs. (Lee actually occupies a space right between Manny and Schill: Politically outspoken (on the left), he also loved smoking pot.) Get there early. Museum of Science, 1 p.m. Cost included with museum admission.

Rock

-- Former Karp frontman Jared Warren and Murder City Devils veteran Coady Willis pretty much max out the sludge rock potential of two men playing on one stage. Playing with the Melvins. Bring earplugs. Paradise Rock Club, 967 Comm. Ave., 8 p.m. $16.50.