WHAT'S HAPPENING : FILM.

More Fellini: Considered one of the late Italian director Federico Fellini's masterpieces, ``Nights of Cabiria,'' which won the 1957 Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, has been fully restored with refurbished sound and image and a new translation. The tragicomic classic also includes a never-before-seen seven-minute sequence. Starring Fellini's wife, Giulietta Masina in the title role, ``Cabiria'' tells the story of a streetwalker living on the outskirts of Rome who is constantly betrayed by her faith in human nature. The film was the basis for the Broadway musical ``Sweet Charity,'' which was later filmed by Bob Fosse. The restored footage is the legendary ``man with the sack'' sequence showing Masina's encounter with a mysterious man who distributes food to the poor. The sequence, which was believed lost, was supposedly cut due to pressure from the Catholic Church, which thought it questioned its role in helping the needy. ``Cabiria'' is playing at the Laemmle Town Center in Encino.

- Rob Lowman

television

Physician's story: Gentle, dreamy, bold and startling - ``My Own Country'' (9 p.m. Sunday on Showtime) is a distinctly different kind of cable drama from poetic director Mira Nair (``Mississippi Masala'').

``My Own Country'' is based on the best seller by Dr. Abraham Verghese (Naveen Andrews), a real-life specialist in infectious diseases who treated early AIDS cases at Mountain Home Medical Center in Johnson City, Tenn.

In 1985, AIDS was a strange new threat to this rural area and Verghese - a doctor of Indian descent who grew up in Ethiopia - was often his patients' sole hope and support. His exhausting inner journey of commitment and despair, as AIDS cases impinge on his marriage and family, is much of what ``My Own Country'' is about. Andrews (``The English Patient'') is a seductive charmer as driven, compassionate Verghese. Glenne Headly and Hal Holbrook add fine turns as tenacious AIDS patients.

- Kinney Littlefield

Orange County Register

music

Foremost rappers: Rap trio Run-DMC, the original ``men in black,'' can count many firsts among their career highlights.

The group was the first rap act to score gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums. They were the first rappers to have videos played on MTV and the first to appear on ``Saturday Night Live'' and ``American Bandstand.''

Run-DMC also made history when they became the first hip-hop act to land the covers of both Rolling Stone and Spin magazines in the mid-'80s.

The group - Joseph (Run) Simmons and Darryl (DMC) McDaniels with famed New York club and radio spinner DJ Red Alert replacing original member DJ Jason (Jam Master Jay) Mizell - appears tonight at the House of Blues in West Hollywood.

Run-DMC, whose hits include ``Walk This Way'' (with Aerosmith's Steve Tyler and Joe Perry), ``You Be Illin','' ``My Adidas,'' ``It's Like That'' and ``Down with the King,'' also appeared in the movies ``Krush Groove'' and ``Tougher Than Leather.''

The streetwise trio's 1984 debut album is considered a rap milestone, the first true hip-hop album with stripped-down beats that drew on both hard rock and funk.

Today, the group is still going strong. Each member has individual projects in the works, and they regularly perform for charities.

The House of Blues is at 8430 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. Show time is 9 p.m., and admission is $15. Information: [phone].

- Fred Shuster

film

No need to fear: If you haven't seen the ``X-Files'' movie by now, chances are you could care less about the television show. And you probably figure that even if you did see the film, you'd be hopelessly lost in a tangled web of conspiracy theories, UFO talk and guesswork about which one is Mulder and which one is Scully.

Well, fret not. The filmmakers have done their best to lend a helping hand to novices. In fact, after talking with both fans and neophytes, the consensus is that the ``X-Files'' movie works best for people with no vested interest in the show. That way you don't care so much about all the unanswered questions, screwy plot points and the fact that, dammit, Mulder and Scully don't quite share a kiss. You just sit back and enjoy a good, creepy movie, a film unique this summer in its ability to scare the bejesus out of you.

- Glenn Whipp

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos

Photo: (1) A new print of the 1957 Federico Fellini classic ``Nights of Cabiria'' includes seven minutes of never-seen footage.

(2) Run-DMC performs tonight at the House of Blues in West Hollywood.

(3) no caption (``X-Files'' movie)