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Always ahead of his time, avant-garde musician Frank Zappa predates the rock video in what best can be described as a visual equivalent to any of his recordings in the late 1960s and early 1970s. 200 MOTELS is a hodgepodge of color and sound linked by ex-Beatle Ringo Starr playing Zappa, complete with curly-locked wig and the signature goatee. The film is a marvelous whirl of color and visual effects, with some fine animation and Zappa's delicious wit present throughout the entire production.
This was the first color production to be transferred from videotape to film and the technique works well. The special visual effects available at the time were used to create some amazing surreal images and optical illusions. This is certainly not for everyone and sometimes the picture causes eyestrain, but 200 MOTELS is definitely a film to experience. Zappa co-directed with Tony Palmer, taking credit for "characterizations." Palmer was said to have directed the visuals and was also responsible for the shooting script from the "story" and screenplay by Zappa. Watch for Keith Moon, the drummer for The Who, in a cameo as a nun.
"Joyous, fanatic! A full wall of sight-and-sound input." — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
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showtime
Monday, August 14 at 7 pm
location
THE GREEN ROOM
144 West Street
admission
$6 general / $4 GBFS members
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