“200 Motels” by Frank Zappa & Tony Palmer Box Set

New PledgeMusic Campaign For “200 Motels” by Frank Zappa & Tony Palmer Box Set - CD & DVD with Extras & Exclusives!

London - “200 Motels” is a 1971 American-British musical surrealist film co-written and directed by Frank Zappa and Tony Palmer and starring The Mothers of Invention, Theodore Bikel and Ringo Starr.

Gonzo Mulitimedia is releasing a limited edition box set of “200 Motels” - CD & DVD with Extras & Exclusives! The film DVD is mastered from Tony Palmer's original 2-inch masters. This is for the first time these masters have ever being used. The second disc contains extra concert material specially edited by “200 Motels” original director Tony Palmer.

In “200 Motels”, the film attempts to portray the craziness of life on the road as a rock musician. While on tour, The Mothers of Invention go crazy in the small fictional town of Centerville (“a real nice place to raise your kids up”), wander around, and get beaten up in “Redneck Eats”, a cowboy bar. In a cartoon interlude passed off as a “dental hygiene movie”, bassist “Jeff”, tired of playing what he refers to as “Zappa’s comedy music”, is persuaded by his bad conscience to quit the group, as did his real-life counterpart Jeff Simmons, who was fired for insubordination before the film began shooting. Simmons was replaced by Martin Lickert (who was Ringo's chauffeur) for the film.

The Orchestra was the Royal Philharmonic, including the great classical guitarist John Williams, and was conducted by Elgar Howarth who went on to become one of Britain's most distinguished conductors. And the choreography was devised by Gillian Lynne, who went on to 'invent' the Lloyd-Webber musical “Cats”. She always said that “200 Motels” was the inspiration for much that she later incorporated into “Cats”.

It was also the first film ever to be shot on 2-inch analogue videotape and successfully transferred to celluloid. “Star Wars” was only just around the corner.

The Cast

Frank Zappa as himself

The Mothers of Invention as themselves

Theodore Bikel as Rance Muhammitz, the narrator/Master of Ceremonies

Ringo Starr as Larry the Dwarf, dressed as Frank Zappa

Keith Moon as the hot nun

Howard Kaylan as himself

Mark Volman as himself

Ian Underwood as himself

Ruth Underwood as herself

Don Preston as himself

Jimmy Carl Black as Lonesome Cowboy Burt

Euclid James 'Motorhead' Sherwood as himself,

Aynsley Dunbar as himself

George Duke as himself

Jim Pons as himself (uncredited)

Pamela Des Barres as the interviewer

Martin Lickert as “Jeff”

Janet Neville-Ferguson as Groupie #1

Lucy Offerall as Groupie #2

Dick Barber as Chunga – The Vacuum Cleaner

Judy Gridley as the chorus leader

For more information: www.pledgemusic.com/frankzappaandtonypalmer

Kind of unfair comment ... The Wall was done quite a few years later, and by that time video was already cemented in film history for details and other situations, including special effects. When 200 MOTELS was done, no one used video - it was considered taboo and totally separated from film! - and it was quite experimental with very few people even trying it. It became much more fashionable later when video games appeared and video developed fast from there into film.

I think that what might have hurt 200 MOTELS the most is that the visual story that you see in the film is probably cut up so badly that it makes things really difficult to follow and put together in one's head. Frank Zappa, in his work, was not usually "disjointed" and not well defined and "composed" to what we see in the film, which suggests that there may have been a lot more from it, that would help make the film more cohesive and interesting and probably fun to watch, although up until that time, no one had experimented in film like FZ did, and it was something that he had problems with (TP and his version of the film), because the other guy was famous for having done crap with the Beatles and thus, his opinion was more valuable than the ideas and visions that Frank Zappa might have had. (... sort of my interpretation!).

I like the idea that people get to know this film ... but I'm sorry that it has to happen in such a way that the family themselves get nothing for it. My understanding is that the family is still trying to get control of this film.