The True Story Of Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels

January 31st 1989
The True Story Of Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels

Includes footage from:
  • Vienna, Austria, c. October 12, 1968
  • Royal Festival Hall, October 25, 1968 (parts from Uncle Meat, 1987)
  • Uncle Meat shooting, c. May, 1970 (including some outtakes)
  • Zappa House, 1970 (from Frank Zappa, VPRO, 1971)
  • Fillmore West, November 5-7, 1970 (from Frank Zappa, VPRO, 1971)
  • New York, c. November 13-14, 1970
  • Pinewood Studios, January-February, 1971 (from Frank Zappa filmt 200 Motels, VPRO, 1971)
  • 200 Motels editing room, London, 1971
  • Roxy, Los Angeles, CA, December, 1973
  • Village Recorders, LA, c. April, 1979
  • Palermo, Sicily, c. July 14, 1982
  • Interview with Richard Hart, Zappa House, c. August, 1982
 
The music heard:
  • Bogus Pomp (from London Symphony Orchestra Vols. 1 & 2)
  • The Jimmy Carl Black Philosophy Lesson (from Ahead Of Their Time)
  • Do You Like My New Car? (from Fillmore West, November, 1970)
  • Do You Like My New Car? (from Frank Zappa filmt 200 Motels)
  • Progress? (from Ahead Of Their Time)
  • Like It Or Not (from Ahead Of Their Time)
  • Sleeping In A Jar (from Playground Psychotics)
  • The Girl Wants To Fix Him Some Broth (from Pinewood Studios, January-February, 1971)
  • Mystery Roach (from Frank Zappa filmt 200 Motels)
  • Penis Dimension (from Fillmore West, November, 1970)
  • Dummy Up (from Roxy & Elsewhere)
  • Night School (from Jazz From Hell)
  • Strictly Genteel (from London Symphony Orchestra Vols. 1 & 2)
 
Total running time: 59 min.
 
Cast & Crew
 
Cast (mostly in order of appearance, playing themselves):
 
Janet Neville-Ferguson
Miss Lucy
FZ
Jimmy Carl Black
Ian Underwood
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Art Tripp
Mark Volman
Howard Kaylan
Jeff Simmons
Aynsley Dunbar
Moon Unit Zappa
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Martin Lickert
Jim "Motorhead" Sherwood
Bunk Gardner
Dick Barber
Gail Zappa
Roy Estrada
Don Preston
Tony Palmer
Keith Moon
Jerry Goode
Roelof Kiers
David Van Asch
Phyllis Bryn-Julson
Ringo Starr
George Duke
Ruth Underwood
Theodore Bikel
Brena
Peter Bos
Phyllis Altenhaus
Napoleon Murphy Brock
Bruce Fowler
Tom Fowler
Ralph Humphrey
Chester Thompson
Steve Vai
Warren Cuccurullo
Al Malkin
Ike Willis
Jeff Hollie
Pamela Miller
Elgar Howarth
Dweezil Zappa
Dick Kunc
 
 
Credits:
 
Roelof Kiers—director of the original documentary
Peter Bos—photography of the original documentary
 
Written, produced & directed by FZ
Edited by Raymond Bush and Booey Kober
Associate producer: Jill Silverthorne
 
Audio: Bob Stone
Assistant: Arthur Sloatman
 
Additional Photography:
Haskell Wexler ("Uncle Meat")
Hermann Jauk (Vienna)
Barry Feinstein (Roxy)
P.M. Magazine (video interview)