The “200 Motels” by Frank Zappa

200 Motels – USA/UK, 1971

«Ladies and gentlemen, on tour you can go crazy. Here is the meaning of this film ». When they asked him what he expected from “200 Motels”, Frank Zappa replied: “Well, for those who already appreciate our band, it will be the logical extension of our concerts and records. To those who do not know us, but do not disdain to discover something new, will propose a surprising introduction to the “Mothers of Invention”. Those who do not endure us, and have always thought that we were nothing more than a pack of perverts without music ear, they will find in “200 motels” confirmation to their worst suspicions ».

Ok, but what is “200 motels”? «It is a surrealistic documentary that deals with topics such as: the Groupies, life on tour, relationships with the public, chemistry internal to the band. When we are on tour, especially if long, life in the group begins to look like that in an army. You can happen not to realize where you are, you are in your room, socializing mostly only with the other members, and strange things happen within this “bubble”. Here: the situations contained in the film developed during four years of these “bubbles”. To this is added that the “mothers” are not a pop group like many others, and the result is a bit particular. In the film there is no chronological continuity, precisely because we wanted to convey that alteration of the space-time references that a band can experiment on tour, where time is determined from the moment the road manager wakes you up, since the bus starts, since you place the tools and try the system, since you perform and from what you do to distract you after the show. The space is also indeterminate: the motels are all resembled, you could always be in Los Angeles, or on the same plane or bus; Concert rooms can differentiate in some details, but after a few years they too are confused; The public also changes and is always the same in a similar way. Ditto the cities ».

We died with the quote because throughout the film you will not find an equally rational explanation of all these ingredients, which Zappa has blended to extract a compound “psychoded” like one of his irreverent symphonies, With monologues, gags, refrains, alterations, counterpoints, onomatopoeic imitations, lyrical obscenities, Groupies & Tits. To enhance its creativity was the possibility of shooting on video (in Pinewoods studies, near London) with technical solutions then at the forefront and special effects otherwise out of reach. But the rest is all hoe juice: the choreography from Alice in Wonderland, the animated “jokes”, the characters from “Ubu Re”, even the presence of a real orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic – visibly embarrassed for the situation and for the joyfully “X -AD” texts.

Also on video, Zappa is confirmed as an iconoclastic and immoderate Mary Poppins, a chaos rasputin. On stage we find, in scattered order (do not ask us to order in this shades): Keith Moon, otherwise known as the drummer of the Who, disguised as a nun and dazed among the topless Groupies; Ringo Starr who interprets the same Zappa in a dwarf version (“a very large dwarf, though”); KKK processions with torches; Horny vacuum cleaner; Cow Boy and Lygone American city (“A really nice place to raise your children”); Underground animated cartoons. And the “mothers”, of course, the music of Zappa, blues/rock, jazz, classic, the cores, the orchestra.

“200 Motels” cost little, he collected enough, wasn’t successful – could he have? The effect is, at the same time, of improvisation and rigorous study: therefore, too complicated for some, too much caciarone for others. At one point the doubt that Zappa is making fun of us (but even if it were, we would accept it). Let’s say that the film is a little self -referential, everything happens and perhaps even too much, and it is not easy to imagine the effect it made in 1971, when those effects that today appear vintage were surprising. However, built as a Freak concert, this crazy documentary remains an unforgettable symphonic orgasm. Today it will also be dated, but confirms the impression that the sarcastic gaze of Zappa on America is missing more than ever. And, among the many songs, do not miss the execution of “Penis dimension”, which is pure Monty Python: eight inches of underground pleasure.

Sara Martini

Trailer

Soundtrack