EAT THAT QUESTION—FRANK ZAPPA IN HIS OWN WORDS
By: John ‘Doc’ Strange
Over the last few years there have been several very good documentaries about musicians. The best ones have been those that used a lot of personal video the artists had taken over the years along side footage from films and TV. The availability of hours of video footage on pretty much anyone in the limelight will give future documentarians an easy way to present the lives of their subjects. They will have everything from Facebook to YouTube to pull from.
The documentary on Frank Zappa, Eat That Question—Frank Zappa In His Own Words is made using archival footage from Frank’s life and career. The great thing about Frank is that he was very open and had been interviewed many times over the years. The filmmakers use the footage to show us the progression of his career. From his early days where he had an appearance on the Steve Allen Show (he was TERRIBLE as you can tell by the fact that Mr. Allen actually tells him not to bring that act back!) to what might have been his last interview before he succumbed to prostate cancer.
What made Frank so amazing? He made a fortune with his avant-garde style of music. His group, the Mothers of Invention, was formed in the mid-60’s.It evolved from an R&B group to produce a totally new sound that blended R&B, doo-wop, musique concrète, and experimental sound collages. The band fit in very well into the subculture prevalent in LA during that time.
The Mothers of Invention was only a tiny part of who Frank Zappa really was. His passions roamed the full spectrum of music. He was very well known for his classical compositions. He also made the movie 200 Motels and wrote and produced the soundtrack for the film. This film is notable as the first feature film shot entirely on video and transferred to 35mm film after editing for distribution to theaters.
The film has a great pace. The interviews are as interesting to watch now as they were back when they were made. I learned a lot about this amazing man. Many men might have let the life change them but Frank held onto his core beliefs and lived his life true to those beliefs. It wasn’t a life that I would live but he seemed happy with his accomplishments.
This film should definitely be on your list of summer movies if you love music. The music alone is worth the price of admission.
Directed by: Thorsten Schütte
Cast: Frank Zappa
MPAA Rating: R (for language, some sexual references and brief nudity)
Selig Rating: Full Price
Runtime: 93 Min.
The Selig Rating Scale:
FULL PRICE – Excellent movie, well worth the price
MATINEE – Good movie
DOLLAR – OK movie
CABLE – No need to rush. Save it for a rainy day.
FREEBIE – Good that I saw it on the big screen but wish I hadn't paid for it.
COMMERCIAL TV – Commercials and cutting to the allotted time will not hurt this one.
FORGET IT! – Bad. If you see this one, do yourself a favor and keep it to yourself.
GET YOUR TORCHES – BAD! – Burn the script, the writer, the director and maybe even the actors!
