Poster

200 Motels ()

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The great Frank Zappa's outrageous psychedelic precursor to today's music videos features "The Mothers of Invention" wreaking havoc in a typical American town. Ringo Starr narrates.
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21 photos | 1 video

Complete, Cast awaiting verification

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Mark Volman ...
Member of Mothers of Invention
Howard Kaylan ...
Member of Mothers of Invention
Ian Underwood ...
Member of Mothers of Invention
Aynsley Dunbar ...
Member of Mothers of Invention
...
Member of Mothers of Invention
...
Rance Muhammitz / Dave
...
The Hot Nun
...
Lonesome Cowboy Burt
...
Groupie #1 (as Janet Ferguson)
Martin Lickert ...
Jeff
Lucy Offerall ...
Groupie #2
Dick Barber ...
Bif Debris - The Vacuum Cleaner
...
Don
...
Interviewer (as Pamela Miller)
Ruth Underwood ...
Fake Drummer
Judy Gridley ...
Chorus Leader
...
Larry the Dwarf / Frank Zappa
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jim Pons ...
Member of Mothers of Invention (uncredited)
Euclid James 'Motorhead' Sherwood ...
Motorhead Sherwood (uncredited)
...
Member of Mothers of Invention (uncredited)

Directed by

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Tony Palmer ... (visuals)
Frank Zappa ... (characterizations)

Written by

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Frank Zappa ... (story and screenplay)
 
Tony Palmer ... (shooting script)
 
Mark Volman ... (special material) &
Howard Kaylan ... (special material)
 
Jeff Simmons ... (special material) (uncredited)

Produced by

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Herb Cohen ... producer
Jerry D. Good ... producer (as Jerry Good)
Brian Harris ... associate producer
Raoul Pagel ... associate producer

Music by

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Frank Zappa ... (music composed by)

Cinematography by

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Tony Palmer

Editing by

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Rich Harrison

Editorial Department

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Roland Brown ... vision supervisor
Ray Nunney ... editor: video tape
Annie Rowe ... vision mixer (as Anne Rowe)
Barry Stevens ... editor: video tape (as Barry Stephens)

Production Design by

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Cal Schenkel

Art Direction by

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Leo Austin

Costume Design by

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Sue Yelland

Makeup Department

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Mervyn Medalie ... hairdresser
Paul Rabiger ... makeup artist

Production Management

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David C. Anderson ... unit production manager (as David Anderson)
Roy Garner ... production manager: Lion Television Services

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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David Alexander ... assistant director
John Downes ... third assistant director
Jim McCutcheon ... second assistant director

Art Department

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Paddy Bennett ... props
Harry Phipps ... construction supervisor

Sound Department

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Robert Auger ... recordist: 16 track
Rowland Fowles ... boom operator
Pieter Hubbard ... sound supervisor (as Peter Hubbard)

Special Effects by

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Colin Chilvers ... special effects
Inky Ingram ... wire specialist
Bert Luxford ... special effects

Camera and Electrical Department

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Barrie Dodd ... camera operator
Peter Dyson ... lighting director
Mike Fitch ... camera operator
Neville Hoksfield ... vision engineer
John Howard ... camera operator
John May ... gaffer
Selwyn Mindel ... vision engineer
Barry Peake ... still photographer
Dave Swan ... camera operator
Richard Thompson ... vision engineer

Animation Department

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Wilma Guenot ... graphic production
Ann Oliphant ... graphic production
Cal Schenkel ... graphic production
Fumiko R. Sommer ... graphic production (as Fumiko Roche)
Charles Swenson ... animation director
Kunimi Terada ... graphic production
Elizabeth Wright ... graphic production

Music Department

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Ray Cook ... music associate: dancers
George Duke ... music performer: Mothers of Invention
Aynsley Dunbar ... music performer: Mothers of Invention
Elgar Howarth ... conductor: orchestra
Howard Kaylan ... music performer: Mothers of Invention
John Lowdell ... orchestra chairman
Tom Petzal ... acting orchestra general manager
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra ... music performers (as The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)
Colin Staveley ... orchestra leader
Ian Underwood ... music performer: Mothers of Invention
David Van Asch ... choral director
Mark Volman ... music performer: Mothers of Invention
Frank Zappa ... music arranger

Script and Continuity Department

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Lyn Gomez ... continuity clerk

Additional Crew

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Tom Keylock ... controller: Lion Television Services
Gillian Lynne ... choreographer
Alan Mashford ... technical director
Ian Stock ... unit publicist
Jaqi Williamson ... production secretary
Mal Evans ... private assistant: Ringo Starr (uncredited)

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

"Touring makes you crazy", Frank Zappa says, explaining that the idea for this movie came to him while the Mothers of Invention were touring. The story, interspersed with performances by the Mothers and the Royal Symphony Orchestra, is a tale of life on the road. The band members' main concerns are the search for groupies and the desire to get paid. Written by George S. Davis

Plot Keywords
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Frank Zappa's 200 Motels (United States)
  • Deux cents motels (France)
  • 200 мотелей (Soviet Union, Russian title)
  • Two Hundred Motels
  • Frank Zappa - 200 Motels (West Germany)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 98 min
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $679,000 (estimated)

Did You Know?

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Trivia The role of Jeff was originally intended for Mothers bassist Jeff Simmons, who quit the group just before filming. As a replacement, Frank Zappa hired Wilfrid Brambell, who walked off the set in a rage a few days later. During a crew meeting, Zappa announced that he would give the part to the next person who walked into the room. Martin Lickert, Sir Ringo Starr's chauffeur, was cast when he walked in with a pack of cigarettes for Starr. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in Frank Zappa: New York and Elsewhere (1980). See more »
Crazy Credits The closing credits are super-imposed over a number of production-related documents, including sheet music, scripts, shooting directions, memos, and expense reports. See more »
Quotes Rance Muhammitz: [as a TV show host, holding a microphone] Hi Larry, its good to have you back on our panel!
Larry The Dwarf: [holding a magic lamp] Hi Dave, its really great to be back on your panel!
Rance Muhammitz: I'm sure the people at home would be interested to know why such a large force as you is all dressed up like Frank Zappa. Tell us Larry, whats the deal?
Larry The Dwarf: He made me do it, Dave. He's such a creep. He's making me hold this aladdin.
Rance Muhammitz: And why is he making you do that, Larry?
Larry The Dwarf: He wants me to fuck the girl with the harp.
[Keith Moon as the nun peers out from behind the harp grinning]
Rance Muhammitz: He wants you to fuck the girl... with the harp?
Larry The Dwarf: NO, no! With the magic lamp! He wants me to stuff it up her and rub it.
[chuckles maniacally, host stares at him]
Rance Muhammitz: Let us ask our studio audience: if you had just been lowered down here on TV with a wire connected to a brown leather harness, forced by crazy person to insert a mysterious imported lamp in the rep-rep-rep
[has trouble pronouncing word with thick German accent]
Rance Muhammitz: into the, into the RE-productive orifice of a lady harpist, and you were a dwarf... would you do it?
Larry The Dwarf: YES!
See more »
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