Customer Reviews

200 Motels: Original MGM Motion Picture Soundtrack [Enhanced CD]

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"The wide-screen erupts with absurdities! Explodes with spine-tingling psychological terror! The mere human mind boggles at the philosophical implications, as Frank Zappa's 200 Motels is unleashed in the totality of it's Pagan splendor! Its primordial fury! Star-studded cast! And everything..."

After a long battle with the defunct MGM, Rykodisc finally obtained the Holy Grail of Zappa, 200 Motels. They lost money in the deal, apparently, but they dutifully released this mammoth classic on CD for a new generation of fans before it promptly went out of print. You're probably thinking: "Great, another Zappa album. I already own [insert absurd number] FZ albums, why should I shell out 30+ bucks for this out-of-print double album?" Well, I'll tell you why you should.

200 Motels is the center piece of the Flo & Eddie era -- in fact, the raison d'etre for the band. Its not surprising, then, that this era is looked down upon, since this masterwork has had such a troubled past. The people at Rykodisc are absolute saints for ressurrecting this lost opus from the eternal dust bin of recordome. Obtaining this album means getting the skeleton key for a whole era of Zappa's music. Afterall, Chunga's Revenge and the Fillmore album were pretty much made from scraps of 200 Motels. In short: this album is essential to any Zappa collection.

The album is a mixture of avant-garde classical, operreta, and rockin' teenage combo. As usual, Zappa performs a miracle by blending these elements seamlessly. The first disc starts off with a SEMI-FRAUDULENT/DIRECT FROM HOLLYWOOD OVERTURE (an orchestral version of "Holiday in Berlin") before launching into the raucous madness of MYSTERY ROACH. The 11 minute Tuna-Fish interlude that follows is a surreal glance at the Mothers arriving in a town, where interviewers and "ordinary" folk dance around to the tune of Zappa's classical pieces, while Flo and Eddie sing about the tuna-fish town. Don't ask.

Jimmie Carl Black breaks the spell, as the Mothers run into his film-persona, the denizen of the town LONESOME COWBOY BURT. This song, as hilarious as it is awful, is of course a Zappa classic. This version, with JCB's incomparable vocals, is the best, before slipping into another atonal interlude, and WOULD YOU LIKE A SNACK? (Holiday in Berlin with the lyrics!). REDNECK EATS is a bizarre band/orchestra avante garde composition, so-titled because it ends with the befuddled Cowboy Burt saying: "Hey, Twerp! Play me something I kin enjoy!" The suite that follows is the "Shove it Right In" suite as it appears on YCDToSA6, intermingled with atonal pieces like "Mysterioso" -- a beautiful piece of dissonance that reminds me (or maybe its mocking...) Penderecki. Chamber theatre, LUCY'S SEDUCTION OF A BORED VIOLINIST & POSTLUDE is a brilliant finish.

The second disc, however, is where the real action is. The first three tracks are sort of a (Brilliant!) cartoon suite, accompanied by a rather excited orchestra. Jeff Simmons, the bassist, becomes intoxicated by inscents and rancid towels ("the same extoic scent as what the Beatles get off on!") and is tormented by his conscience as he decides whether or not to leave Zappa's "comedy group" and make it big on his own. (For audio documentary on this real-life event, see the Playground Psychotics album). This slips into some criminally catchy Flo & Eddie numbers, like DADDY, DADDY, DADDY, and the vocal assault of WHAT WILL THIS EVENING BRING ME THIS MORNING (with a great introductory track -- see listing above), followed by the "Tell-Me You Love Me" styled rocker, the hit single with a Bullet, MAGIC FINGERS. These were originally part of the groupie routine.

The film, and music, slips into madness here. What follows is 6 minutes of brilliant operetta, about Motorhead's ranch, Newts, and Dog Breath Broth. MOTORHEAD'S RANCH, one of my favorite songs on the album, sounds like something found on a Charles Ives record. The grand finale, STRICTLY GENTILE, may not be as beautiful here as it is on the LSO album, but with the lyrics and the mad blues-rock ending, it ties the album together perfectly.

This album has given me a new perspective on the Flo & Eddie era. Painstackingly packaged by Rykodisc, with a poster, a huge detailed booklet, and an Enhanced CD with the trailer of the film, this is worth every penny you pay for it. The bonus tracks are actually appreciated (unlike the penalty tracks on Uncle Meat). About 2 1/2 minutes of hilarious radio spots for the film, and the single version of MAGIC FINGERS.

The one sticking point is the sound quality. Apparently the master tapes were never handled very well, and despite the noble efforts of Ryko's remastering, the sound is still slightly stale (I've heard the vinyl is ten times worse). Still, considering that the sound on the Fillmore album isn't spectacular either, this shouldn't prevent anyone from enjoying this masterpiece.

Get it while you can. You won't be disappointed.

It has been many years since Zappa was my main musical passion. Time went by and I developed other musical interests but Zappa's music still found its way onto my stereo from time to time. Due to various circumstances I lost my vinyl collection among which "200 Motels" was one of my prized possesions. I had despaired of ever finding it on CD until most recently when I went online. Wonder od wonders there were actually copies available and I lost no time in securing a used CD copy of this long sought after musical memory.
My memory served me well and I was not disappointed.
From the opening notes of the Overture to the brilliant "Strictly Genteel" I was transported to a place where I re-discovered just what an immense pleasure and revelation listening to Frank Zappa's music was.
The orchestral pieces are still a treat and surprise even after some years of being exposed to Ives, Stockhausen and other modern masters. The rock and more conventional pieces still hold up to the high standards of what ardent Zappaphiles have grown to expect. Listening to "Strictly Genteel" is still an uplifting experience and "Lonesome Cowboy Burt" and "Penis Dimension" are still some of the funniest things that Zappa has ever recorded.
All in all a most pleasant journey back to a time when I was still cutting my musical teeth. This is a must-have for any devoted Zappa fan and a good introduction to the unconverted who still think of Zappa in terms of "Valley Girl" and "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow".

Of the more than 60 releases by Frank Zappa; none encompass the total breadth and scope of this twentith century master. That said; 200 motels (and "Lather") comes as close as any. There's the complex yet lyrical classical work. The satirical comedy. The raw outlandish rock and roll, and his dissonant percussive madness. Even the rare appearance of opera can be found in this brilliant master work. If you want to completely immerse yourself into the world of Frank Zappa; you will find it on 200 Motels. Sex, touring, rednecks, groupies, middle america, dental hygiene, and YES, even the size of YOUR organ, are covered in this irreverent and beautiful work. The disc contains all the original artwork; as well as the original movie poster. The booklet also features some added insight into the making of the movie, and the music. Rykodisc has done an impeccable job restoring the original material here, and included Cal Schenkel (the original artist) in the re-packaging process. As an added bonus; the disc contains an enhanced CD track with the original theatrical trailor. This; the last of the original titles to be re-released; 200 motels proves once again; the genius that was Frank Zappa. If you only buy one Zappa disc, make it 200 Motels. Frank Zappa was a true american original, and 200 Motels is a MASTERPIECE!

This 2-CD box set has to be the first Zappa release I've had in YEARS. I remember when this movie and lp first came out. Several Zappa fans told me as to how it was an obscure look at the world and it's funky people through Zappa's eyes. The most memorable tunes are "Lonesome Cowboy Burt", the kick-ass "She Painted Up Her Face", "Half A Dozen Provocative Squats", "Shove It Right In" and the finale "Strictly Genteel". I could maybe do another review of '200 Motels' six months down the line and come up with something totally different. The REALLY odd sounding tracks are "Does This Kind Of Life", "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy" and "A Nun Suit Painted On Some Old Boxes". There's also five different versions of the movie's trailer, a poster and a 56-page booklet of photos with inside info along with a complete Zappa back catalog listing. If you're a true Zappa fan, you'll flip over this title.

I remember when I finally found this album after a couple of years of searching. It was in the early 80's, and 200 Motels had already been out of print for a long while. The album was more of a legend, like Bigfoot or the Lochness Monster to me then, but I knew it actually existed so I pressed on. When I saw it hanging on a used record store wall it was like I'd found the Holy Grail! I bought it for $60 which was a lot of money for this college student at the time, but I would have paid twice that. Nothing I'd heard or read about 200 Motels quite prepared me for that first listen. I had to try to keep my jaw from constantly dropping open. The combination of Anton Webern meets Fillmore East still blows me away. This album is experimental even for Frank, so I can't really recommend this for the uninitiated. It might scare you away from one of the musical geniuses of our time. But for Zappa fanatics, this is an important and previously rare piece of the conceptual continuity.

I may be one of the few people who think that 200 Motels is a brilliant, albeit very low budget, movie. There has never been a film structure like this one: a town made of cheap plastic with an orchestra behind barbed wire (to indicate their artistic slavery to the composer)forms the background set for a number of absurdist/vulgar/sophomoric vignettes showing the ugliness behind the American dream. A parade/hymn to the obsession with, er, male personal dimensions tops off this loud, silly, clever, original commentary on all things both American and popular culture. There isn't anything like this film. It is one of a kind. Because it was so cheaply made (it was filmed on videotape) it looks ugly and cheesy (perhaps appropriately so, given the subject matter here)as all get out. And yet, it works-simply because it is like nothing else ever released through Hollywood. The music contains everything from ersatz western to orchestral weirdness and is generally ugly and heavy handed. I don't think that this music will stand the test of time but the whole 200 Motels package of music and video is original and shows a unique, astute, and, yes, vulgar intelligence at work. Interestingly, Zappa lampoons American culture and in the process reveals himself to be thoroughly American to the core. Only an American would take popular culture so seriously that they would write an epic musical composition as a critique of it, showing the hold of that culture on the minds of Americans, even those who pretend that it is not worth any consideration.

More than 25 years after its original release, us FZ fans are finally greeted with a CD version of this formerly-lost gem. Not only do we get all 34 tracks of the original, but also bonus cuts, 4 being promotional tracks and one being a single edit of "Magic Fingers." For those with a high- tech system, we can view "200 Motels" Original Theatrical Trailer on our computer. This 90- minute dissonant masterpiece can only be handled by those that can accept FZ as a true American master, those who ever were afraid of his music will definitely not like this. But for true Zappa fans, "200 Motels" is absolutely essential. Highlights include Jimmy Carl Black as "Lonesome Cowboy Burt," Flo and Eddie (ex- Turtles), Zappa's orchestral genius, and the wonderful performance by the Mothers and also by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, among many others. Things begin rather quietly with the "Semi-Fraudulent/Direct-From-Hollywood Overture" but things quickly pick up pace with tracks like "Mystery Roach" and the great "Dance of the Just Plain Folks." Jimmy Carl Black, a former Mother, steps in to do the vocals on "Lonesome Cowboy Burt," and does a phenomable job. More great humor and wild tracks follow throughout the remainder of disc one, through tracks like "Would You Like A Snack?," "Shove it Right In," and "Half a Dozen Provocative Squats," among many other gems. Disc two is equally provocative as disc one; it's full of Flo and Eddie, near-chaotic classical/rock dissonances, and of course, narrator Theodore Bikel. Lots of great laughs, too! Well, in conclusion, yes, I am a die-hard Zappa fan, and I love his complete catalog, and this is certainly magnificent, but I must say that like all of his other works, it is only for his fans. People who are not fans of his music will not be able to accept the humor and the dissonance of the music, and therefore, unless they feel real adventurous, they should not go out and buy this masterpiece. Another 100% excellent gem by the late, great Frank Zappa!

Although it has been a while since I've actually heard these discs, they have left quite an impression. For the ardent Frank Zappa fan, this record probably deserves a five-star review, but with Joe Blow music fan in mind, I issue this warning: brace yourself or be destroyed! The first period of Zappaesque musical madness is fully encapsulated in this package, and it does absolute justice to nearly everything that Frank had done up to about 1972. The quirky yet enthralling orchestral bits, the hilarious antics of Flo and Eddie and of course Frank's positively diseased guitar work are all well represented, and this is only the tip of the iceberg. If this sounds cool to you, that's great, but beware! Buy Hot Rats or Just Another Band from LA first if you need something a little more accessible. They will either completely warm you up or totally turn you off to the wizardry, madness and genius of Frank which 200 Motels is bursting at the seams with. Pick 'em up and proceed with caution...

The title is designed to catch your attention, as I gave it 5 stars anyway. I agree with most of the comments that follow. It is not his best album (if only because he hasn't got his best band) but it is one of his most ambitious, most incoherent, most underrated pieces of music.

OK, the film doesn't look too good after all those years, and let's not kid ourselves into thinking Zappa was a great film producer as well, but BOY! He does produce some magical moments here: the Strictly Genteel finale, the She painted up her face sequence, Magic Fingers, Tuna sandwich etc, the tunes just keep on coming. If you buy one Zappa cd do not buy this. Of you buy five, this one must be included.

This was, as the hype proclaimed, the "holy grail" for most Zappa fans when it was released on CD finally, a few years ago. An amazing, assaulting, insulting, awe-inspiring work, "200 Motels" proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Zappa could probably write avant-garde orchestral music in his sleep--and good music at that.

The compositions on this LP are even more amazing when you consider that he wrote a LOT of this music in hotel rooms (hence the name) between shows on various tours.

Take a listen to the first and last tracks first, "Overture" and "Genteel." Hilarious and wonderful. "Nun Suit" is the song that separates the men from the boys when it comes to deciding if you like Zappa's avant-garde side or not.

Turtles fans, you have plenty of Flo and Eddie here, too, as well as appearances by such "love Frank/hate Frank" members of the Mothers as Ian Underwood, Jimmy Carl Black, Motorhead Sherwood (at least in the movie, if not on the CD) and Aynsley Dunbar, George Duke, Ruth Underwood and the rest.

Before you go searching the night for your newts, get the music to go along with it. "200 Motels" is a must.