Zappa

Name: Zappa
Genre: Biography, Music, Documentary
Released: November 27, 2020
Duration: 129 min
Rating: 76
Cast: Alice Cooper, Arsenio Hall, Bruce Bickford, Bunk Gardner, David Bowie

2020

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 16 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Ratings

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7.4

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7.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Ratings

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Zappa

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Movie Details & Credits

Magnolia Pictures | Release Date: November 27, 2020 | Not Rated

Starring: Alice Cooper, Arsenio Hall, Bruce Bickford, Bunk Gardner, David Bowie, David Harrington, Frank Zappa, Gail Zappa, George Harrison, Howard Kaylan, Ian Underwood, John Lennon, Kathie Lee Gifford, Larry King, Mark Volman, Mick Jagger, Mike Keneally, Pamela Des Barres, Paul McCartney, Ray White, Regis Philbin, Ringo Starr, Ruth Underwood, Scott Thunes, Steve Vai, Timothy Carey, Václav Havel

Summary: With unfettered access to the Zappa family trust and all archival footage, Zappa explores the private life behind the mammoth musical career that never shied away from the political turbulence of its time. Alex Winter’s assembly features appearances by Frank’s widow Gail Zappa and several of Frank’s musical collaborators including MikeWith unfettered access to the Zappa family trust and all archival footage, Zappa explores the private life behind the mammoth musical career that never shied away from the political turbulence of its time. Alex Winter’s assembly features appearances by Frank’s widow Gail Zappa and several of Frank’s musical collaborators including Mike Keneally, Ian Underwood, Steve Vai, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, David Harrington, Scott Thunes, Ruth Underwood, Ray White and others.… Expand

Director: Alex Winter

Genre(s): Biography, Music, Documentary

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 129 min

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Critic Reviews

Movie Nation Roger Moore

Nov 10, 2020

Alex Winter’s Zappa is perhaps the most thorough Zappa screen biography to come along, and that’s acknowledging how hopeless the job of making The Compleat Zappa bio-doc is. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Peter Sobczynski

Nov 27, 2020

I found the film to be an engrossing look at Zappa and his legacy that nevertheless avoids the mere hagiography that films of this sort run the risk of embracing when not handled properly. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

Nov 23, 2020

It’s a multimedia immersion, filled with rare footage of Zappa from his teenage years on and assembled with the loving dexterity we’ve come to expect from Alex Winter as a filmmaker. Read full review

Donald Clarke

Feb 19, 2021

Perhaps overwhelmed by interviews, experimental movies and live footage, Winter allows few compositions to play at length. But the full man emerges in all his contradictions and confrontations. Read full review

Ann Hornaday

Nov 23, 2020

Zappa gives its subject his well-earned due within the rock firmament. But even more valuable, Winter gives Zappa pride of place among the most important composers of the 20th century, sharing some extraordinary performances of his little-known classical work. Read full review

David Fear

Dec 3, 2020

Winter’s impressive doc admittedly works better as a preaching-to-the-choir portrait than a work of advocacy or conversion. But it is one hell of chronicle of Frank the Walking Contradiction: He was a rock star and a symphonic composer. Read full review

IndieWire David Ehrlich

Nov 27, 2020

Alas, the trouble with trying to capture a mercurial artist on such a legible canvas is that the attempt — no matter how sincere and self-aware it might be — can only do justice to its subject through its failure to see them clearly. Read full review

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User Reviews

martin57

Jul 1, 2021

I liked this movie. It had a lot of information that I didn't know before. It wasn't just about his music and his prolific orchestrating, but his philosophy. It starts a little slow, but gains speed as it goes along. Worth a watch!

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psychedelicsea

Feb 20, 2021

If you don’t know much about Frank Zappa, or are not yet a fan, you’ll learn quite a lot about who this guy is and what he stood for. Don’t worry about getting pulled into some bizarre stage play with incoherent ramblings and fake music. This isn’t that Zappa film. You might actually enjoyIf you don’t know much about Frank Zappa, or are not yet a fan, you’ll learn quite a lot about who this guy is and what he stood for. Don’t worry about getting pulled into some bizarre stage play with incoherent ramblings and fake music. This isn’t that Zappa film. You might actually enjoy this, seeing the life of someone who is undeniably a rock legend and a unique cultural phenomenon. Just understand that Frank Zappa went to every length possible to be strictly uncommercial, though he clearly wanted to be popular by being outrageous and true to himself. If you’re a Zappa fan you’ll enjoy this documentary for its condensed overview of Frank’s career. Don’t expect to be blown away by insights or rare footage. In some ways it jumps parts of his career in the 70’s and early 80s, which means it skips highlights and discussions of some of his major albums, focusing most on perspective of him as a man and a musician/composer, and the eventual political stint he seemingly stumbled into. However, any other Zappa feature I’ve seen before this seems twice as long and half as good. It’s nice to see a well made, respectable piece on who the man behind the music was.… Expand

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