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Zappa

Play trailer Poster for Zappa Released Nov 23, 2020 2h 9m Documentary Music Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
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96% Tomatometer 69 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
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 Mike Keneally, Ian Underwood, Steve Vai, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, David Harrington, Scott Thunes, Ruth Underwood, Ray White and others.
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Zappa

Zappa

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Critics Consensus

As rich and complex as its subject's best work, Zappa honors the life and career of a musical legend without falling into hagiography.

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Critics Reviews

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Mark Kermode Kermode & Mayo's Film Review It makes a very good case that you should be interested in Zappa's work. Feb 25, 2021 Full Review Paul Byrnes Sydney Morning Herald If there is one American musician who was overdue for a comprehensive documentary, that's Zappa -- and this one doesn't disappoint. It's as messy as his music in parts, but that fits. Rated: 4/5 Feb 24, 2021 Full Review Wendy Ide Observer (UK) Key to the success of the film is the editing, a pinballing assault of free association, claymation and gleeful profanity, which goes some way towards recreating what it must have been like to spend time inside Zappa's head. Rated: 4/5 Feb 21, 2021 Full Review Matt Neal Movies Ate My Life Surprisingly concise but still well rounded, Zappa is the best doco of this under-appreciated talent that we’re likely to get. Rated: 4/5 Feb 3, 2023 Full Review Josh Parham Next Best Picture The style does bring a flamboyancy to the craft and creates methods that endear one to the brash yet creative persona of this particular artist. Rated: 7/10 Jun 5, 2022 Full Review Witney Seibold Critically Acclaimed Podcast While perhaps erring on the side of worshipful, and not interesting in delving into Zappa's flaws, it is, nonetheless, gripping and thorough. Sep 13, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (39) audience reviews
Sams K It's impossible to describe an individual like Frank Zappa in such a short piece, by the way it's very good! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/23/24 Full Review Audience Member About as close as you can get to capturing the man, the legend Frank Zappa as is possible in a filmic structure Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/19/23 Full Review Audience Member Making a film about an unclassifiable genius with a gargantuan catalogue of work and numerous other interests surely is no easy feat. "Zappa" does a fairly good job at presenting highlights of Frank Zappa's life and career and imparting some nuggets of his philosophy, and, perhaps most importantly, is boosted considerably by the use of precious archive footage from the Zappa Vault, including self-referential narrations by the man himself. A very good doc for the initiated and uninitiated alike. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review dave c I loved Zappa and saw him perform several times. This was a very interesting documentary and it was nice to hear interviews with past band members, family, friends and colleagues. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Art B This documentary serves as an interesting overview of a highly respected and iconic American musical original. Frank Zappa was too popular a performer to be a cult figure, but his music, and the man himself, were too difficult and non- conforming to allow him to ever achieve a mass audience. That said, he offered thrilling peaks of musical beauty and incredible guitar skills as well some inconsistent and sometimes puerile and juvenile original material. Alas, in covering the highlights of Zappas busy musical career and apparently satisfying family life, the movie gives virtually no examples of his extraordinary and often spellbinding guitar playing, beyond a few very brief video snippets and the closing credits soundtrack. The man's playing was thrilling, masterful and highly original, but you'd never know it from this movie. Still, an overdue introduction for new audiences to a worthy musical and cultural original with far more substance and lasting value than most of his more far more monetarily successful rock music peers. I do wish he'd had 1/20th the popular recognition of such empty calorie acts such as the Eagles. But then that's hardly what Frank Zappa was aiming for. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/05/22 Full Review william k Authorized biographical documentary profits from getting access to the Zappa vaults with lots of previously unseen footage; furthermore, it is intelligently made, presents a good overview over Zappa's music and art, and still avoids adulation. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis 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 Mike Keneally, Ian Underwood, Steve Vai, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, David Harrington, Scott Thunes, Ruth Underwood, Ray White and others.
Director
Alex Winter
Producer
Jade Allen, Devorah DeVries, John Frizzell, Alex Winter, Ahmet Zappa, Glen Zipper
Screenwriter
Alex Winter
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
Production Co
Trouper Productions, Zipper Bros Films
Genre
Documentary, Music, Biography
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 23, 2020, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 27, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA)
$14.4K
Runtime
2h 9m
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