Zappa

Released Nov 23, 2020

2 hr. 9 min.

Documentary

Music

Biography

List

96%

71 Reviews

Tomatometer

80%

50+ Ratings

Audience Score

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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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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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

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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

kevin c

Documentary chronicling the early life and career of musician Frank Zappa, who's distinct sound and creativity was unlike anything anyone was doing. Fascinating footage combined with archival interviews and recent interviews with former band members as well as his wife Gail, paint a compelling picture of the man and composer, much of whiting knew nothing about. Really great film directed by Alex Winter.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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

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Alex Winter

Director

Alice Cooper

Self

Steve Vai

Self

Pamela Des Barres

Self

Howard Kaylan

Self

Gail Zappa

Self

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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

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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
Executive Producer: Robert A. Halmi, Jim Reeve
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

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