200 Motels

In the simplest terms, the plot of 200 Motels explores the idea that “touring can make you crazy.” As the viewer attempts to follow the seemingly limitless and scattered plot of this film, one cannot help but end up feeling slightly crazy themselves or at least in a state of disarray by the time the credits roll around. This being said, after taking a few moments –or a few hours- to breathe, there are definitely some recognizable points of conceptual continuity that connects Zappa’s previous work with certain ideas and themes that appear within the script of 200 Motels. Zappa being the man that he is finds ample opportunity to resume his role as social critic, commenting on the cultural values of society involving materialism, religion and expressing his personal opinions on the consumption of drugs and alcohol. This film can perhaps better be explained as a music video the length of a feature film whose goal was to create a visual representation of what it is like to be Frank Zappa and the Mother’s of Invention while touring through the many interchangeable small towns of America. Because of the chaotic complexity of 200 Motels, one could choose to explore and discuss many different aspects of this movie but I am going to focus mostly on Frank Zappa’s music and the role it plays throughout the film.

The score, which includes what has been said to be some of Zappa’s most ambitious material written, is a fusion of orchestra, rock, opera and spoken-word excerpts that is reflective of his work on Lumpy Gravy, but to an even greater degree. He used the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Top Score Singers, a classical guitar ensemble and an assortment of members from The Mothers to create this double-album. When looking at the plot as a whole and exploring the concept of life on the road, one can see conceptual continuity with Frank’s album Chunga’s Revenge which includes several songs to do with the touring lifestyle. Songs such as “Road Ladies”, “Would You Like to Go All the Way?” and “Rudy Wants to Buy Yez a Drink” all explore this topic. For example, there is a line in “Road Ladies” that goes, “Don’t it ever get lonesome? / Lonesome ain’t the word / Don’t it ever get sad when you go out on a thirty day tour?” which possibly have to do with Zappa’s feelings of seclusion when on the road. It is known that Zappa stayed in rooms separate from the band when touring and that he was very much a homebody. One could also make the connection that Zappa is reflecting upon much of small town America’s inability to understand what his music represents, finding it leaving him not feeling lonesome but sad. These sentiments can be tied to many aspects of the movie, including its title 200 Motels, which, in itself, sounds detached. The number 200 implies how disconnected one might feel when constantly on the move, always in a rush to get to yet another motel room – just as unwelcoming, interchangeable and sterile as the last. Zappa’s sarcasm and cynicism is blatantly apparent in the song Centerville that goes, “Centerville / A real nice place to raise your kids up … Churches / Liquor stores”. Taking a stab at the indistinguishable towns that make up America by encompassing the entire nation in one egotistical name, “Centerville”. Perhaps criticizing the United States by implying its ignorant belief of being at the center of the universe. There are many more examples of Zappa’s conceptual continuity in this film such as his references to materialism and everything “plastic”, an idea that can be traced back to his first album Freak Out!, but there is no way to do this film and all its minute details justice in 700 words.

If it weren’t for my previous knowledge of Frank Zappa and his stance on drugs I would have probably assumed that this movie was a recreation of an acid-trip. But because I know that drugs were foreign territory to the musician, I think this is a perfect example of how experimental and outside-the-box Zappa really was, not only as a musician but as an artist. Zappa clearly was not afraid of letting his mind flow freely and without obstruction in order to produce a work that truly resonated with him. He was very critical of his audience and questioned his fans ability to fully understand what he was doing, which makes me think that Zappa was not only his biggest critic but also his biggest fan. 200 Motels was a cinematic adventure that probably needs to be viewed another 200 times before all it’s subtleties can be recognized, or before it truly makes you go crazy, but regardless, a definite must-see for all Zappa followers.