Time to fly your freak flag and jump into Frank Zappaland. A prodigious and prolific talent, Zappa (1940-1993) composed, recorded and produced more than 60 albums; music that brought to rock the complexity and sophistication of classical composition, drawing on jazz, blues, pop and music concrete, but leavened with a surreal and satiric wit.
Ahead of his time, Zappa also directed music videos and the feature 200 Motels (with Tony Palmer), a free-form rock tour riff with Keith Moon as a hot nun and Ringo Starr playing a dwarf Zappa that was shot on videotape in just 10 days. It’s a cult curio that revels in its own sense of possibility. Before the movie, enjoy a set of Zappa tunes resurrected and reimagined by the electrifying Zappostrophe, an eclectic 8-piece band who channel surf FZ’s discography.
Blair Fisher – vocals / trumpet / flute / keys
Blair Lewis – guitar / synths / vocals / rubber chicken
LJ Mounteney – vocals / kazoo
Nick Apivor – percussion / vocals
Guenter Schulz – guitar
Cole Tinney – keyboards
Brent Gubbels – bass
Jason Overy – drums
Zappostrophe…dares to take on Zappa’s weird and wonderful world – recreating his tunes with jaw-dropping musicianship, and a wink to his irreverent humour.
CHEK TV, 2024
Zappostrophe
Tony Palmer & Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Ringo Starr, Keith Moon
USA
1971
English
Book Tickets
Saturday April 19
Indigenous & Community Access
Credits
Screenwriter
Frank Zappa
Cinematography
Tony Palmer
Editor
Rich Harrison
Original Music
Frank Zappa
Production Design
Cal Schenkel
Art Director
Leo Austin
Also Playing
Bang the Drum! A Live Set from the Kevin Romain Trio
Our latest VIFF Live presentation combines a jazz set led by drummer Kevin Romain and one of the most notorious music docs ever made, Beware of Mr. Baker, Jay Bulger's bruising encounter with the legendary Ginger Baker, aka "the world's greatest drummer".
Matt Grinke's Happiest Jazz Quintet on Earth Plays Pixar
Enjoy a special set of Pixar tunes arranged by Disney Cruise Line music director and pianist Matt Grinke and his happiest quintet, plus a screening of one of the studio's most beloved movies, Monsters, Inc.
Image: © Disney Pixar 2001
Biboye Onanuga Plays Monk
Returning to the VIFF stage, Biboye Onanuga, presents The Music of Monk. The Edmonton-based drummer is joined by an iconoclastic ensemble of Vancouver musicians prior to a screening of the documentary Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser.
Zappostrophe + Frank Zappa's 200 Motels
Enjoy an electrifying set of Frank Zappa tunes resurrected and reimagined by the eclectic 8-piece band Zappostrophe, followed by a rare screening of Zappa's cult movie 200 Motels, with Keith Moon and Ringo Starr.
Night Moves: Street Photography and Poetry by Rodney DeCroo
To mark the publication of Night Moves, his first book of street photography (shot in and around Commercial Drive), singer-songwriter, poet and playwright Rodney DeCroo shares his images, stories and music, along with his band The Wise Blood.
7 Beats per Minute
While attempting a world record freedive in 2018, Jessea Lu lost consciousness and stopped breathing for four minutes. Years later, Jessea returns to the site of her near-death experience, ready to dive again and become reborn.