Zappa (2020 film)
| Zappa | |
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 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Alex Winter |
| Produced by |
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| Cinematography | Anghel Decca |
| Edited by | Mike J. Nichols |
| Music by | John Frizzell |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Magnolia Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 127 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Zappa is an American documentary film about the musician Frank Zappa. Directed by Alex Winter, it was released on November 27, 2020.[1][2][3]
Frank Zappa (1940–1993) was an American composer, bandleader, and guitarist. Best known for writing and performing a large body of unconventional rock music and releasing many albums, his work combined multiple music genres. He held iconoclastic views about music, the music industry, and American culture and politics.
The Zappa documentary tells the story of his life and career. Director Alex Winter had free access to Zappa's extensive archives. The film includes footage of performances by Zappa and his various bands, as well as many interviews of people who knew or worked with him. In addition to Zappa himself, the interview subjects include Bruce Bickford, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, Mike Keneally, Scott Thunes, Ian Underwood, Ruth Underwood, Steve Vai, Ray White, and Gail Zappa.
Reception[edit]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 96% of 71 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.6/10. The website's consensus reads: "As rich and complex as its subject's best work, Zappa honors the life and career of a musical legend without falling into hagiography."[4] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 76 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[5]
Zappa was nominated for a Critics' Choice Award for Best Music Documentary.[6]
References[edit]
- ^ Pederson, Erik (August 6, 2020). "Zappa: Magnolia Pictures Serving Up Frank Zappa Documentary for Thanksgiving". Deadline. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ Tangcay, Jazz (November 28, 2020). "Alex Winter on Telling the Story of 'Paradoxical' Frank Zappa in New Doc: 'It Took Us Years to Get It Right'". Variety. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ Pulver, Andrew (February 19, 2021). "Zappa Review – Under the Skin of the Wild Man of American Rock". The Guardian. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ "Zappa". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
- ^ "Zappa". Metacritic. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
- ^ Hammond, Pete (October 26, 2020). "Critics' Choice Documentary Awards Nominations: 'Mr. Soul', 'Gunda', 'Crip Camp' and 'Totally Under Control' Top List". Deadline. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
