Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words

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Feb 29, 2020 A worthwhile primer for the uninitiated and skeptical, the retrospective works because it focuses less on the extensive musical transformations and eclectic complexities that marked the artist's dense career and more on the aesthetic and ethical principles that guided his creativity, a full-throated commitment to individual expression, freedom of thought, and radical antiauthoritarianism. See more Jan 25, 2018 This adoring documentary on Zappa is repetitive and rather boring. I like a lot of the early Mothers of Invention material, much less the later work that tries too hard to be edgy, Dadaist or just experimental in its self-conscious way. Zappa himself is obviously intelligent and thoughtful, sometimes articulate, but tends to repeat the same message over and over in these limited interviews mixed with concert footage that accentuates the later, more jarring compositions. The attempts at modernist sound experimentation are tepid, derivative and pretentious much of the time. Zappa seems a bit full of himself in the interviews, trying to be anti-establishment while at the same time bristling at the questions that try to peg him in that way. Sadly and annoyingly, he reveals only that he has few real insights or provocative ideas to share. His best work is actually the most "pop" in approach, songs that have catchy melodies with lyrics that critique or lampoon the prevailing social values and norms. That work is largely absent in this dreary documentary that just wants us to love the rebel-provocateur. The fact that the pro critics ate this up shows how truly lame and critically challenged they are. See more Mar 13, 2017 Fascinating look at a fascinating guy. Might have benefited from a tad more "shaping" and music, but any movie that leaves you wanting more and wanting to look into the subject more is a solid one. See more Feb 11, 2017 He sure had a way with words. See more bill t @Spuzz Jan 22, 2017 Excellent documentary about Frank Zappa here. I'm not at all a Zappa fan, but I do love a good music doc, and this is one of the best I've seen. The main hook here is that there's no narration, just a excellently compiled narrative of his TV interviews, from Today show appearances, to amazingly ridiculous interviews with what looks like small town cops. This is what did it for me. Just so carefully crafted and lovingly put together. See it whether you like or hate Zappa. See more Dec 5, 2016 4 1/2 Stars. Talk about a 1 of a kind musician and person, man. See more Read all reviews

Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words

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