Road Trip

Comments (0) By John Freeman Thursday, May 17 2007

Frank Zappa was what one would call a freak. Even though he never touched drugs, you couldn't tell from his 1971 bizarro film, 200 Motels. Ostensibly a movie about "life on the road," it's a surreal journey into the mind of a true musical genius. While it is not really a concert film, there are plenty of musical numbers to keep fans of early '70s Zappa satisfied. But the real payoff of 200 Motels is the weird-ass stuff in between the concert footage. You get to see Ringo Starr make lewd advances to a lamp. And true Zappa-philes will revel in Jimmy Carl Black, "the Indian of the Group," as he regales the audience with one of the best songs ever, "Lonesome Cowboy Burt," in a diner scene that rivals the one in Five Easy Pieces for sheer ridiculousness. Oh, and Keith Moon also makes an unforgettable cameo. Don't miss this one-of-a-kind film that could only have sprouted from the warped mind of the late, great Frank Zappa. 200 Motelsscreens 8:30 p.m. Wednesday as part of the Rock 'n' Reel Film Series at the AllGood Café, 2934 Main St. A $5 donation benefits the Video Association of Dallas. Call 214-742-5362 or visit allgoodcafe.com.
Wed., May 23, 8:30 p.m.