Josh Thomas Personally, I am a big Zappa fan. I read that this movie wasn't edited the way Zappa wanted and it turned out to be an entirely different movie, which I can see. It did feel incomplete and a gapped, but I still liked it. As a Zappa fan, I look deep for metaphors of philosophy in jokes and actions. I found many that were very deep to me, especially in the cartoon scene where the boy looks to the television for answers to life's questions and when Ringo Starr (playing Zappa) narrates the actions of the Mothers Of Invention. All in all, for a fan, it was entertaining and I would probably watch it again. In a non-fan's point of view, it's not at all conventional. I expected the way it was with a fan's point of view, but switching into a non-fan's point of view, it was confusing, bizarre, and random. It was perverted and deranged - far too crappy for the so-called Golden Age Of American Cinema (1970's). Even in that perspective, I felt the movie was innovative and twisted. Not bad, but extremely intriguing with an odd feeling I couldn't spot. This movie is not for everyone, but I liked it and any Zappa fan should too.

crossbow0106 I saw this film for the first time in the 70's in a funky little theater in Manhattan on a double bill with Joe Cocker/Leon Russell's "Mad Dogs And Englishman". I was stone cold sober. Now, TCM just broad casted it and I watched it again. This film is full of little vignettes about life on the road, but the images are deliberately blurred, the camera goes here and there, and everyone seems to be partaking in something that they bought from a dealer. This, of course, is ironic, since Frank Zappa did not do drugs. Some of the music is, of course, wonderful, and its great to see people like Flo and Eddie, Ian Underwood and Jimmy Carl Black on screen, but the film is solely for Zappa fans. I don't think you need to get stoned to watch it, but for some of this, if you are sober you feel like you were invited to a party only to be the resident wallflower. If you like Zappa, who of course left us too soon, you owe it to yourself to watch it, but if you do not care for his music, its not your film. The rating is based on the cohesiveness of the film, which is barely there. I was stone cold sober when I watched it on television this time also. I'll never learn.

santegeezhe While not truly horrible, this movie is still a nearly unwatchable mess which is only barely saved by Zappa's music.This movie could only have been made in the post-psychedelic, highly experimental climate of the early 70s. It feels like a first year film school project gone horribly wrong. Every "trippy" video and editing trick is employed. It's truly an "everything but the kitchen sink" approach to film making, however, it only serves to compound the fact that there's no substance to this mess. There's no plot to speak of, rather it's more of a series of skits. The trouble is, for the most part they're unfunny and only barely entertaining. Even cameos by such luminaries as Ringo Starr and Keith Moon fail to deliver much beyond the cheap thrill of recognition.As I mentioned, this movie is only barely saved by the musical performances. That's because some of them are horrible, some are just OK, and only a select few are actually really good. This is the kind of movie you need to see on DVD so you can skip straight to the performances, because there's really no other reason to watch this movie.I guarantee you won't be able to get through this movie in one sitting. It's basically garbage, and is interesting mainly as a historical curiosity.

MisterWhiplash I need to watch this again. That's something of a compliment, I think. Maybe I shouldn't think regarding a movie- so called- like 200 Motels. It's the kind of picture where the term 'freewheeling rock & roll comedy' would pop up as an example in the dictionary. As I recall there's nothing by way of plot to describe, except that the 'Mothers', Frank Zappa's band that he had early on his career, have to deal with the stress and issues of the road. This is interspersed with live musical performances (not just music played and then with other music dubbed over it, but live on film, er videotape), and some other odd little tidbits. But to use the word 'odd' with 200 Motels is too kind, and in fact just too bland. Maybe for some fans of experimental cinema it's still too rooted in trying to be funny to really accomplish anything truly groundbreaking. And to others it might just seem like Zappa is whackin it cinematically onto videotape.But it's hard to discount the 'period' value of the movie too, and I did have quite a few good laughs at some of the (as a given) random stuff that occurred throughout. There's even a spot-on cool turn by Ringo Starr as the "fake" Frank Zappa. Also, the music, which is what many will seek out 200 Motels for- not least of which Zappa's fans, of which I am more or less depending on the album- is pretty awesome and delightfully whacked out, even if it's a little much into the 'riffs' as opposed to Zappa's more well known tracks like Nanook and Montana. The Royal Symphony Orchestra accompaniment allows for Zappa to go ambitious with what he intends, which is not hard at all for him really considering that he IS more of a composer than a typical rock n roll guitarist. If I can't recommend the movie as much as I might want to though it's because it is the kind of experimental 60s-70s 'lets-go-wild-with-style' picture that does meander in spots, or rather because of its lack of sense if not in the right frame of mind (possibly one not under stimulants) it'll seem like trash.I do need to see it again to completely take in what specifically I liked in what scenes. Yet if you happen to come across this by chance in your video store or in some other markets, just read the back and you'll get an idea. If you take the chance and watch it, you might find that it's got some of the most bizarre, deranged, kooky and just plain weird fun type scenes in any non-traditional rock movie ever. That Zappa was a fervent anti-drug musician makes some of this all the more unique, or stupid, or both. This may also put off some of Zappa's fans who like the music but can't stand visuals and gags almost stuck in a time capsule. I dug it though, and I hope to 'dig it' again.