200 Motels
Seen it?1971 | 98 min | Fantasy, Comedy, Music
Weeknight Watchearly ratingWhy it’s a Weeknight Watch
With middling reviews (50% on Rotten Tomatoes), it's a mixed bag. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who wants a laugh and fantasy fans. If you loved A Mighty Wind or Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, start here.
- The mood
- Light and funny.
- The pace
- Breezy, at 1 hr 38 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Made in 1971: an older pace and style.
"Touring makes you crazy," Frank Zappa says, explaining that the idea for this film came to him while the Mothers of Invention were touring. The story, interspersed with performances by the Mothers and the Royal Symphony Orchestra, is a tale of life on the road. The band members' main concerns are the search for groupies and the desire to get paid.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsBelow par
50% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$1 million worldwide on a $679K budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 34K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Frank Zappa, Tony Palmer
- Frank ZappaMember of Mothers of Invention (uncredited)
- Mark VolmanMember of Mothers of Invention
- Howard KaylanMember of Mothers of Invention
- Ian UnderwoodMember of Mothers of Invention
- Aynsley DunbarMember of Mothers of Invention
- George DukeMember of Mothers of Invention
- Theodore BikelRance Muhammitz / Dave
- Keith MoonHot Nun
- Ringo StarrLarry the Dwarf / Frank Zappa
- Janet Neville-FergusonGroupie #1 (Janet Ferguson)