History Film / TwoHundredMotels

** Parts of "Semi-Fraudulent Direct-From-Hollywood Overture" and "Would You Like A Snack?" are rearranged pieces from "Holiday in Berlin, Full Blown" on ''Music/BurntWeenySandwich'' (1969). Certain portions are repeated again during "I'm Stealing The Towels".

** Parts of "Semi-Fraudulent Direct-From-Hollywood Overture" are rearranged pieces from "Holiday in Berlin, Full Blown" on ''Music/BurntWeenySandwich'' (1969). Certain portions are repeated again during "I'm Stealing The Towels".

** Parts of "Semi-Fraudulent Direct-From-Hollywood Overture" are rearranged pieces from "Holiday in Berlin, Full Blown" on "Burnt Weeny Sandwich" (1969). Certain portions are repeated again during "I'm Stealing The Towels".

#[[Semi-Fraudulent/Direct-From-Hollywood Overture]] (1:59)
#[[Mystery Roach]] (2:32)
#[[Dance Of The Rock & Roll Interviewers]] (0:48)
#[[This Town Is A Sealed Tuna Sandwich (prologue)]] (0:56)
#[[Tuna Fish Promenade]] (2:30)
#[[Dance Of The Just Plain Folks]] (4:40)
#[[This Town Is A Sealed Tuna Sandwich (reprise)]] (0:59)
#[[The Sealed Tuna Bolero]] (1:41)
#[[Lonesome Cowboy Burt]] (3:57)
#[[Touring Can Make You Crazy]] (2:52)
#[[Would You Like A Snack?]] (1:23)
#[[Redneck Eats]] (3:02)
#[[Centerville]] (2:31)
#[[She Painted Up Her Face]] (1:42)
#[[Janet's Big Dance Number]] (1:18)
#[[Half A Dozen Provocative Squats (The Track)|Half A Dozen Provocative Squats]] (1:58)
#[[Mysterioso]] (0:48)
#[[Shove It Right In]] (2:33)
#[[Lucy's Seduction Of A Bored Violinist & Postlude]] (4:02)

#[[I'm Stealing The Towels]] (2:14)
#[[Dental Hygiene Dilemma]] (5:11)
#[[Does This Kind Of Life Look Interesting To You?]] (2:59)
#[[Daddy, Daddy, Daddy]] (3:12)
#[[Penis Dimension]] (4:37)
#[[What Will This Evening Bring Me This Morning]] (3:32)
#[[A Nun Suit Painted On Some Old Boxes]] (1:09)
#[[Magic Fingers]] (3:53)
#[[Motorhead's Midnight Ranch]] (1:29)
#[[Dew On The Newts We Got]] (1:09)
#[[The Lad Searches The Night For His Newts]] (0:41)
#[[The Girl Wants To Fix Him Some Broth]] (1:10)
#[[The Girl's Dream]] (0:54)
#[[Little Green Scratchy Sweaters & Courduroy Ponce]] (1:00)
#[[Strictly Genteel (The Finale)]] (11:11) - related to [[Strictly Genteel (The Track)|Strictly Genteel]]
:Bonus Tracks<br>
:200 MOTELS PROMOTIONAL RADIO SPOTS:
<ol start="16">
<li>[[200 Motels Promotional Radio Spots|CUT 1 "Coming Soon!..."]] (0:55)
<li>[[200 Motels Promotional Radio Spots|CUT 2 "The Wide Screen Erupts..."]] (0:58)
<li>[[200 Motels Promotional Radio Spots|CUT 3 "Coming Soon!..."]] (0:31)
<li>[[200 Motels Promotional Radio Spots|CUT 4 "Frank Zappa's 200 Motels..."]] (0:13)
<li>[[Magic Fingers|Magic Fingers (Single Edit)]] (2:56)
</ol>
:ENHANCED TRACK: [http://www.duncanmoran.me.uk/ZWJ/200motels.mpg Original Theatrical Trailer] (31.3MB MPG file )

''200 Motels'' is an [[MissingEpisode unfinished rock movie]] by Music/FrankZappa from 1971. It was released with an eponymous soundtrack. Both the film as well as the album are a surreal {{Satire}} of a rock band on tour. The film stars Zappa's own band members- the Mothers of Invention- as caricatures of themselves. The film also has supporting roles for Music/RingoStarr as Larry the Dwarf (aka Frank Zappa), [[Music/TheWho Keith Moon]] as a nun groupie, Theodore Bikel as Rance Muhammitz and the notorious groupie Pamela des Barres as a reporter. Various problems caused the project to change direction during recordings. The budget was cut and one of the band members, Jeff Simmons, left the group halfway. As a result only one third of Zappa's script could be filmed. While the man tried to make something coherent out of it in the editing room the film still ends up as a confusing mess.

!!! "200 Tropes":
* [[AlbumCoverDesigners Album Cover Designer]]: David Mcmacken.

* BadGirlSong: The suite made of ''She Painted Up Her Face'', ''Janet's Big Dance Number'', ''Half a Dozen Provocative Squats'', ''Mysterioso'', ''Shove it Right In'' and ''Lucy's Seduction of a Bored Violinist''

** During ''"Strictly Genteel"'' Theodore Bikel even announces: ''"This, as you might have guessed is the end of the movie. The entire cast is assembled here to bid farewell to you and express thanks for your attendance at this theatre."'' Then he decides to sing a ''"kind of sentimental song that you get at the end of a movie, it's the kind of a song that people might sing to let you and the audience know that we really like and care about you."'' Near the end of the song the band members sing: ''"They're gonna clear out the studio"'' and summarize all the things they're going to do to clean up the set.

** ''"Penis Dimension"'' and ''"Strictly Genteel"'' refer to winos, which would inspire the track "Wonderful Wino" on ''"Zoot Allures" (1976)''
** Zappa's album "Playground Psychotics" has a few audio tracks from the "200 Motels" film recordings: ''"I Could Be A Star Now", "If You're Not A Professional Actor", "A Great Guy", "Bad Acting", "The Worst Reviews", "A Version Of Himself", "Going For The Money"'' and ''"Martin Lickert's Story"''.

** And, of course, the topic ''"groupies"'' had been referenced earlier on Zappa's albums. The lines ''"If your dick is a monster"'' and ''"Do You Like My New Car?"'' during ''"Daddy Daddy Daddy"'' are a throwback to the album ''"Fillmore East, June 1971" (1971)''.
** Chrome and shoes, referenced earlier in Zappa's conceptual continuity, are mentioned again during ''"Magic Fingers"''.
** ''"The Girl Wants To Fix Him Some Broth"'' refers to ''"Dog broth"'', causing the chorus to sing "Dog breath?"'' This is a reference to ''"Dog Breath In The Year Of The Plague"'' from ''Music/UncleMeat (1969)''.
** ''"Little Green Scratchy Sweaters & Courduroy Ponce"'' refers to Catholic schools with "nuns smashing kids with rulers". Zappa would revisit ''"Catholic Girls"'' again during ''Music/JoesGarage''.

* CrowdSong: ''"Penis Dimension"'', sung by the whole cast with torches, and ''"Strictly Genteel"'', sung by the entire cast without torches.

* DerangedAnimation: "Dental Hygiene Dilemma/Does This Kind Of Life Look Interesting To You?''

* DistinctDoubleAlbum: Especially when released on CD, with extra radio promos and a radio edit of ''Magic Fingers''.

* GroupieBrigade: Several songs deal with groupies and rock stars trying to get off with them: ''She Painted Up Her Face'', ''Daddy Daddy Daddy'', ''What Will I Say The Next Day (To Whatever I Drag To My Hotel Tonight?)'', ''Magic Fingers'', ''Penis Dimension'',...

* IntercourseWithYou: A lot of tracks are about rock stars and groupies trying to score, or as Zappa summarizes it: ''waiting for girls they can shove it right in.''

* LyricalDissonance: ''"Magic Fingers"'', which starts out as a very basic sexual rock 'n' roll song with lyrics like ''Ooh the way you looks me sugar, makes me so hot that I could die'', and near the end turns into [[spoiler:a disturbing atmosphere with a listing of proposed sexual activies including a golden shower]]

* {{Satire}}: The ''plot'' is a satire of rock bands touring and looking more forward to scoring with groupies than anything else. The stressful conditions from being on the road are also addressed (''Touring Can Make You Crazy'', ''Does This Kind Of Life Look Interesting To You?'').

** Jeff dreams of quitting the band and forming his own heavy group ''like Music/GrandFunkRailroad'', for whom Zappa later produced an album. Music/BlackSabbath, whom Zappa was a fan of, is also mentioned.
** ''"It's just as if Music/{{Donovan}} himself had appeared on my very own TV with words of peace, love and eternal cosmic wisdom" (...) it's the same and mysterious exotic oriental flagrance as what Music/TheBeatles get off on."'' - ''Dental Hygiene Dilemma''.

** WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck has a cameo during ''"Dental Hygiene Dilemma"''.

** The film is also referenced in the 1974 animated adult film ''WesternAnimation/DownAndDirtyDuck'', where Mark and Howie also played the starring role. In one scene Zappa even appears on the horizon.

** Cal Schenkel's animation sequence is also presented this way, being announced as a ''"dental hygiene documentary short"'' and having the film reels bounce up and down during the title sequence to make it seem as if a different film reel is put into the projector.

* TitleDrop: ''TWOO-HUNDRED MOTEEEELS'' during the animation sequence.

While one can only wonder {{WhatCouldHaveBeen}} if it was actually finished]], it's still a visually interesting and often funny film to watch. Compared to Zappa's other film project ''Uncle Meat'' (1988)- even more low-budget- ''200 Motels'' is much more enjoyable. Still the CultClassic can be disappointing for fans who actually want to see Zappa himself, because he's hardly seen in this film and doesn't even have a line. In that retrospect the two hours and a half ConcertFilm ''Film/BabySnakes (1979)'' gives you more your money's worth.

* ShoutOut: Jeff dreams of quitting the band and forming his own heavy group ''like Music/GrandFunkRailroad'', for whom Zappa later produced an album. Music/BlackSabbath, whom Zappa was a fan of, is also mentioned.

An [[MissingEpisode unfinished movie]] by Music/FrankZappa. Starring the musician's own Mothers of Invention as caricature versions of themselves, it was supposed to tell a story of how a tour could drive a band insane, but a series of problems including reduced budget and one of the band members leaving during the process, made only one third of the script being filmed. The 1971 release features a new plot created by Zappa in the editing room in order to make something more or less coherent with what he could film. The resulting piece consists in a series of surreal sketches involving groupies, drugs and odd fetishes, all alternating and/or coexisting with music numbers ranging from orchestral pieces and rock 'n' roll cliche parodies.

It also stars RingoStarr as Larry the Dwarf/Frank Zappa, [[Music/TheWho Keith Moon]] as a nun groupie, Theodore Bikel as Rance Muhammitz and former Mothers

Many dialogues were based on records of actual conversations by the members of the band, were they talked things like leaving Zappa for being too old to rock 'n' roll. Bassist Jeff Simmons apparently didn't like at all of being spied, so he left the band. With jeff being sort of a protagonist in the main plot, a last-minute substitute came in the form of Ringo Starr's chauffeur Martin Lickert.

While one can only wonder what a really awesome movie would come out [[{{WhatCouldHaveBeen}} if it was actually finished]], it's still a very entertaining film and a true CultClassic, far more fun to watch than ''Uncle Meat'', Zappa's other aborted film project (also released with what he could do). Still ''200 Motels'' can be disappointing for people who actually want to see Zappa himself, because he's hardly seen in this film and doesn't even have a line. In that retrospect the two hours and a half ConcertFilm ''Film/BabySnakes (1979)'' gives you more your money's worth.

''200 Motels'' was also released with a CultSoundtrack. Before the arrival of Internet the film was very difficult to find and could only be ordered on video through Zappa's own company. Therefore it is save to say that probably more Zappa fans have listened to and enjoyed the soundtrack album than those who actually saw and/or enjoyed the film.

* BadBoss: The way the band sees Zappa. Zappa was aware that many felt he was a difficult task master, because he left cassette recordings around to tape people's conversations, something that is also spoofed in this movie. The fact that it's included in the film might only confirm it.

** Rance appears in the middle of two musical sequences, laughing of the trouble in one of them.

* WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck: Has a cameo appearance during "Dental Hygiene Dilemma" and "Does This Kind Of Life Look Interesting To You?''
* DreamLand: The narration states that it's a fantasy happened on the road. The movie can also be interpreted as a dream inside the retraining facility for musicians that Larry the Dwarf shows in his monologue.

** Jeff Simmons also changes different shapes and acquires a duck face in "Dental Hygiene Dilemma".

* LyricalDissonance: ''"Magic Fingers"'', which starts as a very basic sexual rock 'n' roll song with lyrics like ''Ooh the way you looks me sugar, makes me so hot that I could die'', and near the end turns into [[spoiler:a disturbing atmosphere with a listing of proposed sexual activies including a golden shower]]

* '''MindScrew''': From the first until the last minute.

* NightmareFace: Near the end of Schenkel's animation sequence a both funny and creepy photo of Zappa can be seen with vicious teeth cluttering and clattering up and down.
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: DonaldDuck has a cameo in "Dental Hygiene Dilemma", obviously not with permission of the Walt Disney Company.

* NonindicativeName: Not a road movie of a band visiting 200 motels. At least, it's not the case in this unfinished piece, and Zappa never claimed intended to do something like this.
* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Jimmy Carl Black keeps asking when he'll get paid? This is also a CallBack to lines heard during "Flower Punk" on ''Music/WereOnlyInItForTheMoney''.
* RealLifeWritesThePlot: Much of the film references inside jokes about Zappa's band members, including "Magic Fingers" where Jeff Beck's tennis shoes are mentioned, which are used "to beat a groupie off".

* SelfDeprecation: The band members criticizing Zappa as a control freak who tapes their conversations and references their antics in his music. This was all TruthInTelevision and Zappa wrote it in the film, as well as on the soundtrack.
* ShoutOut: Jeff dreams of quitting the band and forming a heavy band, one of the examples his bad conscience uses to how heavy the band should be is Music/GrandFunkRailroad, which Zappa produced an album. Music/BlackSabbath, whom Zappa was a fan of, is also mentioned.

* SirNotAppearingInThisTrailer: Despite centering around Zappa, being directed and composed by him and having him heavily promoted in the trailers Frank Zappa himself is hardly in this film. He is occasionally seen playing along with the group, but his total screen time takes up less than a minute. And he doesn't even have a line.

* SurrealHumor: Although Zappa's surreal humor came mostly from bizarre injokes that probably could only be enjoyed at his fullest by him and his bandmates, it's still pretty funny in moments like Flo and Eddie tour around the boring little town of Centerville.

* SelfDepreciation: The band members criticizing Zappa as a control freak who tapes their conversations and references their antics in his music. This was all TruthInTelevision and Zappa wrote it in the film, as well as on the soundtrack.

While one can only wonder what a really awesome movie would come out [[{{WhatCouldHaveBeen}} if it was actually finished]], it's still a very entertaining film and a true CultClassic, far more fun to watch than ''Uncle Meat'', Zappa's other aborted film project (also released with what he could do). Still ''200 Motels'' can be disappointing for people who actually want to see Zappa himself. For those fans the two hours and a half ConcertFilm ''Film/BabySnakes (1979)'' gives you more your money's worth.

** Music/KeithMoon, who plays the nun in this film, would receive another nod in "We're Turning Again" on Zappa's album "Frank Zappa Meets The Mothers Of Prevention" (1986): "We can laugh at Keith Moon's jokes."
** "Penis Dimension" and "Strictly Genteel" refer to winos, which would inspire the track "Wonderful Wino" on "Zoot Allures" (1976)
** Zappa's album "Playground Psychotics" has a few audio tracks from the "200 Motels" film recordings: "I Could Be A Star Now", "If You're Not A Professional Actor", "A Great Guy", "Bad Acting", "The Worst Reviews", "A Version Of Himself", "Going For The Money" and "Martin Lickert's Story".
** Car, dog and lice imagery can be heard during "Dental Hygiene Dilemma" and "Does This Kind Of Life Look Interesting To You?" A tie and Germans, another two conceptual continuity elements, are also referenced again.
** And, of course, the topic "groupies" had been referenced earlier on Zappa's albums. The lines "If your dick is a monster" and "Do You Like My New Car?" during "Daddy Daddy Daddy" are a throwback to the album "Fillmore East, June 1971" (1971).
** Chrome and shoes, referenced earlier in Zappa's conceptual continuity, are mentioned again during "Magic Fingers".
** "The Girl Wants To Fix Him Some Broth" refers to "Dog broth", causing the chorus to sing "Dog breath?" This is a reference to "Dog Breath In The Year Of The Plague" from Music/UncleMeat (1969).
** "Little Green Scratchy Sweaters & Courduroy Ponce" refers to Catholic schools with "nuns smashing kids with rulers". Zappa would revisit "Catholic Girls" again during Music/JoesGarage.

* CrowdSong: "Penis Dimension", sung by the whole cast with torches, and "Strictly Genteel", sung by the entire cast without torches.

* LyricalDissonance: "Magic Fingers", which starts as a very basic sexual rock 'n' roll song with lyrics like ''Ooh the way you looks me sugar, makes me so hot that I could die'', and near the end turns into [[spoiler:a disturbing atmosphere with a listing of proposed sexual activies including a golden shower]]

** "It's just as if Music/{{Donovan}} himself had appeared on my very own TV with words of peace, love and eternal cosmic wisdom" (...) it's the same and mysterious exotic oriental flagrance as what Music/TheBeatles get off on."

** Cal Schenkel's animation sequence is also presented this way, being announced as a "dental hygiene documentary short" and having the film reels bounce up and down during the title sequence to make it seem as if a different film reel is put into the projector.

* GroupieBrigade: Several songs deal with groupies and rock stars trying to get off with them: ''She Painted Up Her Face'', ''Daddy Daddy Daddy'', ''What Will I Say The Next Day (To Whatever I Drag To My Hotel Tonight?), ''Magic Fingers'', ''Penis Dimension'',...

* DistinctiveDoubleAlbum: Especially when released on CD, with extra radio promos and a radio edit of ''Magic Fingers''.

While one can only wonder what a really awesome movie would come out [[{{WhatCouldHaveBeen}} if it was actually finished]], it's still a very entertaining film and a true CultClassic, far more fun to watch than ''Uncle Meat'', Zappa's other aborted film project (also released with what he could do).

* DerangedAnimation: "Dental Hygiene Dilemma".

* DonaldDuck: Has a cameo appearance during "Dental Hygiene Dilemma".

* CityInABottle: Not directly stated in the final movie, but maybe something was cut telling that [[spoiler:Centerville is a fake city inside the retraining facility. Reinforced by the fact that the characters refers to places like ''fake nightclub'' and ''fake stage'', although it can be simply a chessy LeaningOnTheFourthWall]]

* ActorAllusion: Larry The Dwarf (Ringo Starr) monologue about the retraining facility for musicians mentions how pop groups gain more money than orchestra musicians.
** All the dialogues that were taken from taped recordings of the band talking - a ''big'' part of the movie.

* BigNameFan: In his book "Stupid White Men" Creator/MichaelMoore suggested showing this movie to Kim-Jong Il to change his view points.

* DeletedScene: Only parts of Zappa's script were filmed due to time and budget restrictions, causing the film to feel very incoherent.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: As with most of Zappa's film scripts the low budget (see "Uncle Meat") made it impossible to bring all of his ideas in a proper and complete way to the screen. Had Zappa and Tony Palmer been able to film the entire story from beginning to end it might have felt more coherent and a bit better to understand. The final product as it is now is a BaseBreaker among Zappa fans. Many feel it to be a confusing disappointment, especially since Frank himself is hardly in it.
** Originally actor Wilfred Brambell (best known for Series/SteptoeAndSon and Paul's grandfather in Film/AHardDaysNight) was also in this movie, but he felt it was all too crazy and left.

** Originally actor Wilfred Brambell (best known for Series/SteptoeAndSen and Paul's grandfather in Film/AHardDaysNight) was also in this movie, but he felt it was all too crazy and left.

* BadBoss: The way the band sees Zappa. The fact that it's included in the film because the band members conversations were taped, might only confirm it.
* BadGirlSong: The suite made of ''She Painted up Her Face'', ''Janet's Big Dance Number'', ''Half a Dozen Provocative Squats'', ''Mysterioso'', ''Shove it Right In'' and ''Lucy's Seduction of a Bored Violinist''

** DonaldDuck in "Dental Hygiene Dilemma".

* CrowdSong: Penis Dimension, sung by the whole cast with torches.

* IHaveManyNames: Rance Muhammitz also goes by Devil and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Opal You Hot Little Bitch]].
* LyricalDissonance: Magic Fingers, which starts as a very basic sexual rock 'n' roll song with lyrics like ''Ooh the way you looks me sugar, makes me so hot that I could die'', and near the end turns into [[spoiler:a disturbing atmosphere with a listing of proposed sexual activies including golden shower]]
* LovableSexManiac: Aynsley Dunbar
* '''MindScrew'''

* NonindicativeName: Not a road movie of a band going through 200 motels. At least, it's not the case in this unfinished piece, and Zappa never claimed intended to do something like this.
* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Jimmy Carl Black keeps asking when he'll get paid.

* SurrealHumor: although Zappa's surreal humor came mostly from bizarre injokes that probably could only be enjoyed at his fullest by him and his bandmates, it's still pretty funny in moments like Flo and Eddie tour around the boring little town of Centerville.

* GoodAngelBadAngel: Jeff's bad and good consciences fighting over him steling the towels of the hotel room and quiting the band.

* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Jimmy Carl Black keeps asking when he will get paid?
* ShoutOut: Jeff dreams of quiting the band and forming a heavy band, one of the examples his bad conscience uses to how heavy the band should be is Music/GrandFunkRailroad, which Zappa produced an album. Music/BlackSabbath, whom Zappa was a fan of, is also mentioned.

!!200 Motels provides examples of:

While one can only wonder what a really awesome movie would come out [[{{WhatCouldHaveBeen}} if it was actually finished]], it's still a very entertaining film, far more fun to watch than ''Uncle Meat'', Zappa's other aborted film project (also released with what he could do).

* CrossDresser: Motorhead Sherwood and Mark Volman

* DealWithTheDevil: Rance Muhammitz/The Devil gives away hamburguers and beers, asking in exchange for a [[BloodOath signature in blood]].
* DerangedAnimation: Dental Hygiene Dilemma.

* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Jimmy Carl Black keeps asking when he will get paid.

An [[MissingEpisode unfinished movie]] by Music/FrankZappa. Starring the musician's own Mothers of Invention as caricature versions of themselves, tt supposed to tell a story of how a tour could drive a band insane, but a series of problems including reduced budget and one of the band members leaving during the process, made only one third of the script being filmed. The 1971 release features a new plot created by Zappa in the editing room in order to make something more or less coherent with what he could film. The resulting piece consists in a series of surreal sketches involving groupies, drugs and odd fetishes, all alternating and/or coexisting with music numbers ranging from orchestral pieces and rock 'n' roll cliche parodies.

* MixedMarriage: Motorhead Sherwood heartwarming relantionship with Chunga the Vacumm Cleaner.

An [[MissingEpisode unfinished movie]] by FrankZappa. Starring the musician's own Mothers of Invention as caricature versions of themselves, tt supposed to tell a story of how a tour could drive a band insane, but a series of problems including reduced budget and one of the band members leaving during the process, made only one third of the script being filmed. The 1971 release features a new plot created by Zappa in the editing room in order to make something more or less coherent with what he could film. The resulting piece consists in a series of surreal sketches involving groupies, drugs and odd fetishes, all alternating and/or coexisting with music numbers ranging from orchestral pieces and rock 'n' roll cliche parodies.

It also stars RingoStarr as Larry the Dwarf/Frank Zappa, [[TheWho Keith Moon]] as a nun groupie, Theodore Bikel as Rance Muhammitz and former Mothers

* ShoutOut: Jeff dreams of quiting the band and forming a heavy band, one of the examples his bad conscience uses to how heavy the band should be is Grand Funk Railroad, which Zappa produced an album.