A work in constant progress (and occasional regress).
Alias:
FZ
Zappa
Френк Заппа
Birthplace:
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Born:
December 21, 1940
Died:
December 4, 1993
Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, electronic, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed album covers. Zappa produced almost all of the more than 60 albums he released with the band The Mothers of Invention and as a solo artist. While in his teens, he acquired a taste for percussion-based avant-garde composers such as Edgard Varèse and 1950s rhythm and blues music. He began writing classical music in high school, while at the same time playing drums in rhythm and blues bands; he later switched to electric guitar. He was a self-taught composer and performer, and his diverse musical influences led him to create music that was often impossible to categorize. His 1966 debut album with The Mothers of Invention, Freak Out!, combined songs in conventional rock and roll format with collective improvisations and studio-generated sound collages. His later albums shared this eclectic and experimental approach, irrespective of whether the fundamental format was one of rock, jazz or classical. He wrote the lyrics to all his songs, which—often humorously—reflected his iconoclastic view of established social and political processes, structures and movements. He was a strident critic of mainstream education and organized religion, and a forthright and passionate advocate for freedom of speech, self-education, political participation and the abolition of censorship. Zappa was a highly productive and prolific artist and gained widespread critical acclaim. Many of his albums are considered essential in rock and jazz history. He is regarded as one of the most original guitarists and composers of his time. He also remains a major influence on musicians and composers. He had some commercial success, particularly in Europe, and for most of his career was able to work as an independent artist. Zappa was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. Zappa was married to Kathryn J. "Kay" Sherman from 1960 to 1964. In 1967, he married Adelaide Gail Sloatman, with whom he remained until his death from prostate cancer in 1993. They had four children: Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet Emuukha Rodan and Diva Thin Muffin Pigeen. Gail Zappa manages the businesses of her late husband under the name the Zappa Family Trust. Description above from the Wikipedia article Frank Zappa, licensed under CC-BY-SA,full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Author:
2023 Over-Nite Sensation
Camera Operator:
1987 Video From Hell
2023 Over-Nite Sensation
Compositor:
1987 Video From Hell
2023 Over-Nite Sensation
Conductor:
1987 Video From Hell
1992 The Yellow Shark
2023 Over-Nite Sensation
Director:
1969 Burnt Weeny Sandwich
1971 200 Motels
1979 Baby Snakes
1982 Frank Zappa: The Dub Room Special!
1985 Frank Zappa: Does Humor Belong in Music?
1985 Night Flight with Frank Zappa, Porn Wars
1987 The Amazing Mr. Bickford
1987 Uncle Meat
1987 Video From Hell
1988 The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels
1992 The Yellow Shark
2014 Cheepnis
2015 Roxy: The Movie
2023 Over-Nite Sensation
Editor:
1969 Burnt Weeny Sandwich
1971 200 Motels
1979 Baby Snakes
1982 Frank Zappa: The Dub Room Special!
1985 Frank Zappa: Does Humor Belong in Music?
1985 Night Flight with Frank Zappa, Porn Wars
1987 The Amazing Mr. Bickford
1987 Uncle Meat
1987 Video From Hell
1988 The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels
1992 The Yellow Shark
2013 Frank Zappa: A Token Of His Extreme
2014 Cheepnis
2015 Roxy: The Movie
2023 Over-Nite Sensation
Music:
1969 Burnt Weeny Sandwich
1971 200 Motels
1971 Frank Zappa
1979 Baby Snakes
1982 Frank Zappa: The Dub Room Special!
1985 Frank Zappa: Does Humor Belong in Music?
1985 Night Flight with Frank Zappa, Porn Wars
1987 The Amazing Mr. Bickford
1987 Uncle Meat
1987 Video From Hell
1988 The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels
1990 Cousteau: Alaska: Outrage at Valdez
1991 Frank Zappa: Peefeeyatko
1992 The Yellow Shark
1993 Beasts
2002 Band from Utopia: A Tribute to the Music of Frank Zappa
2008 Frank Zappa: The Torture Never Stops
2012 1982. L'estate di Frank
2013 Frank Zappa: A Token Of His Extreme
2014 Cheepnis
2014 Frank Zappa - Summer '82: When Zappa Came to Sicily
2015 Roxy: The Movie
2016 Stupor Mundi: Livre 1, Rituel de décapitation du pape
2020 Zappa
2023 Over-Nite Sensation
2024 Live at Whisky a Go Go 1968
Music Arranger:
1969 Burnt Weeny Sandwich
1971 200 Motels
1971 Frank Zappa
1979 Baby Snakes
1982 Frank Zappa: The Dub Room Special!
1985 Frank Zappa: Does Humor Belong in Music?
1985 Night Flight with Frank Zappa, Porn Wars
1987 The Amazing Mr. Bickford
1987 Uncle Meat
1987 Video From Hell
1988 The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels
1990 Cousteau: Alaska: Outrage at Valdez
1991 Frank Zappa: Peefeeyatko
1992 The Yellow Shark
1993 Beasts
2002 Band from Utopia: A Tribute to the Music of Frank Zappa
2008 Frank Zappa: The Torture Never Stops
2012 1982. L'estate di Frank
2013 Frank Zappa: A Token Of His Extreme
2014 Cheepnis
2014 Frank Zappa - Summer '82: When Zappa Came to Sicily
2015 Roxy: The Movie
2016 Stupor Mundi: Livre 1, Rituel de décapitation du pape
2020 Zappa
2023 Over-Nite Sensation
2024 Live at Whisky a Go Go 1968
Orchestrator:
1969 Burnt Weeny Sandwich
1971 200 Motels
1971 Frank Zappa
1979 Baby Snakes
1982 Frank Zappa: The Dub Room Special!
1985 Frank Zappa: Does Humor Belong in Music?
1985 Night Flight with Frank Zappa, Porn Wars
1987 The Amazing Mr. Bickford
1987 Uncle Meat
1987 Video From Hell
1988 The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels
1990 Cousteau: Alaska: Outrage at Valdez
1991 Frank Zappa: Peefeeyatko
1992 The Yellow Shark
1993 Beasts
2002 Band from Utopia: A Tribute to the Music of Frank Zappa
2008 Frank Zappa: The Torture Never Stops
2012 1982. L'estate di Frank
2013 Frank Zappa: A Token Of His Extreme
2014 Cheepnis
2014 Frank Zappa - Summer '82: When Zappa Came to Sicily
2015 Roxy: The Movie
2016 Stupor Mundi: Livre 1, Rituel de décapitation du pape
2020 Zappa
2023 Over-Nite Sensation
2024 Live at Whisky a Go Go 1968
Original Music Composer:
1962 The World's Greatest Sinner
1965 Run Home Slow
1969 Burnt Weeny Sandwich
1971 200 Motels
1971 Frank Zappa
1979 Baby Snakes
1982 Frank Zappa: The Dub Room Special!
1985 Frank Zappa: Does Humor Belong in Music?
1985 Night Flight with Frank Zappa, Porn Wars
1987 The Amazing Mr. Bickford
1987 Uncle Meat
1987 Video From Hell
1988 The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels
1990 Cousteau: Alaska: Outrage at Valdez
1991 Frank Zappa: Peefeeyatko
1992 The Yellow Shark
1993 Beasts
2002 Band from Utopia: A Tribute to the Music of Frank Zappa
2008 Frank Zappa: The Torture Never Stops
2012 1982. L'estate di Frank
2013 Frank Zappa: A Token Of His Extreme
2014 Cheepnis
2014 Frank Zappa - Summer '82: When Zappa Came to Sicily
2015 Roxy: The Movie
2016 Stupor Mundi: Livre 1, Rituel de décapitation du pape
2020 Zappa
2023 Over-Nite Sensation
2024 Live at Whisky a Go Go 1968
Producer:
1962 The World's Greatest Sinner
1965 Run Home Slow
1969 Burnt Weeny Sandwich
1971 200 Motels
1971 Frank Zappa
1979 Baby Snakes
1982 Frank Zappa: The Dub Room Special!
1985 Frank Zappa: Does Humor Belong in Music?
1985 Night Flight with Frank Zappa, Porn Wars
1987 The Amazing Mr. Bickford
1987 Uncle Meat
1987 Video From Hell
1988 The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels
1990 Cousteau: Alaska: Outrage at Valdez
1991 Frank Zappa: Peefeeyatko
1992 The Yellow Shark
1993 Beasts
2002 Band from Utopia: A Tribute to the Music of Frank Zappa
2008 Frank Zappa: The Torture Never Stops
2012 1982. L'estate di Frank
2013 Frank Zappa: A Token Of His Extreme
2014 Cheepnis
2014 Frank Zappa - Summer '82: When Zappa Came to Sicily
2015 Roxy: The Movie
2016 Stupor Mundi: Livre 1, Rituel de décapitation du pape
2020 Zappa
2023 Over-Nite Sensation
2024 Live at Whisky a Go Go 1968
Props:
1962 The World's Greatest Sinner
1965 Run Home Slow
1969 Burnt Weeny Sandwich
1971 200 Motels
1971 Frank Zappa
1971 The Manipulator
1979 Baby Snakes
1982 Frank Zappa: The Dub Room Special!
1985 Frank Zappa: Does Humor Belong in Music?
1985 Night Flight with Frank Zappa, Porn Wars
1987 The Amazing Mr. Bickford
1987 Uncle Meat
1987 Video From Hell
1988 The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels
1990 Cousteau: Alaska: Outrage at Valdez
1991 Frank Zappa: Peefeeyatko
1992 The Yellow Shark
1993 Beasts
2002 Band from Utopia: A Tribute to the Music of Frank Zappa
2008 Frank Zappa: The Torture Never Stops
2012 1982. L'estate di Frank
2013 Frank Zappa: A Token Of His Extreme
2014 Cheepnis
2014 Frank Zappa - Summer '82: When Zappa Came to Sicily
2015 Roxy: The Movie
2016 Stupor Mundi: Livre 1, Rituel de décapitation du pape
2020 Zappa
2023 Over-Nite Sensation
2024 Live at Whisky a Go Go 1968
Screenplay:
1962 The World's Greatest Sinner
1965 Run Home Slow
1969 Burnt Weeny Sandwich
1971 200 Motels
1971 Frank Zappa
1971 The Manipulator
1979 Baby Snakes
1982 Frank Zappa: The Dub Room Special!
1985 Frank Zappa: Does Humor Belong in Music?
1985 Night Flight with Frank Zappa, Porn Wars
1987 The Amazing Mr. Bickford
1987 Uncle Meat
1987 Video From Hell
1988 The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels
1990 Cousteau: Alaska: Outrage at Valdez
1991 Frank Zappa: Peefeeyatko
1992 The Yellow Shark
1993 Beasts
2002 Band from Utopia: A Tribute to the Music of Frank Zappa
2008 Frank Zappa: The Torture Never Stops
2012 1982. L'estate di Frank
2013 Frank Zappa: A Token Of His Extreme
2014 Cheepnis
2014 Frank Zappa - Summer '82: When Zappa Came to Sicily
2015 Roxy: The Movie
2016 Stupor Mundi: Livre 1, Rituel de décapitation du pape
2020 Zappa
2023 Over-Nite Sensation
2024 Live at Whisky a Go Go 1968
Writer:
1962 The World's Greatest Sinner
1965 Run Home Slow
1969 Burnt Weeny Sandwich
1971 200 Motels
1971 Frank Zappa
1971 The Manipulator
1979 Baby Snakes
1982 Frank Zappa: The Dub Room Special!
1985 Frank Zappa: Does Humor Belong in Music?
1985 Night Flight with Frank Zappa, Porn Wars
1987 The Amazing Mr. Bickford
1987 Uncle Meat
1987 Video From Hell
1988 The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels
1990 Cousteau: Alaska: Outrage at Valdez
1991 Frank Zappa: Peefeeyatko
1992 The Yellow Shark
1993 Beasts
2002 Band from Utopia: A Tribute to the Music of Frank Zappa
2008 Frank Zappa: The Torture Never Stops
2012 1982. L'estate di Frank
2013 Frank Zappa: A Token Of His Extreme
2014 Cheepnis
2014 Frank Zappa - Summer '82: When Zappa Came to Sicily
2015 Roxy: The Movie
2016 Stupor Mundi: Livre 1, Rituel de décapitation du pape
2020 Zappa
2023 Over-Nite Sensation
2024 Live at Whisky a Go Go 1968
In Memory Of:
1994 Duckman
Most data and links to images for the Movies section come from TheMovieDB (TMDB).
Additional data for Film Titles come from The Open Movie Database (OMDb).
At least one plug-in comes from IMDb.
Data are -- hey, it's a plural -- subject to the limitations of their sources. (For example, TMDB search results currently max out at 20.) I am limiting myself to free data sources for now. (No, a "free trial" is not free.)
While much of the above data are retrieved directly from outside APIs and other such sources, data from American Film Institute (AFI) and British Film Institute (BFI) were manually entered the old fashioned way into a MySQL database. Re BFI I took the following liberties:
Regarding profile removals and data corrections:
Filtering is applied here to film projects flagged as "adult" by TheMovieDB. Pending "popular demand" I am contemplating a login and profile system with preferences (such as whether to allow adult images to appear) and permissions (such as data entry).
Whereas the overall purpose of this website is to serve as a personal demo/portfolio/workshop of web and data skills, this Movies section is not meant to compete with or substitute for far more definitive movie websites.
Whether or not he still clings to an award which he won in 1986 as a film critic for his college's newspaper, Jeffrey Hartmann is not responsible for the texts of overviews and biographies supplied by external data sources.