Wednesday 18 March 2015

FRANK ZAPPA: Captain Beefheart vs. The Grunt People

Original Story and Screenplay by Frank Zappa,
1964 version
1969 version
94 pages
English

This screenplay is printed on 94 one sided pages – approx. 258 scenes
as well as a feature-length film, presently in script structure, written by Zappa in 1964.


Zappa had a recording studio in Cucamonga, California. He visited an auction at a location known as the FK Rocket Studios in Hollywood. This was 1962. And for $50, he got a whole bunch of movie sets. Frank trucked it out of there and brought it back to Cucamonga and decided to make an independent film. Name of the movie was Captain Beefheart Vs. The Grunt People.

In the back of the studio, close to the toilet, Zappa constructed a completely implausible, two-dimensional, cardboard rocket ship. He colored all the sets by himself and wrote a script based on the people and facilities available at the time: Captain Beefheart vs. the Grunt People.

Rocket ship

Captain Beefheart was a character that Frank created for the movie. His name comes from one of Don Vliet's family who looked like Harry Truman. He used to piss with the door open when Don's sweetheart walked by and make comments on how his whizzer looked the same as a beef heart.

Read on...

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT GONZO

Frank Zappa is considered to be one of the most influential rock musicians of the late twentieth century. Between the start of his career in the late fifties and his death in 1993 he recorded and rele..


On September 19, 1985, Frank Zappa testified before the United States Senate Commerce, Technology, and Transportation committee, attacking the Parents Music Resource Center or PMRC, a music organizati..



Don Van Vliet (born Don Glen Vliet; January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010) was an American musician, singer-songwriter, artist and poet known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. His musical work..


Don Van Vliet (born Don Glen Vliet; January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010) was an American musician, singer-songwriter, artist and poet known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. His musical work..

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