TURN UP THE RADIO: L.A. ROCK ON FILM SERIES
CELEBRATES
FRANK ZAPPA
SUNDAY, AUGUST 17
AT THE EGYPTIAN THEATRE
WITH THREE FILMS:
TWO SHORTS
INCLUDING THE WORLD PREMIERE OF ‘BUNNY BUNNY BUNNY’
ALONG WITH ‘CHEEPNIS’
AND THE FULL-LENGTH ‘UNCLE MEAT’
Three films directed by the legendary American composer FRANK ZAPPA will be celebrated this Sunday, August 17 at the Egyptian Theatre as part of the American Cinematheque’s Turn Up The Radio: L.A. Rock On Film series, August 13-17.
The Sunday, August 17 Frank Zappa screenings will include two shorts– the world premiere of Bunny Bunny Bunny along with Cheepnis–followed bythe full-length Uncle Meat feature. The entire evening will culminate with a Q&A discussion with Gail Zappa, Moon Zappa, Ahmet Zappa, Steve Vai, Jeff Stein (“The Kids Are Alright”) and Joe (Vaultmeister) Travers.
The 20-minute Bunny Bunny Bunny (ca. 1987)–directed and produced by Frank Zappa–will kick off the event. The one-camera shoot stars daughter Moon Zappa (a couple of years after the radio hit “Valley Girl”) in improvised dialog with her best friend Kyle Richards and her cousin Lala Sloatman. Next up, coming in at 10-minutes, Cheepnis (ca. 1973) features the only footage Frank Zappa cut together from his legendary 1973 Roxy concerts and documents the director, bandleader, songwriter and musician at work.Cheepnis sings the praises of low-budget monster movies. Lastly, Frank Zappa began directing The Mothers of Invention’s one and only full-length movie, Uncle Meat (ca. 1987), less than two years after the group’s 1965 debut, but the film did not see release until 1987. Colorful footage from their “Absolutely Free”-era residency at the Garrick Theater in New York, and from the Sgt. Pepper/psychedelia-mocking “We’re Only in it for the Money” album cover shoot is mixed with orchestral bits from a 1968 concert at London’s Royal Festival Hall. Plus you get Rodney Bingenheimer, Linda Ronstadt, Meredith Monk and others along for the ride at the legendary Hollywood Ranch Market on Vine Street. Camerawork by the great Haskell Wexler.
About American Cinematheque
Established in 1981, the American Cinematheque is a 501 C 3 non-profit viewer-supported film exhibition and cultural organization dedicated to the celebration of the Moving Picture in all of its forms. At the Egyptian Theatre, the Cinematheque presents daily film and video programming which ranges from the classics of American and international cinema to new independent films and digital work. Exhibition of rare works, special and rare prints, etc., combined with fascinating post-screening discussions with the filmmakers who created the work, are a Cinematheque tradition that keep audiences coming back for once-in-a-lifetime cinema experiences. The American Cinematheque renovated and reopened (on Dec. 4, 1998) the historic 1922 Hollywood Egyptian Theatre. This includes a state-of-the-art 616-seat theatre housed within Sid Grauman’s first grand movie palace on Hollywood Boulevard. The exotic courtyard is fully restored to its 1922 grandeur. The Egyptian was the home of the very first Hollywood movie premiere in 1922. In January 2005 the American Cinematheque expanded its programming to the 1940 Aero Theatre on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica. For more information please visit www.americancinematheque.com.
