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Roxy: The Movie
Frank Zappa
Studio: Eagle Rock Entertainment
Release Date: October 30, 2015
Review Date: November 01, 2015
Frank Zappa fans or going to love this! Zappa’s Honker Home Video – in conjunction with the good folks over at Eagle Rock Entertainment – have issued the never-before-released Roxy: The Movie on DVD and Blu-Ray with an exclusive soundtrack included.
As fans well know, a Frank Zappa show went way beyond a mere concert. It is an experience; a flight of improvisation musicianship and cerebral cynicism. An unparalleled composer and guitarist, Zappa redefined rock and roll paradigms by introducing into the mix his favorite influences from classical music, jazz, blues, doo-wop, traditional and non-traditional music and he did so with unmatched humor and audacity.
That all said, it was the music itself that influenced generations of musicians and blew minds. Roxy: The Movie – filmed over three nights in December, 1973, at the Roxy Theater in Hollywood, California – is a powerful display of this experience and reveals what made Frank Zappa such a pioneering musical revolutionary.
Right out of the chute, the film exudes the essence of Zappa: as we only see a dark room with a single light; we hear him commiserating with the audience as he stalls for time because of technical snafus that would ultimately force the film into hibernation for decades while advancements in technology progressed sufficiently enough to allow the Zappa Family Trust to bring the project to a anxiously awaiting audience. The curtain goes up and the magic unravels to reveal “Cosmic Debris”, taking us up and away with one of the most enduring band line-ups under Frank Zappa’s leadership.
Before passing away last month, Frank’s wife, Gail, said, “Frank broke all sound barriers in music and pushed musical event horizons to educate and entertain his audiences so they could experience real possibilities on a contemporary music stage – all without taking himself seriously. He always said he had ‘something for everyone from 8 to 13.’ Being a mom, I can tell you that is when your imagination is wide open and some of those ideas stay fixed and expandable in time and space forever.”
Frank and Gail’s youngest son, Ahmet, said, “I’m beyond thrilled that Roxy: The Movie is finally going to be available. It took a herculean effort to bring it to life. So much love, time, energy and attention to detail went into its resurrection. This movie rocks so hard, I think both old and new fans will agree.”