S2 Ep20: Pop Screen: 200 Motels (with Aidan F)

05/27/21 • 55 min

The prospect of a Frank Zappa episode of Pop Screen is likely to get you either cheering or groaning, which is of course why we're doing it. This week, confirmed Zappa obsessive Aidan Fatkin joins regular host and Zappa dunce Graham to talk him through the jazz-rock-classical-comedy titan's career - his epic discography, exhaustive production techniques, ribald wit and many, many, seriously many battles with the forces of censorship.
We're also here, of course, to talk about his 1971 film 200 Motels, a plotless mix of skits, musical performances, animation that might be too weird for cult status. Full of sex, lies and videotape - hey, that's a catchy title! - it can be hard work but, like Zappa himself, it's a true one-off. We discuss the career of co-director Tony Palmer and his influence on rock-doc history, as well as Keith Moon playing a sexy nun, a bizarre misunderstanding over the word "pad" and Danny Baker for some reason.
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#popscreen #moviereview #200motels #frankzappa #ringostarr #keithmoon #tonypalmer #mothersofinvention

Previous Episode

S2 Ep19: Pop Screen: England is Mine (with Mick Snowden)

Today we know Morrissey as a character on The Simpsons, but are you aware he also taught Villanelle how to do local government admin? This is just one of the revelations in Mark Gill's 2017 film England is Mine, a film about Morrissey's early life starring Jack Lowden as the indie icon-in-the-making. Released just as Morrissey exhausted the patience of his remaining fanbase by threatening to sue Der Spiegel for accurately reporting his terrible opinions, it vanished quickly - but did it deserve better?
This week, Mick Snowden of Behold! podcast joins Graham to mull that question over. They also discuss their shared love of The Smiths, including the evergreen hobby of picking out the references to old films and girl-group hits the band's lyrics and record sleeves are studded with, and share theories about why Morrissey's official Facebook page is so very, very strange.
"I've never had a job/ Because I'm too shy", and if you want to help me maintain this unsupportable lifestyle you can donate to The Geek Show's Patreon, where you'll find exclusive bonus episodes of Pop Screen, our other movie podcast Director's Lottery, the best damn Doctor Who reviews on the internet and more. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to hear about what we've got coming up next.
#popscreen #moviereview #englandismine #morrissey #thesmiths #jacklowden #markgill #jodiecomer #jessicabrownfindlay #johnnymarr #biopic #lindersterling

Next Episode

S2 Ep21: Pop Screen: Tokyo Tribe (with Rob Simpson)

Pop Screen takes its first dip into the flamboyant world of Japanese director Sion Sono with Tokyo Tribe. Adapting a manga by Santa Inoue, Sono takes the characteristically weird decision to tell it in the form of a hip-hop opera, with dialogue rapped by a mixture of actors and real Japanese rappers like Young Dais. It works better than it sounds, and Geek Show head honcho Rob Simpson is here to guide Sono newbie Graham through its neon-lit wastelands.
Along the way we discuss Riki Takeuchi's colossal performance as gang boss Buppa, Sono's involvement in Nikkatsu's "pinku eiga" revival, the scene-stealing appearances by a DJing grandma, and so much more. We also wonder if we live, despite all appearances, in a golden age of maverick film-makers, and look forward to Sono's English-language debut with Nicolas Cage in Prisoners of the Ghostland.
Pop Screen makes most of its money from the murder business and deals with corrupt politicians, but if you'd like to top us up we've got a Patreon which offers bonus episodes of Pop Screen, a whole exclusive movie podcast, Doctor Who reviews and more. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
#popscreen #moviereview #sionsono #tokyotribe #manga #musical #rikitakeuchi #rap #oldschoolhiphop #youngdais