Baby Snakes (1979) on Netflix
R19792h 46mDocumentaryMusic
In 1977 Frank Zappa plays Halloween shows at New York's Palladium. Around the performances the film gathers concert footage, moments with the crew offstage, and clay animation.
- Netflix4.0/5
- IMDb8.0/10999 votes
- Rotten TomatoesNot available
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Plot summary
The film draws on Frank Zappa's Halloween concerts at New York's Palladium in 1977, pairing stage footage with scenes of the crew away from the stage. Clay animation runs through it as well, and sequences of it take a first prize at a French competition for animated film. Zappa pays for the project himself and spends several months in 1978 editing. Seeking a distributor, he approaches United Artists, which released 200 Motels, and is refused; other studios follow that lead, doubting his cinematic style still appeals. European distributors suggest a shorter cut, so the film goes from 168 minutes to 90, and still no one buys it. Zappa then distributes it through his own company, Intercontinental Absurdities.
Cast
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Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Baby Snakes (1979)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Frank Zappa paid for Baby Snakes out of his own pocket and spent several months editing it in 1978, then could not find a distributor. United Artists, which had released his 200 Motels, turned it down, and other studios followed, fearing his "cinematic style" had lost its appeal in 1970s pop culture.
- Even after Bruce Bickford's stop-motion clay sequences won first prize at a French animated film competition, no distributor wanted Baby Snakes, so Zappa released it himself through his own production company, Intercontinental Absurdities.
- The complete 2-hour 45-minute Baby Snakes came out in 1987 as a double videocassette retailing at $200 and aimed at rental stores, and both the 1987 edition and the 1983 90-minute cassette sold out quickly.
- European distributors told Zappa they might show interest if he cut Baby Snakes from its original 168-minute running time, but after he trimmed it to 90 minutes there were still no takers.
- The film's entire soundtrack, dialogue and sound effects included, was issued to iTunes on Zappa's birthday, December 21, 2012, as AAAFNRAA: Baby Snakes - The Compleat Soundtrack; of his 131 official releases it is the only one available only as a download.
