Frank Zappa’s documentary 200 Motels is celebrating its 50th anniversary next month. To mark the occasion, its accompanying soundtrack is receiving a massive re-release, out November 19th via Zappa Records, UMe, and MGM.
The 200 Motels 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition box set features the remastered original soundtrack in collaboration with The Mothers of Invention and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as demo session outtakes, dialog protection reels, alternate recordings, and more rare material unearthed from the depths of the late artist’s vault.
The 6xCD collection will also come with a 64-page hardcover book full of artwork and imagery from the film, plus new liner notes written by the likes of Pamela Des Barres, Ruth Underwood, and Joe Travers. Also included will be Patrick Pending’s essay written for the soundtrack’s 1997 reissue, a custom 200 Motels keychain and “Do Not Disturb” door placard, and a full-sized replica of the film’s original poster.
Along with the Super Deluxe Edition on CD, the soundtrack is receiving a special 2xLP vinyl pressing, sans all the extra featurettes, outtakes, and dialog tracks — making the golden anniversary the first time the album has been available on vinyl in decades. And that’s not all: 200 Motels will also (finally!) make its digital debut on streaming platforms with the release.
Shot in just 10 days with a budget of around $650,000, 200 Motels was one of the first movies to be filmed entirely on videotape. The experimental film about life on the road as a musician starred Zappa and his band The Mothers, who were joined by Keith Moon as a perverted nun and Ringo Starr as “a large dwarf” who was a Zappa doppelgänger.
Ahead of the release, Zappa’s estate has unveiled the dialog reel of “Mystery Roach.” Stream it below and pre-order the 50th anniversary edition of 200 Motels in all its forms here.
In June, Zappa’s final American concert was released as the live album Zappa ’88: The Last U.S. Show, along with its lead single “I Ain’t Got No Heart.” In December 2020, a West Coast-style beer called the “Why Does It Hurt When IPA?” was created to celebrate what would have been the late artist’s 80th birthday.
200 Motels 50th Anniversary Edition Artwork:
200 Motels 50th Anniversary Edition Super Deluxe Box Set Packaging:
200 Motels 50th Anniversary Edition Super Deluxe Box Set Tracklist:
Disc 1 — Original Soundtrack Remastered
01. Semi-Fraudulent / Direct-From-Hollywood Overture
02. Mystery Roach
03. Dance of the Rock & Roll Interviewers
04. This Town is a Sealed Tuna Sandwich (Prologue)
05. Tuna Fish Promenade
06. Dance of the Just Plain Folks
07. This Town is a Sealed Tuna Sandwich (Reprise)
08. The Sealed Tuna Bolero
09. Lonesome Cowboy Burt
10. Touring Can Make You Crazy
11. Would You Like a Snack?
12. Redneck Eats
13. Centerville
14. She Painted Up Her Face
15. Janet’s Big Dance Number
16. Half a Dozen Provocative Squats
17. Mysterioso
18. Shove It Right In
19. Lucy’s Seduction of a Bored Violinist & Postlude
20. I’m Stealing the Towels
21. Dental Hygiene Dilemma
22. Does This Kind of Life Look Interesting to You?
23. Daddy, Daddy, Daddy
24. Penis Dimension
25. What Will This Evening Bring Me This Morning
Disc 2 — Original Soundtrack Remastered (cont.)/Demos, 2nd Movement – Rock Music/Demo Session Outtakes
01. A Nun Suit Painted on Some Old Boxes
02. Magic Fingers
03. Motorhead’s Midnight Ranch
04. Dew on The Newts We Got
05. The Lad Searches the Night for His Newts
06. The Girl Wants to Fix Him Some Broth
07. The Girl’s Dream
08. Little Green Scratchy Sweaters & Courduroy Ponce
09. Strictly Genteel (The Finale)
10. Road Ladies (Alternate Mix)
11. What Will This Morning Bring Me This Evening
12. What Kind Of Girl Do You Think We Are?
13. Bwana Dik
14. Daddy, Daddy, Daddy
15. Do You Like My New Car?
16. Magic Fingers
17. Phyllis & Aynsley
18. What Will This Evening Bring Me This Morning (Alternate Mix)
19. Tell Me You Love Me (Mix Outtake)
20. Road Ladies (Alternate Take)
21. What Will This Morning Bring Me This Evening (Studio Outtakes)
22. What Will This Morning Bring Me This Evening (Alternate Take, Incomplete)
23. “Aynsley Dunbar, Ladies & Gentlemen”
24. Magic Fingers (Version B, Mix Outtake)
25. What Will This Evening Bring Me This Morning (Mix Outtake)
26. Tell Me You Love Me (Alternate Take)
Disc 3 — Dialog Protection Reels
01. Scene 1-2: Semi-Fraudulent/Direct-From-Hollywood Overture
02. Scene 3: What’s The Deal?
03. Mystery Roach
04. Scene 32: It’s A Good Thing We Get Paid to Do This…
05. Scene 14: What’s The Name of Your Group? I
06. Scene 32: We Haven’t Formed the Group Yet
07. Scene 15: What’s The Name of Your Group? II
08. Scene 17: When Do We Get Paid?
09. Scene 18: Went on the Road
10. Scene 19-20: Special Delivery
11. Scene 21: Centerville
12. Scene 21: Janet & Lucy
13. Scene 22: This Town is a Sealed Tuna Sandwich
14. Scene 23-24: Tuna Fish Promenade
15. Scene 28: The Sealed Tuna Bolero
16. Scene 29: Lonesome Cowboy Burt
17. Scene 30: JCB & Rance
18. Scene 21: Larry the Dwarf
19. Scene 81: Magic Fingers
20. Scene 47: Larry the Dwarf in the Hotel Room
21. Scene 33: The Lad Searches the Night for His Newts
22. Scene 40-41: The Girl Wants to Fix Him Some Broth
23. Scene 42: Little Green Scratchy Sweaters & Courduroy Ponce
24. Scene 45: A Nun Suit Painted on Some Old Boxes
25. Scene 57: The Perverted Nun
26.Scene 87: Penis!
27. Scene 58: She Painted Up Her Face
28. Scene 60: Janet’s Big Dance Number
29. Scene 61: Half a Dozen Provocative Squats
30. Scene 62: Lucy’s Seduction of a Bored Violinist
31. Scene 63: Shove it Right In
32. Scene 67: I Am Bwana Dik!”
33. Scene 68-69: What Will This Morning Bring Me This Evening
34. Scene 77: Daddy, Daddy, Daddy
Disc 4 — Dialog Protection Reels (cont.)/Bonus Swill, Part I
01. Scene 90: Biff Debris & Jeff
02. Scene 84-85: Penis Dimension
03. Scene 32: Mystery Roach (Acoustic) / Yeah? Well Fine!
04. Scene 71: What Will the Evening Bring Me This Morning
05. Scene 92: Jeff Flips Out / I’m Stealing the Room
06. Scene 100: Strictly Genteel
07. Scene 100: 200 Motels Finale
08. I Was Gonna Make a Movie One Time…
09. 200 Motels Movie Ad #1
10. What’s the Name Of Your Group? (FZ Edit)
11. 200 Motels Movie Ad #2
12. FZ on Ringo Starr
13. Ringo Starr on 200 Motels
14. 200 Motels Movie Ad #3
15. Motorhead’s Midnight Ranch (Mix Outtake)
16. Looking for Newts
17. They Are Only In It for The Money
18. 200 Motels Movie Ad #4
19. 200 Motels Commercial Session Outtakes
20. Does This Kind of Life Look Interesting to You? (Mix Outtake)
21. I Shall Ruin All the Tapes
22. Janet’s Big Dance Number (Basic Tracks)
23. Martin Lickert Voice-Over
24. Touring Can Make You Crazy (Mix Outtake)
25. Penis Dimension (Instrumental Alternate Take)
26. Centerville (Mix Outtake)
27. Mystery Roach (Alternate Master)
28. Magic Fingers (Mix Outtake)
29. 200 Motels Movie Ad #5
Disc 5 – Alternates and Outtakes
01. What is 200 Motels?
02. Theodore Bikel Voice-Over (Alternate Take)
03. Semi-Fraudulent/Direct-From-Hollywood Overture (Mix Outtake)
04. What’s the Name of Your Group? (Complete Sequence, Part I)
05. What’s the Name of Your Group? (Complete Sequence, Part II)
06. What’s the Name of Your Group? (Complete Sequence, Part III)
07. Can I Help You with This Dummy?
08. Pianos for the Pleated Gazelle
09. Synth Tracks I
10. Would You Like a Snack? (Alternate Take)
11. Howard Kaylan/Mark Volman Voice-Over
12. Centerville (Rough Mix)
13. This Town Is a Sealed Tuna Sandwich (Prologue, Mix Outtake)
14. Tuna Fish Promenade (Mix Outtake)
15. The Sealed Tuna Bolero (Alternate Take)
16. Lonesome Cowboy Burt (Mix Outtake)
17. Naval Aviation in Art?
18. Redneck Eats/The Restaurant Scene (Basic Tracks)
19. Mystery Roach (Basic Tracks)
20. I Have Seen the Pleated Gazelle
21. Dew on the Newts We Got (Rough Mix)
22. The Lad Searches the Night for His Newts (Rough Mix)
23. Motorhead’s Midnight Ranch (Rough Mix)
24. The Girl Wants to Fix Him Some Broth (Rough Mix, Alternate Ending)
25. The Girl’s Dream (Rough Mix)
26. Little Green Scratchy Sweaters and Courduroy Ponce
27. Scene 43: A Cardboard Box
28. Scene 44
29. A Nun Suit Painted on Some Old Boxes (Rough Mix)
30. She Painted Up Her Face (Compressed Mix)
31. The Secret Stare
32. Half a Dozen Provocative Squats (Compressed Mix)
33. Lucy’s Seduction of a Bored Violinist (Basic Tracks)
34. Shove it Right In (Compressed Mix)
35. Postlude (Basic Tracks)
36. What Will This Evening Bring Me This Morning (Mix Outtake)
Disc 6 — Alternates and Outtakes (cont.)/Bonus Swill, Part II
01. Daddy, Daddy, Daddy (Alternate Take)
02. Magic Fingers (Alternate Take)
03. Penis Dimension (Basic Tracks)
04. Scene 86
05. Scene 87 (Alternate Take)
06. Synth Tracks II
07. I’m Stealing the Towels (Basic Tracks, Alternate Take)
08. Scene 94: He’s Always Watching Me
09. Dental Hygiene Dilemma (Part I, Basic Tracks)
10. Does This Kind of Life Look Interesting to You? (Mix Outtake)
11. Dental Hygiene Dilemma (Part II, Basic Tracks)
12. Strictly Genteel (Basic Tracks)
13. 200 Motels Finale (Alternate Take)
14. 200 Motels Finale (Basic Tracks, Unedited Ending)
15. Movie Theater Skit (Commercial Session Outtake)
16. 200 Motels Album Ad #1
17. Script Rehearsal Trim
18. Lonesome Cowboy Burt (In Rehearsal 1969)
19. Lonesome Cowboy Burt (In Rehearsal 1970)
20. 200 Motels Album Ad #2
21. Penis Dimension Jingle Music
22. TV Hype (Commercial Session Outtake)
23. 200 Motels Movie Ad # 6
