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Universal Music Group has agreed to a deal with Frank Zappa’s family to acquire the legendary rocker-composer’s entire estate, including his prolific catalog, film archive, publishing rights and his enormous “Vault” of unreleased material.

The agreement between Universal Music Publishing Group, Universal Music Enterprises — which has distributed Zappa’s posthumous releases for the past decade — and the Zappa Family Trust also includes the rights to Zappa’s name and unmistakable likeness. Terms of the deal were not revealed.

“Ten years ago, [Frank’s late widow] Gail Zappa partnered with UMe to bring...

One of Ahmet Zappa’s favorite memories of Captain Beefheart is the time he called the Zappa household to relate a particularly memorable dream.

“The fucking greatest [call] that ever happened to me was when he called and said, ‘Hell-ooooo, is your mo-other there?'” Zappa tells Rolling Stone, imitating Don Van Vliet’s signature warble. “‘Because I had a dream I wanted to tell her about.'”

Gail Zappa wasn’t home, but Ahmet couldn’t fight his curiosity; he asked the Magic Band leader what he’d dreamed of.

Frank Zappa, who died in 1993, is one of the least understood artists of the 20th Century, which is ironic because he was also the most prolific. Introduced to the world as a bicycle-playing artiste concrète sitting naked on a toilet, he was a harmonic genius who experimented with sonic assault weapons and visual subversions. Frank Zappa was the Nikola Tesla of music. Alex Winter’s documentary Zappa, which is now available to watch in the UK and Ireland on Altitude.film, clarifies many of the contradictions by highlighting Zappa’s primary focus. The Mothers of Invention bandleader was a composer.

As such, Frank was also a cultural ambassador, a hero of free expression, a hysterical satirist, and a guitar virtuoso. He was celebrated in the Czech Republic after the Velvet Revolution, and castigated by parental control mongers in America. But even Frank knew his rep enough to drop an album...

Frank Zappa documentary to receive a theatrical release in 2021.

Piece of Magic Entertainment has acquired European distribution rights to Alex Winter’s music documentary Zappa from Great Point Media.

The film about the life of late maverick musician Frank Zappa will receive a theatrical release across Europe from March 2021, excluding the UK, Ireland, German-speaking territories and Poland, where deals have yet to be closed.

The documentary includes access to the Zappa family and archival footage, exploring the private life of the musician who died in 1993, and includes appearances by his widow Gail Zappa and several musical collaborators.

Winter is best...

Alex Winter, the “Bill and Ted’s” actor who is himself a noted director and producer, saw in Frank Zappa’s story an icon who embodied everything about music and culture in the 1970s. At the same time, he wanted to capture the man behind the myth. With the blessing of Zappa’s wife, Gail, he and producer Glen Zipper set out to uncover the story of the famous envelope-pusher, with access to the late legend’s infamous vault. Winter spent years restoring the archive material that stood in front of him, working to preserve the material that Zappa himself had collected before his 1993 death.

Winter talked to Variety about the genesis of “Zappa,” out Nov. 27, as well as the private life and politics of one of America’s most eccentric artists.

What was your relationship with Frank Zappa growing up and how did the idea for a doc come about?...

There is no such thing as a casual Frank Zappa fan — it’s an all-or-nothing proposition. (Really, there’s no such thing as a casual Frank Zappa listener, period: You either immediately recoil from his grandiose, often goofy odes to dancin’ fools and yellow snow, self-promoting pimps and and S&m aficionados … or you end friendships arguing over which bootleg of his Over Nite Sensation ’73 shows is the best.) And on a scale from one to plays-in-a-Joe’s-Garage-cover-band, we’d put Alex Winter’s level of worship somewhere near an eight.

As we enter the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend during an era when the box office is struggling and more weight is being placed on streamers for new product, there are still titles making theatrical debuts amid the digital film landscape as people recover from their turkey-induced tryptophan haze. It all starts with three films spotlighting a trio of artists that made a significant impact on pop culture.

IFC Films is set to release Wednesday the Gabriel Range-directed David Bowie pic Stardust starring Johnny Flynn as the iconic glam rocker as well as Marc Maron and Jena Malone​.

Written by Range and Christopher Bell, Stardust (not to be confused with the 2007 Matthew Vaughn fantasy pic) isn’t a full-blown, cradle-to-the-grave biopic. Instead, it spotlights Bowie’s life at one significant moment in his career — before he...

When Alex Winter got access to the Zappa family trust for his documentary “Zappa,” it took his filmmaking journey down a completely unexpected side road. “There was so much material down there and some of it was in danger of disrepair and disintegration,” says Winter in our recent webchat (watch the video above). “We then raised a bunch of money on a crowd-funding campaign and spent the next two years just preserving Zappa archival media.”

“Zappa” is a documentary that seeks to explore Frank Zappa’s journey, not just as a musician but as a human being. Through tons of archival footage, some interviews and the unlimited access to the Zappa vault, which had never been given before, Winter shows how Zappa first became interested in music and eventually rising in fame with his band, The Mothers of Invention. Winter also highlights Zappa’s forays into the political arena as...

Alex Winter may be the hardest working man in quarantine. While many studios are shelving their biggest and best films for a later date, Winter has already released two movies to much acclaim in 2020, and he has a third on the way later this month. Following the blockbuster success of Bill & Ted Face the Music and much critical acclaim for his recent documentary Showbiz Kids, the auteur returns with Zappa, his long-awaited in-depth look into the life and work of musician Frank Zappa. The movie will arrive everywhere starting November 27th, with a special one-night-only theatrical event planned for Monday, November 23rd. To celebrate the release, we caught up with Alex Winter to discuss all the blood, sweat and tears that went into what is sure to be the perennial film on Zappa's life.

Alex Winter spent 6 years making Zappa, and had the approval of the Zappa estate, working closely...

Alex Winter’s musical documentary Zappa is a fun movie which frames Frank Zappa the way he should be, as a hero. While this may ring particularly true for fans of the original Mother of Invention, the film is also a must-see for anyone who plugged in a guitar, banged drums, pounded a piano, ruined their teeth on clarinet reeds, or waited for their triangle part to come up in a Julliard School of Music chamber ensemble. It is also for social justice warriors stretching to see beyond the warning labels. The feature documentary is an intimate look at an artist who defied labels, both the record industry ones which curtailed output, and the easy, cheesy, tags of pundits, critics and frightened senate committees.

“This is the beginning of your new future,” Zappa assures an appreciative audience in the archival concert footage which sets the tone. Winter begins the film in the Czech Republic,...

Alex Winter has had a busy year with the release of Bill and Ted Face The Music released earlier this year. Winter is an actor that kids from the 80s would best recognize as being one of the vampires in the cult hit The Lost Boys. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure came out in 1989 giving a generation of kids theirs own language. Winter had been busy behind the camera as well as being in front of it. He has directed many documentaries over the past three decades. His latest project should interest many music fans. A film about the private life and times of musician Frank Zappa is about to get released and looks really compelling. With unfettered access to the Zappa family trust and all archival footage, Zappa explores the private life behind the mammoth musical career that never shied away from the political turbulence of its time. Alex...

Magnolia Pictures has released the trailer for Alex Winter's Zappa. The documentary attempts to dissect the genius of iconic musician Frank Zappa with stories from some of his closest collaborators. Winter just starred in the critically acclaimed Bill & Ted Face the Music, which proved to be a much bigger hit than many expected during this uncertain time for the entertainment industry. Now, he is behind the camera.

With unfettered access to the Zappa family trust and all archival footage, Zappa explores the private life behind the mammoth musical career that never shied away from the political turbulence of its time. Alex Winter's assembly features appearances by Frank Zappa's widow Gail Zappa and several of Frank's musical collaborators including Mike Keneally, Ian Underwood, Steve Vai, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, David Harrington, Scott Thunes, Ruth Underwood, Ray White, and others. This was a labor of love for Winter, who spent years on the documentary.

Magnolia Pictures has acquired the North American rights to “Zappa,” a documentary about the art-rock master Frank Zappa directed by “Bill & Ted Face the Music” star Alex Winter, the distributor announced Thursday.

“Zappa” looks at the life of the innovative artist and musician through access to the Zappa family trust and other archival footage, and Magnolia will release the documentary in theaters and on-demand Nov. 27.

Winter sits down with many of Zappa’s musical collaborators such as Mike Keneally, Ian Underwood, Steve Vai, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, David Harrington, Scott Thunes, Ruth Underwood, Ray White and others. And the documentary also includes appearances by Zappa’s widow Gail.

Also Read: 'The Go-Go's' Film Review: Transcendent Rock Doc Examines 1980s Glass-Ceiling Shatterers

“Alex Winter has created an amazing documentary,” Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles said in a statement. “‘Zappa’ is an incredibly nuanced and compelling look at the visionary iconoclast...

Exclusive: It won’t be absolutely free, but a new Frank Zappa movie is coming to North America. Magnolia Pictures has acquired rights to Zappa, a documentary directed by Bill & Ted’s Alex Winter that will hit theaters and VOD on Thanksgiving weekend.

Billed as an intimate and expansive look into the innovative life of the iconic — and iconoclastic — musician and artist, the pic was made with unfettered access to the Zappa family trust and all archival footage. It explores the private life behind the musical career that never shied away from the political turbulence of its time.

Zappa features appearances by the musician’s widow Gail Zappa and several of his musical collaborators including Mike Keneally, Ian Underwood, Steve Vai, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, David Harrington, Scott Thunes, Ruth Underwood, Ray White and others.

“Alex Winter has created an amazing documentary,” said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. “Zappa is...

Frank Zappa’s seminal live double album Zappa in New York will celebrate its 40th anniversary with an extensive reissue that includes over three hours of previously unreleased performances. The five-disc set will arrive March 29th via Zappa Records and Universal Music.

The original set was recorded during Zappa’s four-night run at the Palladium in New York between Christmas and New Year’s 1976. Zappa in New York compiled the best performances from that run, while additional overdubs were added later in the studio. While the album was supposed to...

Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of TV critics two questions and publishes the results on Tuesday. (The answer to the second, “What is the best show currently on TV?” can be found at the end of this post.)

This week’s question: When was the first time you saw a TV character that you felt represented you or your experience? Who was it? How did you feel? (This is jumping on the #FirstTimeISawMe hashtag about representation.)

Eric Deggans (@deggans), NPR

This is a tough question, because I don’t think I’ve seen a character like me yet on television (black comics nerd who loves playing drums, has a thirst for pop culture, spent his teens grooving to Frank Zappa and Parliament/Funkadelic and has a passion for racial issues and opposing stereotypes in media. Nope, haven’t seen that character yet). But the first time I saw...

Ahmet Zappa, musician Frank Zappa’s youngest son, recently made documentary Eat That Question about his late father with his mother Gail Zappa. Ahmet Zappa On Frank Zappa Eat That Question started as a project that Gail took on with director Thorston Schutte, who wanted to make an unconventional documentary about Frank Zappa. Instead of making […]

The post Ahmet Zappa On ‘Eat That Question’ & His Father, Musician Frank Zappa [Video Exclusive] appeared first on uInterview.

It would be somewhat easy to do a straightforward documentary on Frank Zappa: zoom in on some grainy B&W pictures of him as an R&B-loving teen; chart his rise from Sixties avant-rock bandleader to symphonic composer, from antiestablishment iconoclast to anticensorship activist; interview some of the dozens, if not hundreds, of musicians inspired by him; drop in a few nuggets of We're Only In It for the Money or 200 Motels–era concert footage. Of course, Zappa was never one to do anything the easy, or easily comprehensible,...

Frank Zappa's widow, Gail Zappa, has died at the age of 70, TMZ reports. Gail passed away in L.A. on Wednesday, Oct. 7. According to the site, Gail was reportedly battling an illness. A cause of death, however, has not been revealed. "Gail will forever be identified as a key figure in the creative renaissance that is Laurel Canyon," a statement from the Zappa Family Trust says, via Rolling Stone. "But more than any singular accomplishment, she defined herself in her personal relationships, happiest when surrounded by loved [...]...

Gail Zappa, the widow of music legend Frank Zappa has died. She was 70 years old. The Zappa family tells TMZ ... Gail passed away Wednesday afternoon in Los Angeles. We're told she had been battling an illness for several years.  Frank and Gail married in 1967 and had 4 kids together -- Diva, Dweezil, Ahmet, and Moon. The family says Gail "conducted intricate legal negotiations with corporations as grand dame of the Zappa Family Trust, she never failed...

Before his death at age 52, Frank Zappa produced one of the most massive discographies in recorded music. The Mothers of Invention leader's music spanned rock & roll, doo-wop, jazz, classical and everything in between, usually accompanied with a lighthearted smirk, over the course of 100 albums released so far. No matter how well you know his music, though, you can't help but feel like you have a perspective somewhat akin to a flea's eye view of an elephant. The only thing more overwhelming than attempting to make sense of Zappa's life's...

The star of Bill And Ted turned director is preparing to make a film about one of rock’s most iconoclastic figures with the full cooperation of the late musician’s family.

Winter will write and direct the film and produce alongside Glen Zipper, with whom he worked on Deep Web. The filmmaker has targetted a 2017 delivery date.

The director said he envisaged “an epic saga of a great American artist and thinker; a major event worthy of the scope of Zappa’s prodigious and varied creative output, and the breadth of his personal and political life.”

Winter added: “There has yet to be a definitive, authorized documentary on the extraordinary life and work of Frank Zappa. I am beyond thrilled to be embarking on this journey.”

The Zappa Family Trust has granted the filmmakers exclusive access to the Zappa Vault, containing unseen visual and audio recordings, interviews and concert recordings.

“We couldn...

"Derailroaded: Inside the Mind of Larry "Wild Man" Fischer" is coming to DVD, January 25, 2011.

"...This shocking and sensitive 86-minute journey through the thunderstorms of the mind of paranoid-schizophrenic Larry "Wild Man" Fischer follows his discordant encounters in the music business. Institutionalized at 16 after attacking his mother with a knife, Fischer wandered the mean streets of L.A. singing his totally unique brand of songs for 10¢ to passersby.

"Discovered by Frank Zappa, with whom he cut his first record album, Fischer became an underground club and concert favorite, earning him the title of "godfather of outsider music." Over the course of 40 years, he appeared on national television ('Rowan & Martin's Laugh-in') and the Top 50 music charts in England, was the subject of his own comic book, was the first artist to be recorded on Rhino Records, and sang a duet with the late Rosemary Clooney..."

The DVD includes extensive archival footage from Fischer's early days,...

Late rock legend Frank Zappa has been honored in his native Baltimore, Maryland with a bronze bust likeness. The statue, which was unveiled outside a city library on Sunday, September 19, is a replica of one which was erected in a public square in Vilnius, Lithuania. The new bust was donated to the city by Zappa enthusiasts in Lithuania.

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake joined Zappa's widow, Gail, and three of his grown children as the bronze bust was unveiled. The rocker's son Dweezil also performed with his tribute band, Zappa Plays Zappa. The quirky star lost his battle with prostate cancer in 1993.

Gail Zappa said as quoted by Associated Press, "He'd be wildly amused by this, because of the absurdity of these guys in Lithuania coming up with this phenomenal sculptor who normally does busts of Stalin."...

[Above: Joe (Jason Paige) asks the question "Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?" in the musical Joe's Garage on stage at the Open Fist Theatre in Los Angeles. The play is an adaptation of Frank Zappa's rock opera of the same name, and will continue until Dec. 20.]

Dancing toilet bowls and man-on-machine sex are mere snippets of the on-stage antics at Open Fist Theatre in Los Angeles, where Frank Zappa’s searing brand of satire is taking center stage. Joe’s Garage, a musical play based on Zappa’s 1979 rock opera, tracks the life of a garage band hobbyist seduced by the illegal world of professional rock music. Los Angeles theatre veterans Pat Towne and Michael Franco adapted Zappa’s songs to fit the stage, aided by Gail Zappa, Frank’s widow.