Don Van Vliet

With the help of more than 10,000 dedicated Zappa fans, this is the long-awaited definitive documentary project of Alex Winter documenting the life and career of enigmatic groundbreaking rock star Frank Zappa. Alex also utilizes in this picture thousands of hours of painstakingly digitized videos, photos, audio, writing, and everything in between from Zappa's private archives. These chronicles have never been brought to a public audience before, until now.

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Captain Beefheart Under Review documents the career of the unique musician. The film combines performance footage by the man and his various back-up players along with interviews by colleagues who illuminate aspects of some of the songs and offer testimonials on the genius of the artist.

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A documentary on the life and music of manic-depressive, paranoid-schizophrenic cult music icon Wild Man Fischer.

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Elaine Shepherd’s classic BBC documentary, introduced and narrated by John Peel. Completely wonderful, a 50 minute joy: reviews, articles, blog posts, etc. relating to The Artist Formerly Known As Captain Beefheart.

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Don van Vliet, alias "Captain Beefheart", is one of the most influential, misunderstood, talked about, admired, copied, treasured, loved and quoted musicians and yet he is still an obscure and mysterious artist. His quite abrupt artistic transformation from working with a microphone to a paintbrush in 1982 and his consequent move from the desert to the ocean meant even less direct contact with the outside world than before. Subsequently there is very little information about Don from this time onwards and this short black-and-white film made in 1993 is an unique opportunity to see and hear this unique man

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Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band perform live at the Beatclub 1972.

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Experimental commercial made for Captain Beefheart's LP of the same name. Is in MOMA despite a stunted release.

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Produced for Dutch television and directed by Roelof Kiers, this documentary offers an observational portrait of musician and composer Frank Zappa in the early 1970s. Filmed at Zappa’s home and during rehearsals and performances with the Mothers of Invention, the program combines interviews, backstage scenes, and concert footage recorded at the Fillmore West featuring Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan. Alongside performances and informal conversations, Zappa reflects on his musical influences, creative methods, and views on American culture and politics while working on projects such as 200 Motels.

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A film by Frank Zappa made for the Dilexi Foundation on KQED

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Experimental commercial made for Captain Beefheart's LP of the same name. Is in MOMA despite a stunted release.

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