Reviews (114)

I can dig it!
I am 21 years old. My mother raised me with the monkees music and tv shows. I did not see this movie until 2 years ago. I was impressed. And so should everyone else be that called them a "fake" band and so on. The talent is remarkable, as well as the direction and the writing. This film involves all of the angst and emotion of their personal lives as well as the sign of the times. They were trying to find love and peace in a world ridden with war. At the time they were so passionate about their beliefs, as well as with trying to strip off the stereotypes that people put on them by thinking that they weren't original or by comparing them to the Beatles (with whom they were friends with and hung out with on a regular basis). Everyone will have a different opinion after watching this movie. My opinion is that it is thoroughly enjoyable and an absolute shame to never see. There are so many different scenes and wonderful actors and great music! I think I am going to watch it again right now. Oh, and remember:Nobody ever lends money to a man with a sense of humor.

The Ultimate Acid Trip
Bob Rafaelson and Jack Nicholson were at a party with the monkees while all of them were stoned and asked them questions about their fame, their desires, and their fantasies and the result was Head, a psychodelic, plotless mindtrip which flows like a good Monty Python Episode.

Those tuning in to see the rapid-fire improv-filled laughtrack which was the TV series are in for a shock as this has none of their ultrasticom comedy, but hey! Hey! it's still the monkees....everything is just a bit more abstract and surreal :) And let's not forget the music! Wow! The monkees have never sounded so good, writing nearly all of their material. Mickey shines on Psychodelic "Porpoise Song" (while we see him jump off a bridge into a mermaid-filled sea) and the sweet ballad "aas We go Along. Mike Nesmith really rocks on "Circle Sky" and Peter Tork gives us more songwriting weirdness with his rapid fire "Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again?"

This is a good movie to sit back with your friends and watch entranced at its path. Lots of fun cameos by the likes of Teri Garr, Frank Zappa, and of course Victor Mature and his hair!

Groovy!

cult classic
All I have to say is if your a true monkees fan your wasting your time I'ts terrible. How ever if your a huge fan of Rocky Horror Picture Show, Shock Treatment,J-Men Forever and any movie that director
Ed Wood did "except" Orgy Of The Dead (thats just asking for punishment.)than this movie is awsome.
I don't under stand why Peter Tork is the star of the movie ,he's on the least compared to the other guyes.

Head is a trip!
What is so unique about HEAD is that it's dreamlike in a way that few movies are. A uniquely crafted film inspired by the underground films of the 50s & 60s. Few movies manage to be entertaining solely on the strength of editing, but here a series of dreamsequences are seemlessly strung together in a fun and innovative way. The most revolutionary part has to be the way the beginning and end sequences were connected by the events between them yet are the same scene with only slight variations. Huh? As the Monkees put it, "when you see the end in sight the beginning may arrive". How they do it is masterful. If you try to make sense of this movie, you'll be missing the point. The best thing to do is just mellow out before you watch it and allow HEAD to mess with your head a little. It will if you give it a chance and that makes for a truly rewarding viewing experience. Outside of the Monkees trying to escape their manufactured image, nothing really makes sense in this strange little movie. However, criticising HEAD for it makes about as much sense as critising your dreams for being equally strange and nonsensical. Where comedy is concerned, HEAD is not funny in a humorous way but rather in a peculiar way, similar to the way dreams have you saying, "what was that all about?" later on. If this had been a hit, it could have taken popular filmmaking in a whole new direction.

The Definitive Anti-Masterpiece
When this film was made the career of the Monkees was already in decline as their show had been cancelled and their music was no longer charting ('Porpoise Song' from the "Head" soundtrack got up to number 62 on Billboard). The group was tired of their squeaky clean image as the 'Pre-Fab Four', and they just wanted out. This film was conceived in an effort to reach out to more adult audiences, and to hasten their departure from the scenes as the prototype MTV 'boy band'.

The film itself is a quirky, stream of consciousness movie that treads the line between anti-war statement film to over the top comedy in scenes where, for instance, they have to frolic on the scalp of Victor Mature (in a sequence known as 'dandruff') and are subsequently sucked into a giant vacuum cleaner by Victor Mature's hairdresser. There is no plot as such, but there is some redeeming social commentary such as when Frank Zappa tells Davy that he needs to work on his music more (but compliments his dancing, done with Toni Basil). At the end of the scene Frank Zappa's cow offers her opinion of the Monkees, in a scene that must be my favorite of the movie.

Some of the music is great, with the Nesmith tune 'Circle Sky' getting top mention. It's a great song, filmed live in a scene designed to show how the boys had been devoured by their public image. Other musical numbers are a bit lacking, particularly 'Daddy's Song' and 'As We Go Along.'

Highlights in the film are in the cameos. Not only do Toni Basil and Frank Zappa put in appearances, so do boxer Sonny Liston (who fights Davy), Terry Garr (who pleads to have poison sucked from her finger), Annette Funicello (who pleads tearfully with Davy in a love interest scene), and Jack Nicholson and Dennis Hopper in a cantina scene. Most peculiar of all credits are for writers and producers, namely longtime Monkees collaborator Bob Rafelson, and Jack Nicholson, who later collaborated on "Five Easy Pieces" and "The Postman Always Rings Twice", among other projects.

There are also extras consisting of theatrical trailers, including one in Portuguese, and television ads for the film. The film was essentially not promoted, certainly didn't connect with the typical Monkee demographic, and was a disaster at the box office. This didn't trouble the band, as it gave them a clear path out, with Peter quitting very shortly after the movie was released. This is as unlike the Monkees TV show as can be imagined, and I recommend it for anyone looking for a trippy sixties flashback stranger than most any other. I was fortunate enough to see this in a theater, and have loved it ever since. I recommend the film to people who know about the Monkees or just think they do. I guarantee that it will shatter your preconceived notions of the band. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Touted as "a movie about people who do stuff that is not normal," FrankZappa's Baby Snakes chronicles a late-'70s Halloween stand inNew York City (a zany enough proceeding in its own right) withdigressions throughout the first half for backstage antics, bandinterviews, and some outlandish clay animation from Bruce Bickford, withwhose work Zappa was obviously smitten. Onstage, Zappa is a live wire,the audience is appropriately rambunctious, and the band--an especiallypotent incarnation of the famous Mothers of Invention--is tight as couldbe. The film amounts to a three-hour musical carnival whose participantslack any trace of artistic or personal inhibition. Zappa, who died in1993, always worked with consummate musicians, and Baby Snakesshowcases the cream of the crop: TerryBozzio (one of the greatest drummers ever to command a kit), bassistPatrickO'Hearn, keyboard wizard Tommy Mars, and even pop chameleon AdrianBelew.

The DVD packaging, with its deluxe miniature dossier on Zappa and thefilm, is fabulous, and the sound and picture seem about as good as theycould be, under the influence--that is, the circumstances. Undeniableare Zappa's intelligence and charisma, which flicker and blaze everysecond he's on screen. The progressive-leaning rock and jazz music isfrequently interrupted for meandering spoken interludes and is certainlynot for all tastes. But Frank Zappa was a force to behold, and BabySnakes offers a unique cultural education for anyone bold enough togive it a spin. "Without deviation," Zappa wrote, "progress is notpossible." Baby Snakes is one of Frank's most ferventcontributions to progress. --Michael Mikesell ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Baby Snakes
Pros- 3 hours of Zappa!
Cons- Only 3 hours of Zappa...
If you're a hardcore fan or a casual listener, this DVD has something for you. The humorous songs, the wacky instrumentals, the extended guitar solos, the backstage footage, Terry's vocal performance on Punkys Whips, that girl in the front row...IT HAS EVERYTHING!!!! It even has white guys with afros playing keyboards! He looks like Disco Stu from The Simpsons! Believe that! If you like pointless clay animation by some stoned-out freak, it has that too. But most of all, it has Frank Zappa playing the role of musical genius, and that alone is worth the price of admission. If you work for Warner Bros., you might want to turn the sound down in certain parts, because BOY IS HE MAD AT YOU!!!!! Did you know Adrian Belew played in a crud band in Nashville? GET THE MOVIE AND FIND OUT HOW FRANK SAVED HIM FROM THE CRUD SCENE!!!! Also, there's panty throwing, if you're into that sort of thing. And a fat guy with a gas mask that washes a blow-up doll in a sink! How could you NOT want to see that? Ok, I'm giving away too much here. Buy the movie and all of this will make sense somehow.

Self-indulgent anyone?
Having seen large chunks of baby snakes before, namely the concert footage, i was looking forward to seeing the beast in its totality. And let's face it, the concert footage is the only reason to keep this dvd, because the rest is boring boring boring. All that Ms Pinky crapola, and the gas mask nonsense, and in fact any parts with the afro-wielding roy estrada, are serious fast forward contenders.

Then you have the wonderful Mr. Bickford with his amazing claymation creations. It's great animation but utterly directionless. It gets old real quickly.

Some highlights include Frank's soloing on black napkins muffin man and punk'y whip. The last hour of gig material is the cream of the dvd. Some parts of the concert are a bit tedious, like the poodle lecture, roy estrada, and some of the lyrics based songs like dinahmoe humm and disco boy.

We do get to see some of the fans. And some of them are a bit worrying. Especially that girl Angel, who clings onto Frank for sizeable chunks of the film. Scary.

A few words about the band. Excellent musicians one and all. But I found most of them annoying in the back stage tomfoolery. Terry Bozzio hams it up a lot, making funny faces and talking crap. adrian belew plays to the camera a bit too, and tommy mars. We don't see very much of Ed Mann and Peter Wolf, so we give them the benefit of the doubt. Patrick o hearn likewise. Roy Estrada however....

So if i had to change some things about baby snakes:
-sack roy estrada.
-more guitar soloing
-more instrumental music
-easy on the bruce bickford
-more shots of band in rehearsal
-more bandmember solos
-less onstage talky talky
-less of the sexual songs, which we've heard too many times and which become a bit boring
-maybe an interview with fz at some point, to give some focus

Picture quality-average.
Sound Quality-good if you have the equipment, but i've heard better.

But let's face it. This dvd is essential. It is by FRank Zappa.

(unless you're lukewarm about him, in which case-avoid!!)

5 stars by default
I basically agree with a lot of what theslime, the person who wrote the spotlight review, had to say. There are long segments of Baby Snakes that I regularly fast-forward. There is way too much backstage nonsense, only a tiny fraction of which is the least bit interesting. The animation is very stream of consciousness and I was bored with it at first but have grown to really appreciate what this guy was doing. However, what I want, and what everyone wants, and what Zappa should have known that everyone would want, is more concert footage! Get rid of the rest of it for all I care.

The footage that we do see and hear is extremely worthwhile. In fact, Baby Snakes might be the only legitamite release to contain any good live Zappa on film. Some of the tunes are not my favorite. I don't care about seeing a live version of Bobby Brown Goes Down or I Have Been in You. I would have liked to have heard more instrumentals. However, Baby Snakes is a long movie and there is plenty of great material as well as some charged performances by the young band (obviously having the time of their lives.) Some of my favorites include: City of Tiny Lights, Black Page #2, Punky's Whips (Bozzio's "Punky" is oscar-worthy), King Kong/Pound for a Brown (will Bozzio explode at the climax of his solo?), Black Napkins, Muffin Man, San Bernadino...There is plenty here to make up for the gratuitous filler.

This is the best live Zappa footage that I have seen and therefore it automatically gets the five stars.

tehnically & entertainingly superb audience experience
Dweezil and friends have acheived a great good deed in bringing Frank's big feature film to Zappa fans around the world, via state of the art application of DVD technology.

The whole film looks great, the actual performance is always fine and frequently truly astounding. I value that we get to know Frank as a consummate showman with sincere respect for his comrades and for his audience (that's us).

The 5.1 soundtrack gives the most realistic rendition of live concert sound you could ever hope for. The accompanying portfolio of info instead of a standard DVD booklet is a nice touch.

Moreover I am in awe of the effort put into this film by everyone - from Frank, the band and crew, through to Dweezil & co with their fastidious restoration. Well done.

Stef is a humorless retard
I saw this film at its original release in NYC 1979. If you don't get Zappa, then shut up and go away. It's supposed to be silly and then hammer you with impossible music.
Maybe Brittany Spears or Madonna will have a DVD more suitable for the tastes of creatures like Stef. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For longtime fans and un-Zapped neophytes alike, Does Humor Belong in Music? presents the late, great Frank Zappa at his mischievous best. Unlike the infamously rambling Baby Snakes, this hour-long, digitally remastered 14-song set (culled from FZ's performance at the Pier in New York City on August 26, 1984) is 95% music, punctuated with brief interview clips (including the inane titular question, and Frank's expectedly affirmative response), and featuring one of the tightest bands that Zappa ever assembled. Everybody participates in Zappa's unique parade of musical fusion, street theater, and defiant anti-establishment sarcasm, with Zappa playing masterful conductor when he's not riffing with nimble-fingered fretwork (notably during "Zoot Allures," "Cosmik Debris," and Greg Allman's "Whipping Post," the set's only cover song). His trademark humor extends to all of his bandmates, especially Ray White and Ike Willis (guitars, vocals) and Bobby Martin (keyboards, vocals), and any topic is fair game for Zappa's skewering, frequently explicit lyrics, from pop-culture sellouts and corrupt recording executives ("Tinsel Town Rebellion") to greedy politicians ("Hot Plate Heaven at the Green Hotel"). Each song is performed to perfection while espousing FZ's impassioned philosophy of taking nothing seriously except the music. In that regard, this Zappa Live DVD represents pure genius at work, having fun and taking no prisoners. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Love this one
I can't believe this came out on DVD.A soundtrack in CD form would be awesome(hint)because this is great travel music.I'll keep hoping When the VHS edition went out of print it was a nightmare to get a copy. The band in this show is incredible. There is so much musical talent. The song selection is great and the band is incredibly tight. There are a few short interviews with Frank (at least on the VHS edition) but it is mostly full of uncut music. This DVD is a must for any Zappa fan especially for a starter. Each band member is outstanding in their performances. Frank had an awesome band in 1984..

Entertaining, but somewhat uninspired
I have mixed feelings about this DVD. I'm a huge Zappa fan, and I've seen him three times, including a show from this tour. I was really looking forward to seeing what I remembered to be a fantastic concert. One of the things that I enjoyed most about his concerts (and the one from this tour in particular) was when they played his more elaborate compositions. FZ conducted the band while we watched this wonderfully complex music being choreographed. It looked like organized chaos set to amazing music. It was truly memorable. I also relished Frank's searing and captivating solos.

For me, the problem with the DVD is that there's not enough of his virtuoso performances. Yeah, it's fun to see the band and hear the music, but it seems almost as if he's walking through some of the songs revue-style. He's always been humorous, but I don't remember him being so casually campy when I saw him. He practically ran through The Dangerous Kitchen and Tinseltown Rebellion.

On the other hand, there are some great solos on Cosmic Debris and Whipping Post, and of course, Zoot Allures. However, I remember many of his solos being much longer than we get to see here.

I'm not unhappy with the purchase, but I just don't think it's representative of Frank's best performances. I suspect that there's better stuff in the vaults. I just hope we see some more soon.

No laser weapons, no fog and no-overdubs
Wonderful addition to my already huge Zappa music collection. I wore out the VHS of this concert so having the DVD allows me to sleep better and stop worrying.
Frank with one of the most amazing bands I've ever heard is truly a wonder to see as well as hear. Do yourself and your senses a favor and GET THIS DVD NOW! great music and commentary, what else do you need?

Decent show, solid DVD
One of the best things about Zappa's 84 touring band was the fact that, for the most part, they appeared to have a good time on stage. Most of the band had worked with Frank for several years, which led to a more relaxed, free-form attitude on stage. This led to a lot of "secret word" shenanigans, with band members frequently changing the lyrics to (somewhat tired) songs to make the other band members laugh. For an excellent example of what I'm talking about, see the first disc of "You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 3".

Unfortunately, that humor is in short supply on this disc. The titular humor is only evident in the songs themselves which are, admittedly, juvenile, and widely available. The attraction of a Zappa live set is the element of surprise, of the spontaneous, not just run-throughs of songs you've already heard.

The master tapes of this must exist somewhere, and I was hoping for extra footage (two nights were actually filmed). A lot of material was left out of the final movie (we get the last few seconds of "The Deathless Horsie", but we get all of "The Dangerous Kitchen". Frank, why?). However, since this was released by Virgin/EMI and not by The Zappa Family Trust, the likelihood of those performances ever making it to DVD are very slim.

The sound and video on the disc are solid.

For the price, it's worth seeing the 84 band in action. Just don't expect to see anything you haven't already heard.

Do This Better!
I'm happy that Zappa stuff is finally starting to get to DVD but disappointed by this one. Not only do they decide to put less than an hour of music from a "very long" show but then they cut into some of the songs and only have "snippets" of some of them. The cuts are done by going to two very short Zappa interview segments that would have been fabulous if presented in their entirety as bonus materials.

Don't the video masters of this show exist? Zappa was pretty good at saving things. Why not put the whole show on DVD or at least more than this sampling? My guess is that this video was meant, at the time, to be a "teaser" to get newer fans interested in Zappa's more accessible stuff and to promote the, very great, skills of his later live bands. Perhaps this is why that this is one of the first releases to DVD. If so, I was wrong to spend the money on it as I am a long LONG time fan of Zappa's who finds most of this material unchallenging and of limited interest.

It *is* great to see the band making the music and seeing Zappa being "into it" that night. I only got to attend one Zappa concert. It was the Zappa/Beefheart tour when it stopped in Cincinnati around 1976 (or about). He was just "phoning it in" that night and only played for 50 minutes.

The recording and video is well done for the time and the material is picked from songs that are MUCH better to see/hear performed live than to only listen to on CD. There is some good Zappa music on this however a main point that Zappa seems to want to get across is "musical chops are good" and he proves his point by having a number of tunes that have no real value other than the impressive skill that his band shows in performing them. ... Read more