Fall in DC means many things, but one of the better ones is the traditional Rock’n'Roll movie series at the Library of Congress, which we have religiously followed since the day we had this godforsaken online portal to follow stuff on with (in 2006 they did Beatles movies and we saw and reviewed A Hard Day’s Night and Gimme Shelter among others) and last year was a big rockumentary season.
This season (curated by Norman Middleton, Music Division) brings you some Bob Marley, and whole lot of Frank Zappa and a sprinkling of Bob Marley on top.

This is why you should be thrilled:
-you get to see them for free and on the big screen
-they wheel out the original prints out of the vaults so you can feel as special as any privileged rock historian
and
-did I mention it was free?

Anyhoo, all movies show on Mondays (starting today) at 7 pm and you should call (202) 707-5677 for reservations, and this is the schedule: print it, email it, guard it with your life.

Monday, November 17 (7:00 pm)
Heartland Reggae (1980).

A documentary of the One Love Peace Concert held in Kingston, Jamaica in 1978. In addition to the music, this film features the return to Jamaica of Bob Marley after a sixteen-month hiatus following an attempt on his life. Filmed live in Jamaica in 1977 and 1978. Also included are several sequences in which the Rastafarian lifestyle and philosophy are discussed; considered to be the definitive reggae film.

then starting next week the mini-Zappa film festival kicks off:

Monday, November 24 (7:00 pm)
Uncle Meat (1987) Written and directed by Frank Zappa. (100 min, VHS)

You’ll need a chicken to watch it! With Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, this off-beat melange of fiction, home movies and concert footage, tells the story of Uncle Meat (Don Preston–aka Dom DeWilde & Biff Debris–was Zappa’s keyboard player) who is trying to write a hit song but sometimes changes into a monster. Zappa could not find a backer, so the film sat unreleased until 1987. The concert footage was taken at the Mothers 1968 Royal Albert Hall show. Linda Ronstadt has a cameo.

Monday, December 1 (7:00 pm)
The Amazing Mr. Bickford (1987). Dir Bruce Bickford and Frank Zappa. (60 min, VHS)

Frank Zappa could not resist Bruce Bickford’s fascinating claymation and Zappa’s music–conducted by Pierre Boulez and Kent Nagano no less!–combined with Bickford’s characters, make for a dazzling, violent, politically incorrect romp. This maze-like, surreal world explodes in nightmarish images patiently elaborated with plasticine and the stop-motion technique.

with:

Does Humor Belong in Music? (1985)
Written and directed by Frank Zappa. (57 min, VHS).

Whether or not you’re a fan of Zappa’s music, philosophy, or looks, you’ll like this live performance of his 1984 band captured live in NYC. The video quality is superb, since Zappa got his hands on some of the first digital video recording equipment available at that time. Performance-wise, this was arguably the best ensemble of artists he’d ever assembled, and both the performance and the music are superb. Really great concert footage from a band that knows how to give it their all. If you’ve listened to some of Zappa’s live recordings before (such as the ‘You Can’t Do That On Stage Anymore’ series), this video allows you to really see the band in action. For Zappa fans, this is a must. For fans of rock concert videos, you can’t go wrong here.

Monday, December 8 (7:00 pm)
200 Motels (1971). (98 min, 35mm)

Frank Zappa once said, “Touring makes you crazy.” Directed by Tony Palmer, Charles Swenson, and Frank Zappa, the film was conceived while the Mothers of Invention were on tour and is a combination of live action and animation. The story, interspersed with performances by the Mothers and the Royal Symphony Orchestra, is a tale of life on the road. The band members’ main concerns are the search for groupies and the desire to get paid. In addition to the Mothers of Invention, the cast also features Theodore Bikel, Keith Moon, Pamela Des Barres, and Ringo Starr.

Monday, December 15 (7:00 pm)
Stop Making Sense (1984).

Dir Jonathan Demme. With David Byrne, Alex Weir, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, Bernie Worrell, Chris Frantz, Steven Scales, Lynn Mabry, Ednah Holt. (88 min, 35mm)
Expertly filmed and edited performance of a Talking Heads concert (over three nights) featuring leadsinger David Byrne. Everything works –the music, the lighting and the special effects.

click here for further reservation details: http://www.loc.gov/rr/mopic/pickford/pickford-current.html

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