Griffin Dunne as Frank Zappa

March 30, 2002 7:49 PM

Griffin Dunne as Frank Zappa in VH-1's movie "Parental Advisory". [Link won't tell you much about the movie but it was all I could find] The movie based on senate hearings regarding music censorship. Aside from Dana Carvey's Zappa imitation I don't recall any other actor playing him. Would Dunne have been your choice?
posted by KevinSkomsvold (14 comments total)

Wow, who could play his majesty Frank?? Tough call. Kevin Smith kinda has the look, but Kevin Spacey has the style, or Billy Bob Thornton if he could lose the accent.
posted by jonmc at 8:02 PM on March 30, 2002

What about Vincent Gallo?
posted by MiguelCardoso at 8:07 PM on March 30, 2002

I dunno miguel, Gallo seems to all about posturing and affectation to me, the exact opposite of Frank. I assume Dee Snider will be playing himself, if not we could always get Christina Aguilera.
posted by jonmc at 8:15 PM on March 30, 2002

Was Dweezil unavailable?
posted by yhbc at 8:20 PM on March 30, 2002

Many people in the news seem - they are from a certain Islamic kingdom allied to USA - to really, really look like Frank's character 'Sheik Yerbouti' on the album of same name.

Ah... hell. People, let's get damn checked for prostate cancer.... I miss Zappa.
posted by crunchburger at 9:22 PM on March 30, 2002

What crunchburger said, and then some.
Sitting and listening to "Porn Wars" from the Mothers of Prevention album, I'm still struck by how ahead of his time he was. Pardon me for restating the obvious but yeah; I really do miss Zappa.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 9:32 PM on March 30, 2002

Sorry. A little more info on the song "Porn Wars" which is related to the original link/movie. To all you hard core Zappa fans this is old news. For everyone else, a nice primer I think.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 9:39 PM on March 30, 2002

Looks like Adam Tomei has played Zappa. And in Zappa's own film "200 Motels" I believe it's none other than Ringo Starr who appears in costume as good ol' FZ. Note that in the new VH-1 movie that Dee Snider is playing himself.
posted by CosmicSlop at 11:02 PM on March 30, 2002

I'm not sure Dee Snider could actually play anyone else. :)

I think Griffin Dunne would be pretty good, I've only seen him in American Werewolf in London, but from that I reckon he could pull it off. And he has such a cool name.
posted by jackiemcghee at 2:52 AM on March 31, 2002

"Don't eat yellow snow."

One of life's great truisms. He was ahead of his time and died way too young.
posted by bjgeiger at 6:19 AM on March 31, 2002

I miss Frank so much. This is a very depressing thread for me.
posted by jeff-o-matic at 7:48 AM on March 31, 2002

"why does it hurt when I pee? why does it hurt when I peeEEEEEE?!?!" --Joe's Garage

Frank was, is, and always will be The Man.

Griffin will probably be fine. I always thought he was short, though, not that it matters.
posted by ashbury at 9:28 AM on March 31, 2002

Well, Michael Nesmith did play Zappa for a few minutes back in '68. Maybe he's up to it.
posted by holycola at 11:22 AM on March 31, 2002

Jeez...casting someone to play Frank...wow- tough- like casting the equivalent of whatever god yer into....

(in my will...instructions for my wake= send me off w/ "Watermelon In Easter Hay" [Joe's Garage] playing - hopefully I'll ride that guitar riff to the place where Frank lives...)
posted by ayukna at 7:39 PM on March 31, 2002