The film had particular trouble finding a distributor. Frank Zappa tried to interest United Artists, the company that released Deux cents motels (1971). Fearing that it was about to be embroiled in the La porte du paradis (1980) fiasco, UA turned him down. Other studios followed in its footsteps, fearing that Zappa's trademark cinematic style had lost considerable appeal in post-'70s pop culture. Several European distributors told him that there might be interest if it were cut from its original 168-minute running time. The film was cut to 90 minutes and still there were no takers. Even after Bruce Bickford's sequences won first prize at a French animated film competition, there was no interest. Eventually Zappa took it upon himself to distribute the film independently via his own Intercontinental Absurdities production company. The film ran 24 hours a day at the Victoria Theater in New York City and made a handsome profit.
Filmed in 1977, not released until 1979.
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