Work began on "Uncle Meat" in New York City during the summer of 1967. The early footage of the Mothers of Invention was shot during that period, in and around the Garrick Theater (on Bleeker Street in the West Village) by Ed Seeman, Ray Favata and Tom Mangrevede. The original plot, as described in the "Uncle Meat" album booklet was never shot, and relates to this film only as a subtext.
Over the last 20 years, whenever there was enough money to allow for it, sections of 'story continuity' were added (1968, 1970 and 1982), until the whole blob of raw footage was transferred to video tape, and the film in its final form was realized in the spring of 1987 at Pacific Video in Los Angeles.
Admittedly, this is sort of a weird movie, and, for some viewers, helpful hints on how to watch it might be in order. As with many of my other projects, "Uncle Meat" and its themes derive from 'folk-lore'. Part of the problem with this technique lies in the fact that the 'folks' involved are 'non-standard behavioral types' and their 'lore' tends to be somewhat arcane. In spite of this, just as folk songs and legends record people and events deemed 'unworthy' of consideration by Serious Historians, this film, and other Honker releases provide a record for future generations that during this part of the 20th Century there actually were people who did not think or act like the plasticized caricatures that will survive to represent us in TV re-runs or 'Real World' history books.
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