This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

Director:

Rob Reiner

Writers:

Christopher Guest (written by) &
Michael McKean (written by) ...

Release Date:

2 March 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music

Tagline:

Does for rock and roll what "The Sound of Music" did for hills

Plot:

Spinal Tap, the world's loudest band, is chronicled by hack documentarian Marti DeBergi on what proves to be a fateful tour.

Plot Keywords:

Band | Heavy Metal | Stonehenge | Satire | Spoof

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Rob Reiner	...	Marty DiBergi
Kimberly Stringer	...	Heavy Metal Fan
Chazz Dominguez	...	Heavy Metal Fan
Shari Hall	...	Heavy Metal Fan
R.J. Parnell	...	Mick Shrimpton
David Kaff	...	Viv Savage
Tony Hendra	...	Ian Faith
Michael McKean	...	David St. Hubbins
Christopher Guest	...	Nigel Tufnel
Harry Shearer	...	Derek Smalls
Bruno Kirby	...	Tommy Pischedda
Jean Cromie	...	Ethereal Fan
Patrick Maher	...	New York M.C.
Ed Begley Jr.	...	John 'Stumpy' Pepys
Danny Kortchmar	...	Ronnie Pudding

Also Known As:

"This is Spinal Tap®: A Rockumentary by Martin Di Bergi" - USA (complete title)

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.70 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Sweden:15 (TV rating) | Australia:M | Canada:G (Quebec) | Finland:K-7 (DVD rating) | Finland:K-8 (original rating) | France:U | Singapore:NC-16 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Pasadena, California, USA

Company:

Spinal Tap Prod.

Trivia:

According to Rob Reiner on the Criterion DVD commentary, his character's name, Marty DiBergi is an homage to Martin Scorsese (Marty), Brian De Palma (Di), Steven Spielberg (Berg) and either Federico Fellini or Michelangelo Antonioni.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the record company convention scene, herpes sores can be seen on the band member's lips which aren't there in most other scenes. This is because of a deleted subplot involving the band members having sex with members of another band touring with them, and they get the disease from one of the members of the other group (acknowledged by crew on Criterion Collection DVD commentary.)

Quotes:

[first lines]
Marty DiBergi:Hello; my name is Marty DiBergi. I'm a filmmaker. I make a lot of commercials. That little dog that chases the covered wagon underneath the sink? That was mine. In 1966, I went down to Greenwich Village, New York City to a rock club called Electric Banana. Don't look for it; it's not there anymore. But that night, I heard a band that for me redefined the word "rock and roll". I remember being knocked out by their...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Role Models (2008)

Soundtrack:

Cups And Cakes

A hilarious little spoof - wit rather than clumsy stuff

In 1982 the world's loudest band is about to undertake it's comeback tour of America to coincide with the release of the new album. The group, Spinal Tap, is accompanied by documentary filmmaker Marti DeBergi on what turns out to be a fateful chapter in the band's colourful history.

Despite what anyone else tells you, this is easily one of the most quotable movies made and is just as funny today as it was when it was made, unless you are so out of touch with the world that it affectionately spoofs. The film is almost a tragedy so well does it chronicle the absurd collapse of the band. However, regardless of the hows and whats, the comedy is in the characters and the sharp dialogue. While most of the specific action is really funny, it is best during the backstage arguments and the candid interviews.

The dialogue is fantastic from start to finish and is made better by a superb cast delivering absurd lines with a straight face! McKean, Guest and Shearer are the strongest of the cast have most of the best lines. The support cast is also crammed with cameos from such people as Bruno Kirby, Billy Crystal, Begley Jnr, Macnee, Paul Shaffer, Anjelica Huston and others. Reiner excels as director, writer and documentarian, the film has his hands all over it.

Overall this is a great film, so much has been said about it that I won't go on any longer. While it is not an out and out spoof like Naked Gun, this film is wittier as the comedy comes from the dialogue and the sheer imagination of the writing!