This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

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 | Satire | Spoof | Stonehenge

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

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:

Nigel Tufnel's name is a joke on Eric Clapton, derived from "dull name" and "location in London". Eric became Nigel, and "Clapton Pond" became "Tufnell Park": Nigel Tufnel.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Throughout the film, 2x4's are visible through the windows in shots of the band's interview in front of the castle revealing that it is just a facade.

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

Cult classic

By many seen as the favorite cult classic (together with 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show') 'This is Spinal Tap' is truly a comedy masterpiece. The rockumentary about fake band Spinal Tap seems so honest and serious that the slightest joke gets a huge laugh. We follow the band together with a documentary filmmaker, played by director Rob Reiner, on a tour that must make sure they will have a comeback. We see some of their shows where things go wrong, we see how they argue about the cover of their album, and we see how a girlfriend almost destroys the band.

The movie handles all these events as serious as possible, presenting itself as a real documentary about a real band. The fact that the band members are not too bright makes it funny. Especially the scene where the lead singer talks about an amplifier that goes to eleven instead of ten and therefore produces louder sounds is hilarious. The scene where the band plays on a Stonehenge stage is a classic, very memorable.

Writer Christopher Guest recently wrote and starred in 'Best in Show' (2000) and 'A Mighty Wind' (2003), two hilarious and terrific fake documentaries, the so-called mockumentaries, but 'This is Spinal Tap' stays the classic example. He and his co-writers, including director Reiner, have created the ultimate cult classic.