This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

Spinal Tap, one of England's loudest bands, is chronicled by film director Marty DiBergi on what proves to be a fateful tour.

Director:

Rob Reiner

Writers:

Christopher Guest, Michael McKean

Stars:

Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest

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

Storyline

In 1982, the legendary English heavy metal band Spinal Tap attempt an American comeback tour accompanied by a fan who is also a film-maker. The resulting documentary, interspersed with powerful performances of Tap's pivotal music and profound lyrics, candidly follows a rock group heading towards crisis, culminating in the infamous affair of the eighteen-inch-high Stonehenge stage prop.

---

Plot Keywords:

pseudo documentary | parody | heavy metal | rockumentary | satire | 

---

Taglines:

Prepare to crank those amps up to eleven

---

Genres:

Comedy | Music

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 March 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

This is Spinal Tap®: A Rockumentary by Martin Di Bergi

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$30,835, 4 March 1984, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$244,557, 31 December 2000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Spinal Tap Prod.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.70 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In Norway, the film was released direct to video over two years later. The title was changed to "Help! We are in the Pop Business!" ("Hjelp! Vi er i popbransjen!"), a spin on the Norwegian title for "Airplane!" (1980), "Help! We are Flying!" ("Hjelp! Vi flyr!"). The poster showed a guitar with a knot in it, similar to the airplane on the "Airplane!" poster. Throughout the film, an on-screen disclaimer reminds the audience that the band is fake.

---

Goofs

The limo driver talks about Sammy Davis coming out of the Copacabana about three in the morning and seeing Frank Sinatra walking down Broadway. The Copa was on 60th Street east of 5th Avenue -- more than half-a-mile from Broadway.

---

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... their exuberance, their raw power - and their punctuality. That ...

---

Crazy Credits

Rob Reiner interviews all the members of the band.

---

Alternate Versions

The Criterion DVD includes the preliminary version of the film. It's a twenty-minute short that cost $50,000 and is essentially a condensed version of the full movie. Rob Reiner and the band made it in lieu of writing a script to show to studios.

---

Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Liev Schreiber/Rob Reiner/Gabriel Iglesias (2014)

---

Soundtracks

Minuet from String Quintet in E major, G.275
Composed by Luigi Boccherini
[Played at the end of "Heavy Duty"]

User Reviews

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!