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IMDbPro

This Is Spinal Tap

  • 19841984
  • RR
  • 1h 22m
IMDb RATING
7.9/11
141K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
543
1,705
Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, R.J. Parnell, Harry Shearer, Spinal Tap, and David Kaff in This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
Home Video Trailer from Columbia Pictures
Play trailer1:36
3 Videos
99+ Photos
ComedyMusic
Spinal Tap, one of England's loudest bands, is chronicled by film director Marty DiBergi on what proves to be a fateful tour.Spinal Tap, one of England's loudest bands, is chronicled by film director Marty DiBergi on what proves to be a fateful tour.Spinal Tap, one of England's loudest bands, is chronicled by film director Marty DiBergi on what proves to be a fateful tour.
IMDb RATING
7.9/11
141K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
543
1,705
    • Rob Reiner
  • Writers
    • Christopher Guest
    • Michael McKean
    • Harry Shearer
  • Stars
    • Rob Reiner
    • Michael McKean
    • Christopher Guest
    • Rob Reiner
  • Writers
    • Christopher Guest
    • Michael McKean
    • Harry Shearer
  • Stars
    • Rob Reiner
    • Michael McKean
    • Christopher Guest
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 402User reviews
    • 100Critic reviews
    • 92Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos3

    This Is Spinal Tap
    Trailer 1:36
    Watch This Is Spinal Tap
    'This is Spinal Tap' | Anniversary Mashup
    Video 1:45
    Watch 'This is Spinal Tap' | Anniversary Mashup
    The Characters of Rob Reiner: Where Are They Now?
    Video 1:44
    Watch The Characters of Rob Reiner: Where Are They Now?

    Photos122

    Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Spinal Tap in This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
    Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Spinal Tap in This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
    Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Spinal Tap in This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
    Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Spinal Tap in This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
    Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Spinal Tap in This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
    Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Spinal Tap in This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
    Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Spinal Tap in This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
    Anjelica Huston and Tony Hendra in This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
    Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Spinal Tap in This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
    Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Spinal Tap in This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
    Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Spinal Tap in This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
    Christopher Guest and Rob Reiner in This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Rob Reiner
    Rob Reiner
    • Marty DiBergi
    Michael McKean
    Michael McKean
    • David St. Hubbins
    Christopher Guest
    Christopher Guest
    • Nigel Tufnel
    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
    Tony Hendra
    • Ian Faith
    Harry Shearer
    Harry Shearer
    • Derek Smalls
    Bruno Kirby
    Bruno Kirby
    • Tommy Pischedda
    Jean Cromie
    • Ethereal Fan
    Patrick Maher
    • New York M.C.
    Ed Begley Jr.
    Ed Begley Jr.
    • John 'Stumpy' Pepys
    Danny Kortchmar
    Danny Kortchmar
    • Ronnie Pudding
    Fran Drescher
    Fran Drescher
    • Bobbi Flekman
    Patrick Macnee
    Patrick Macnee
    • Sir Denis Eton-Hogg
    • (as Patrick MacNee)
    Memo Vera
    • Bartender
      • Rob Reiner
    • Writers
      • Christopher Guest
      • Michael McKean
      • Harry Shearer
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The actors are all competent musicians, and they're actually playing on the soundtrack.
    • Goofs
      While David and Nigel normally play guitar, they both play bass during Big Bottom, because that's what the song requires. It's a musical joke.
    • Quotes

      Nigel Tufnel: The numbers all go to eleven. Look, right across the board, eleven, eleven, eleven and...

      Marty DiBergi: Oh, I see. And most amps go up to ten?

      Nigel Tufnel: Exactly.

      Marty DiBergi: Does that mean it's louder? Is it any louder?

      Nigel Tufnel: Well, it's one louder, isn't it? It's not ten. You see, most blokes, you know, will be playing at ten. You're on ten here, all the way up, all the way up, all the way up, you're on ten on your guitar. Where can you go from there? Where?

      Marty DiBergi: I don't know.

      Nigel Tufnel: Nowhere. Exactly. What we do is, if we need that extra push over the cliff, you know what we do?

      Marty DiBergi: Put it up to eleven.

      Nigel Tufnel: Eleven. Exactly. One louder.

      Marty DiBergi: Why don't you just make ten louder and make ten be the top number and make that a little louder?

      Nigel Tufnel: [pause] These go to eleven.

    • Crazy credits
      The credits state that the band Spinal Tap is fictional, and add "And there's no Easter Bunny, either!"
    • Alternate versions
      The movie was released in 1994 on CD-ROM by the Voyager Company, a movie distribution company specialized in converting and releasing movies on CD-ROM format. The CD-ROM edition includes the movie as well as extra features. For instance, it has two audio commentaries, one of them from the three main cast members who are not in character. This audio commentary has never been released on any other medium. The CD also includes some fun basic options such as turning the volume to 11 or typing in popular lines and phrases from the movie, which the CD then automatically locates in the movie and plays the scene with the line. The bonus material also includes music videos, ten deleted scenes, the original Spinal Tap short that was made to sell the idea of the movie to potential producers, and some notes from the crew. Another rarity is a fake trailer presented by Rob Reiner himself for "Cheese Rolling," a mockumentary about Denmark's fictional traditional cheese festival, where small villages compete in cheese throwing and similar sports activities involving cheese that can get very intense.
    • Connections
      Edited into The Greatest: 100 Most Metal Moments (2004)
    • Soundtracks
      Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight
      Written by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Rob Reiner and Harry Shearer

      Performed by Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer

    User reviews402

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    Smell the Glove!
    The humor of "This is Spinal Tap" has a special time-release formula. I didn't find myself rolling on the floor laughing the first time I saw this but as the day went on my friends and I couldn't stop recalling the dialogue. This movie is a legend.

    "See Spinal Tap" should be written in the dictionary next to satire. Lately satire has come to mean a simple mockery of pop-culture instead of "human vice or folly attacked through irony, derision or wit". Movies like "Scary Movie" claim to be parodies or satire without even trying to be witty. They just imitate something as opposed to commenting on it. True satire takes a bit more work by the writers and will make you laugh much harder.

    Spinal Tap gives you the absurdity of the rock and roll world, yet still respects the music. I understood this when I saw a clip of the movie for the first time at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was the scene with amps that go to "11". I couldn't stop thinking about that scene until I finally saw the movie. Every aspect of the music world is lampooned; arrogance, absurdity, backstage crybabies, has-beenism, volume, even the Beatles. This movie is quoted like the Simpsons, which isn't always good but certainly proof of legendary movie. It's dry, deadpan humor and it may take a day to sink in but this movie is hilarious.
    helpful•105
    11
    • freenachos
    • Nov 5, 2002

    FAQ3

    • Is this band real?
    • How many Spinal Tap albums are there?
    • Is there a sequel to this film?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 2, 1984 (United States)
      • United States
      • MGM
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Six Flags Magic Mountain - 26101 Magic Mountain Parkway, Valencia, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Spinal Tap Prod.
      • Goldcrest Films International
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 22 minutes
      • Color
      • Dolby

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