This Is Spinal Tap

THIS IS SPINAL TAP (1984) **** Rob Reiner, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer (Cameos: Billy Crystal, Dana Carvey, Fran Drescher, Paul Shaffer, Howard Hesseman, Ed Begley, Jr., Fred Willard, Angelica Huston {note spelling!} ).

Hysterically funny and dead-on "rockumentary" spoof of absurd documentaries and lame so-called rock groups with wicked satirical approach and clever camera shots as well. Directed by Reiner (his debut) with accurate depiction of super-inflated egos, pompous hangers-on and hilarious intimate moments with great dialogue thanks to the improvisations of the trio who reportedly worked from no screenplay. Best moment: Spinal Tap trying to find the stage. And I personally agree with the keyboardist's philosophy of "Have a good time, all the time".

A fantastic mockumentary! I feel quite embarrassed that I hadn't seen it before. Seriously, hilariously excellent. It really could be real.

Michael McKean is unrecognisable and superb. Wow.

If you love music, enjoy a good laugh, you will love this.

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.

A classic, scathing lampoon of every successful rock band that's ever been guilty of taking themselves too seriously. Rob Reiner directs (and plays an important supporting role) but it seems like all he really needed to do was point a camera in the right direction, then edit several hours' worth of golden improvisational delight into a concise, intelligible ninety-minute package. It's a roaring parade of nonstop laughs, some blunt and easy, others sharp and witty. Famous bits like Christopher Guest's "this one goes to eleven" have been played to death but still elicit smiles, while deeper cuts, such as the band's reaction to contemporary critics or their infamous Stonehenge performance, land as if they were brand new. And the music is great, too, not just as a cutting satire, but as a convincing love letter to the days when power rock was all the rage and flocks of buzzed, well-feathered teens would still pack a stadium to hear the loudest noise on the planet.

Spinal Tap has been called one of the funniest movies ever made by many people over the years. I had always been familiar with it. I was very familiar with almost 70% of the scenes: the amplifier that goes to 11, the Stonehenge dance, the inability to find the way onstage in Cleveland. Plus, when it was first released on VHS, I had rented and loved Fear of a Black Hat, a mockumentary about a rap group which more or less rips off every scene of This Is Spinal Tap. After finally sitting down with This Is Spinal Tap, I am still a fan of Fear of a Black Hat (and I recommend it to anyone who hasn't heard of it), but it can not come close to touching the genius of the collective vision of Rob Reiner, Christopher Guest, Micheal McKean and Harry Shearer. I laughed pretty much constantly, and belly laughs, all through the film. It does kind of slow down nearer the end with the bands falling apart (i.e., the plot gets in the way of the documentary), but there was never a scene in the film that didn't have something hilarious. I have to give this film 10/10. This Is Spinal Tarp, er, um, I mean Tap is one of the funniest comedies ever made.