This Is Spinal Tap

Film

Comedy

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<strong>Rating: </strong>1/5
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Time Out says

Since the antics of so many heavy metal bands already teeter on the edge of self-parody, it would have been no surprise if this spoof 'rockumentary' about a comeback tour by a has-been English rock group had turned out to be a one-joke movie. In the event, Reiner's brilliantly inventive script and smart visuals avoid all the obvious pitfalls, making this one of the funniest ever films about the music business. Filmed in cinéma vérité style, it follows the group from venue to venue, observing the trials and tribulations of life on the road, personal tensions within the group, and problems with expanding egos. Interviews with the group fill in the details of their chequered musical career: they have trouble keeping their drummers, one of whom choked on vomit (somebody else's), while another spontaneously combusted on stage. Most importantly of all, the musical numbers acutely mimic the crashing drums, thudding bass lines, whining lead guitar solos, and juvenile, sexist lyrics of heavy rock.

Author: NF

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Release details

UK release:

1983

Duration:

82 mins

Cast and crew

Director:

Rob Reiner

Music:

Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest

Cast:

Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, RJ Parnell, David Kaff, Rob Reiner, June Chadwick, Ed Begley Jr, Anjelica Huston

Producer:

Karen Murphy

Screenwriter:

Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner

Cinematography:

Peter Smokler

Editor:

Robert Leighton, Kent Beyda, Kim Secrist

Production Designer:

Bryan Jones

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Comments & ratings

Rated as: 1/5 (1 rating)

  • Just saw the film after seeing it was voted no. 1 comedy of all time. While watching it I kept thinking is it possible that I'm a sad fart who don't know what a comedy is? Reading the previos comment I was so glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks this film is so not funny. Just regret wasting 85 minutes of my life. Don't waste yours. Avoid the film and probably the 'comedians' who voted for the film.

    miki Sun Apr 14
    Rated as: 1/5
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  • Gosh, even though the list is completely polluted with pathetic films ('Team America: World Police', 'Borat', 'South Park', 'The Hangover', 'Elf', just to mention a few), you put up quite a few decent films in the list. However, it's just blasphemous to rate this dim-witted piece of talentless crap as number one. This little bucket of faeces might only seem attractive to a retarded audience, which believes that an experience of comedy, is solely a feeling of disgust and loathing, whose presence is inevitable during the course of 'This Is Spinal Tap'. The film is such a disaster as a comedy that the author of this message actually wrote this angry comment and, afterwards, hung himself because, fearing that the images of 'This Is Spinal Tap' would never leave his mind, he could no longer had the will to live.

    Anonymous Mon Jan 21
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