{"id":71333,"date":"2021-04-11T13:11:45","date_gmt":"2021-04-11T20:11:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=71333"},"modified":"2024-06-15T10:21:07","modified_gmt":"2024-06-15T17:21:07","slug":"this-is-spinal-tap-1984","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=71333","title":{"rendered":"This Is Spinal Tap (1984)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;What day did God create Spinal Tap &#8212; and couldn&#8217;t he have rested on that day, too?&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Poster-199x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-71334\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Poster-199x300.png 199w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Poster-680x1024.png 680w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Poster-85x128.png 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Poster-179x270.png 179w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Poster.png 739w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA documentarian (Rob Reiner) follows the British band Spinal Tap &#8212; consisting of childhood friends David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) and Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), bassist Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer), keyboardist Viv Savage (David Kaff), and drummer Mick Shrimpton (R.J. Parnell) &#8212; as they tour America with their manager Ian (Tony Hendra) and eventually with David&#8217;s astrology-following girlfriend Jeanine (June Chadwick).\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ed Begley, Jr. Films<\/li>\n<li>Has-Beens<\/li>\n<li>Mockumentaries<\/li>\n<li>Rock \u2018n Roll<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary\u2019s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeary writes that this &#8220;riotous &#8216;rockumentary&#8217; about a fictional British heavy-metal band&#8221; whose &#8220;tour becomes a disaster&#8221; features Rob Reiner playing filmmaker Marty DiBergi, who accompanies the group into humiliation, and, spoofing Martin Scorsese in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=71927\"><em>The Last Waltz<\/em><\/a>, asks his idols questions and nods throughout their absurd answers (which were brilliantly improvised by the actors).&#8221; Peary points out that &#8220;Reiner&#8217;s parody is not just a question-and-answer session interspersed with performance clips and interviews&#8221; but rather &#8220;has a story format that allows the actors to develop distinct personalities,&#8221; with &#8220;the emphasis&#8230; placed on the shredding relationship of&#8221; McKean and Guest, who, surprisingly, you &#8220;really gain affection for.&#8221; While &#8220;this is a ridiculous film on many levels&#8221;, it&#8217;s nonetheless &#8220;so convincing&#8221; that &#8220;some not too swift people in preview audiences wondered why Reiner had chosen to make a documentary on such a mediocre, unknown band.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p>Humorous scenes abound, ranging from Nigel explaining why his amp goes all the way up to 11: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Amp.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Amp-1024x554.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"346\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-71338\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Amp-1024x554.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Amp-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Amp-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Amp-768x415.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Amp-499x270.png 499w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Amp.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; to the group performing &#8220;Stonehenge&#8221; with an 18-inch replica and two dancing dwarfs: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Dwarfs.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Dwarfs-1024x554.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"346\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-71340\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Dwarfs-1024x554.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Dwarfs-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Dwarfs-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Dwarfs-768x415.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Dwarfs-499x270.png 499w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Dwarfs.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>As the first of several hilarious mockumentaries co-written by Guest &#8212; including <em>Waiting for Guffman<\/em> (1996), <em>Best in Show<\/em> (2000), and <em>A Mighty Wind<\/em> (2003) &#8212; this original outing remains well worth a look by all film fanatics. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> <em>This Is Spinal Tap<\/em> is notable for the being the only movie rated out of a total of 11 stars on IMDb (rather than 10). <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Rating-Out-of-11.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Rating-Out-of-11.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"999\" height=\"201\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-71339\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Rating-Out-of-11.png 999w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Rating-Out-of-11-300x60.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Rating-Out-of-11-128x26.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Rating-Out-of-11-768x155.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Rating-Out-of-11-604x122.png 604w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 999px) 100vw, 999px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Many inspired moments, songs, and lines of dialogue<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Still.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Still-1024x554.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"346\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-71343\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Still-1024x554.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Still-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Still-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Still-768x415.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Still-499x270.png 499w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Still.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Bread.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Bread-1024x554.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"346\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-71347\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Bread-1024x554.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Bread-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Bread-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Bread-768x415.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Bread-499x270.png 499w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Bread.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Behind.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Behind-1024x554.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"346\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-71344\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Behind-1024x554.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Behind-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Behind-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Behind-768x415.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Behind-499x270.png 499w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Behind.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Puppet.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Puppet-1024x554.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"346\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-71342\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Puppet-1024x554.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Puppet-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Puppet-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Puppet-768x415.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Puppet-499x270.png 499w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/This-is-Spinal-Tap-Puppet.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as a cult comedy classic. Nominated as one of the Best Movies of the Year in Peary&#8217;s <em>Alternate Oscars<\/em>. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cult Movie<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> (<span style=\"color:red;font-weight:bold;\">Listed in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-static\/1001Movies.htm\"><em>1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die<\/em><\/a><\/span>) <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0088258\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/great-movie-this-is-spinal-tap-1984\">Roger Ebert&#8217;s Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thespinningimage.co.uk\/cultfilms\/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=403\">Spinning Image Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/92967\/this-is-spinal-tap#articles-reviews\">TCM Articles<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;What day did God create Spinal Tap &#8212; and couldn&#8217;t he have rested on that day, too?&#8221; Synopsis: A documentarian (Rob Reiner) follows the British band Spinal Tap &#8212; consisting of childhood friends David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) and Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), bassist Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer), keyboardist Viv Savage (David Kaff), and drummer Mick Shrimpton (R.J. Parnell) &#8212; as they tour America with their manager Ian (Tony Hendra) and eventually with David&#8217;s astrology-following girlfriend Jeanine (June Chadwick). Genres,&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=71333\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-71333","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71333","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=71333"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71333\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":97856,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71333\/revisions\/97856"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=71333"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=71333"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=71333"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}