Episode 114 - Cult Classics - This is Spinal Tap (1984) Review

Flick Flops

This week, we’re cranking it up to 11 with This Is Spinal Tap (1984), the mockumentary directed by Rob Reiner. Starring Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer, this rock ‘n’ roll satire follows the legendary—yet questionably talented—British band Spinal Tap as they embark on a disastrously mismanaged tour.

From getting lost backstage to the infamous Stonehenge stage prop debacle, Spinal Tap is packed with moments so absurdly real that actual rock stars found it traumatizing. But does this film still strike a chord, or should it have been left in the discount bin at Tower Records?

Let's go - c'mon, mime is money!

Release Details

• Release Date: March 2, 1984 (USA)
• Director: Rob Reiner
• Writer(s): Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner
• Starring:
• Michael McKean as David St.Hubbins
• Christopher Guest as Nigel Tufnel
• Harry Shearer as Derek Smalls
• Rob Reiner as Marty DiBergi
• Tony Hendra as Ian Faith
• Fran Drescher as Bobbi Flekman
• Bruno Kirby as Tommy Pischedda

Fun Facts

• The film is almost entirely improvised, with only a loose outline provided by the writers.
• The phrase “turn it up to 11” became a permanent part of pop culture, symbolizing taking things to the extreme.
• Some real rock bands thought This Is Spinal Tap was a real documentary, with members of Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith relating to its mishaps.
• Ozzy Osbourne once said he didn’t find it funny because it was too real to his experience.
• U2’s The Edge admitted that watching the film for the first time was traumatizing because of how accurate it was.
• The movie was added to the National Film Registry in 2002 for its cultural significance.
• Spinal Tap later toured as a real band, playing concerts and even releasing albums.
• The song Big Bottom features three bass guitars—one of them played by Nigel Tufnel instead of his usual lead guitar.
• Several celebrities appear in small roles, including Billy Crystal as a mime waiter and Dana Carvey as his assistant.
• The original cut of the film was reportedly around seven hours long.
• The band’s drummer "curse" is a parody of how many real-life rock bands (like Spinal Tap's inspiration, Yes) cycled through drummers.

Background & Interesting Details

Rob Reiner’s This Is Spinal Tap is one of the greatest mockumentaries ever made, and arguably the most influential. What started as a comedy sketch by Christopher Guest and Michael McKean evolved into a fully realized satire of the rock industry, using a faux- documentary format to lampoon the excesses, egos, and absurdities of big-hair heavy metal bands of the ‘70s and ‘80s.

The band Spinal Tap—composed of David St. Hubbins (vocals/guitar), Nigel Tufnel (lead guitar), and Derek Smalls (bass)—is followed by filmmaker Marty DiBergi (Reiner), who documents their disastrous tour in support of their latest album Smell the Glove. The film is a cascade of ridiculous setbacks, from lost band members to shrinking audiences, to the infamous “Stonehenge” prop debacle where the stage designers misinterpret inches for feet.

Despite its comedic exaggerations, many real-life rock musicians found This Is Spinal Tap disturbingly accurate. The film satirizes elements of rock excess with such precision that bands like Metallica, Aerosmith, and even Black Sabbath claimed to have had similar experiences. The improvisational nature of the film makes it feel more authentic than a scripted comedy, and its deadpan delivery gives it the feel of a real documentary—right down to the tragicomic fate of Spinal Tap’s long line of drummers, who keep meeting bizarre and untimely ends.

Beyond the film, Spinal Tap took on a life of its own. The fictional band became real, releasing albums, touring, and even reuniting for a special in 1992 (The Return of Spinal Tap). McKean, Guest, and Shearer fully committed to their roles outside the film, appearing on talk shows in character and even performing at major music festivals.

In retrospect, This Is Spinal Tap is not just a parody but a love letter to rock & roll, embracing both its absurdity and its undeniable allure. It paved the way for other mockumentaries like Best in Show and A Mighty Wind, and remains a benchmark for music-based comedies. Even now, decades later, fans still quote lines, crank their amps to 11, and rewatch the film for its endlessly rewatchable moments.

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