5/5 This Is Spinal Tap Yesterday, I suggested you take the time to rent or stream a B-grade camp fest about man-eating beavers. I stand by my advice, but never forget that there are hundreds of classic films just one click away. Newly re-released on iTunes is Rob Reiner’s reigning masterpiece of rock-n-roll comedy, This Is Spinal Tap. Released thirty-one years ago this month, no other film - documentary or narrative feature - has captured rock stars more genuinely and hilariously than Spinal Tap. We are introduced to Marty DiBergi, played by Reiner himself, as he introduces us to the titular band. Having gone through a fair share of different genres, band names, and drummers, the British heavy metal band has decided to come out of hiatus with an American tour and new album, the now-famous Smell the Glove. DiBergi's mission? Document the tour, the band, and the ups and downs of the rockstar lifestyle. Oh, what a documentary he made. The three leads of the band are Michael McKean’s David St. Hubbins (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Christopher Guest’s Nigel Tufnel (lead guitar), and Harry Shearer’s Derek Smalls (bass). What makes Spinal Tap so great is that it can be interpreted in various ways. It’s a side-splitting comedy, a fascinating satire of rock excess, and, with a shining focus on the relationship between the three leads, a touching dysfunctional family drama. McKean and Guest’s characters, who apparently grew up together John/Paul style, bicker about music, style, etc. A particular point of discord arrises when Hubbins’ dominating girlfriend (June Chadwick) goes all Yoko on the band. | Director: Rob Reiner Starring: Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Rob Reiner, June Chadwick Writers: Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer |
The Beatles jokes are scattered everywhere, subtly and otherwise, but this is not a parody of the Fab Four. No, this is a parody of the music industry as a whole. There is reason Spinal Tap feels as vital today as it did in the mid-eighties, maybe even more so. It’s because the game does not change. Like the Sinatra-loving limo driver describes in the movie, fads come and go. Music styles fade in and out, fashion fades in and out, but the circus stays the same. From album signings where no one shows to overzealous managers to crap shows opening for puppets, no area goes untouched.
What Spinal Tap is, above all else, is a comedy worth celebrating and treasuring. Every scene has its own punchline, with a hefty helping of zingers scattered here and there. The smallest of asides have become classic catchphrases and staples, such as Nigel’s amps that turn up to eleven. Though writing credit on the script is shared among four people, the film never loses that sharp focus. It never gets hung up in subplots or drags out unfunny jokes past their lifespan. This Is Spinal Tap is a gift that keeps on giving. It’s one of the rare comedies that demands a second viewing and gets funnier as you gain more life experience. For everyone involved in the filmmaking process, from the director to the actors, this was their masterpiece.
p.s. Any fan of Michael McKean should be tuning in to AMC every Monday night for Better Call Saul. His work as Saul’s mentally ill brother is right on par with what he does here.
p.s.s. For those of you who have seen neither Spinal Tap or Better Call Saul…what are you doing?!
(Available on iTunes)
What Spinal Tap is, above all else, is a comedy worth celebrating and treasuring. Every scene has its own punchline, with a hefty helping of zingers scattered here and there. The smallest of asides have become classic catchphrases and staples, such as Nigel’s amps that turn up to eleven. Though writing credit on the script is shared among four people, the film never loses that sharp focus. It never gets hung up in subplots or drags out unfunny jokes past their lifespan. This Is Spinal Tap is a gift that keeps on giving. It’s one of the rare comedies that demands a second viewing and gets funnier as you gain more life experience. For everyone involved in the filmmaking process, from the director to the actors, this was their masterpiece.
p.s. Any fan of Michael McKean should be tuning in to AMC every Monday night for Better Call Saul. His work as Saul’s mentally ill brother is right on par with what he does here.
p.s.s. For those of you who have seen neither Spinal Tap or Better Call Saul…what are you doing?!
(Available on iTunes)