Review – This Is Spinal Tap

DVD Review – This Is Spinal Tap (1984). Starring Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Christopher Guest. Directed by Rob Reiner. Rated R for sexual situations and suggestive lyrics, and excessive profanity.

A few weeks ago I came across an old cassette (that tells you right there how old it is) of the soundtrack to the movie This Is Spinal Tap. It is still as funny to me now as it was twenty-some years ago. I thought that I would share my thoughts with those of you who have not had the pleasure of seeing it.

I don’t know if This Is Spinal Tap is the original “mockumentary,” but it’s the first one that I ever remember seeing, and it is still the best. David St. Hubbins (McKean), Nigel Tufnel (Guest), and Derek Smalls (Shearer), are the core members of the band Spinal Tap, billed as the “loudest” heavy metal band in the world. The movie is shot as a documentary, but, of course, it is all fictional. All the better.

Hubbins and Tufnel play as a sort of hard rock version of John and Paul, with Smalls playing sort of a George/Ringo hybrid character that keeps the other two balanced. The band has a drummer, but as it is explained in the film, the drummer spot is a somewhat unstable position, so there have been more than one.

At the time of the movie, things are not going so great for the band. Their careers are on the downswing, and this frustration leads to tension between the band mates. It doesn’t help that their band manager/keyboardist is a buffoon when it comes to marketing the band. Throw in the Yoko Ono-like character of Jeanine Pettibone, and hilarity ensues.

The songs alone (all originals by McKean, Guest, and Shearer) are enough reason to see this movie. The improvisational genius of these actors is another reason to come along for the ride. Throw in some great cameos by Ed Begley Jr., Fran Drescher, Paul Shaffer, Billy Crystal and Dana Carvey, to name a few, and there’s really no reason anyone should miss out. If you are a fan of A Mighty Wind or Best In Show, then you’ve probably already seen This Is Spinal Tap. If not, put it in your queue. You’ll be glad you did. Plus, you’ll finally know what that guy is talking about when he says, “These all go to eleven.”

Overall rating: 5 cheeseburgers.

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