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This Is Spinal Tap

  • 1984
  • R
  • 1h 22m
IMDb RATING
7.9/11
152K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,239
333
Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, R.J. Parnell, Harry Shearer, Spinal Tap, and David Kaff in This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
Spinal Tap, one of England's loudest bands, is chronicled by film director Marty DiBergi on what proves to be a fateful tour.
Play trailer2:24
5 Videos
99+ Photos
MockumentaryParodySatireComedyMusic

Spinal Tap, one of England's loudest bands, is chronicled by film director Marty DiBergi on what proves to be a fateful tour.Spinal Tap, one of England's loudest bands, is chronicled by film director Marty DiBergi on what proves to be a fateful tour.Spinal Tap, one of England's loudest bands, is chronicled by film director Marty DiBergi on what proves to be a fateful tour.

  • Director
    • Rob Reiner
  • Writers
    • Christopher Guest
    • Michael McKean
    • Harry Shearer
  • Stars
    • Rob Reiner
    • Michael McKean
    • Christopher Guest
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.9/11
    152K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,239
    333
    • Director
      • Rob Reiner
    • Writers
      • Christopher Guest
      • Michael McKean
      • Harry Shearer
    • Stars
      • Rob Reiner
      • Michael McKean
      • Christopher Guest
    • 427User reviews
    • 90Critic reviews
    • 92Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 2 nominations total

    Videos5

    Official Trailer -  41st Anniversary
    Trailer 2:24
    Official Trailer - 41st Anniversary
    This Is Spinal Tap
    Trailer 1:36
    This Is Spinal Tap
    This Is Spinal Tap
    Trailer 1:36
    This Is Spinal Tap
    This Is Spinal Tap: Spinal Tap Goes To 11
    Clip 0:52
    This Is Spinal Tap: Spinal Tap Goes To 11
    'This is Spinal Tap' | Anniversary Mashup
    Video 1:45
    'This is Spinal Tap' | Anniversary Mashup
    The Characters of Rob Reiner: Where Are They Now?
    Video 1:44
    The Characters of Rob Reiner: Where Are They Now?

    Photos161

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    Top cast63

    Edit
    Rob Reiner
    Rob Reiner
    • Marty DiBergi
    Michael McKean
    Michael McKean
    • David St. Hubbins
    Christopher Guest
    Christopher Guest
    • Nigel Tufnel
    Kimberly Stringer
    • Heavy Metal Fan
    Chazz Dominguez
    • Heavy Metal Fan
    Shari Hall
    • Heavy Metal Fan
    R.J. Parnell
    • Mick Shrimpton
    David Kaff
    • Viv Savage
    Tony Hendra
    Tony Hendra
    • Ian Faith
    Harry Shearer
    Harry Shearer
    • Derek Smalls
    Bruno Kirby
    Bruno Kirby
    • Tommy Pischedda
    Jean Cromie
    • Ethereal Fan
    Patrick Maher
    • New York M.C.
    Ed Begley Jr.
    Ed Begley Jr.
    • John 'Stumpy' Pepys
    Danny Kortchmar
    Danny Kortchmar
    • Ronnie Pudding
    Fran Drescher
    Fran Drescher
    • Bobbi Flekman
    Patrick Macnee
    Patrick Macnee
    • Sir Denis Eton-Hogg
    • (as Patrick MacNee)
    Memo Vera
    • Bartender
    • Director
      • Rob Reiner
    • Writers
      • Christopher Guest
      • Michael McKean
      • Harry Shearer
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews427

    7.9152K
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    Summary

    Reviewers say 'This Is Spinal Tap' is acclaimed for its innovative mockumentary style and sharp satire of the rock music industry. The cast's chemistry, especially Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer, is praised. Its humor is noted for subtlety and cleverness, with iconic scenes like "amps that go up to 11" and Stonehenge. The improvisational dialogue and believable performances enhance authenticity. Despite some critiques on pacing and predictability, it is hailed as a comedy classic with lasting influence and relevance.
    AI-generated from the text of user reviews

    Featured reviews

    10freenachos

    Smell the Glove!

    The humor of "This is Spinal Tap" has a special time-release formula. I didn't find myself rolling on the floor laughing the first time I saw this but as the day went on my friends and I couldn't stop recalling the dialogue. This movie is a legend.

    "See Spinal Tap" should be written in the dictionary next to satire. Lately satire has come to mean a simple mockery of pop-culture instead of "human vice or folly attacked through irony, derision or wit". Movies like "Scary Movie" claim to be parodies or satire without even trying to be witty. They just imitate something as opposed to commenting on it. True satire takes a bit more work by the writers and will make you laugh much harder.

    Spinal Tap gives you the absurdity of the rock and roll world, yet still respects the music. I understood this when I saw a clip of the movie for the first time at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was the scene with amps that go to "11". I couldn't stop thinking about that scene until I finally saw the movie. Every aspect of the music world is lampooned; arrogance, absurdity, backstage crybabies, has-beenism, volume, even the Beatles. This movie is quoted like the Simpsons, which isn't always good but certainly proof of legendary movie. It's dry, deadpan humor and it may take a day to sink in but this movie is hilarious.
    10TheAll-SeeingI

    Tap: It's The Gift That Keeps On Giving

    When it comes to the glorious stupidity of rock 'n' roll music, the whip-smart mockumentary gold standard "This Is Spinal Tap" has no peers. Sidesplitting on an epic scale, this is also a shortlist candidate for Greatest Comedy Ever, and can claim parentage of every self-aware music film made since, from the wildly inventive "24 Hour Party People (2002)," to recent Tap-evocative record label satire "Stadium Anthems (2018)."

    "Tap" now transcends its early filmic and rock confines: Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins, and Derek Smalls have burrowed deep into the cultural zeitgeist, holding sway in the very words we choose in conversations at the pub and by the water cooler (see: "goes to eleven"). And its commentary on the fleeting absurdities of fame have never been more relevant.

    Almost forty years old and still swallowing everything in its path, "This Is Spinal Tap" is as enduring as it is the hilarious, and that's quite a feat. This is one of the most joyously experienced entertainment vehicles ever assembled. - (Was this review of use to you? If so, let me know by clicking "Helpful." Cheers!) - WATCHED IT? THEN WATCHLIST: "Being John Malkovich (1999)," "Stadium Anthems (2018)," "24 Hour Party People (2002)"
    9rbverhoef

    Cult classic

    By many seen as the favorite cult classic (together with 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show') 'This is Spinal Tap' is truly a comedy masterpiece. The rockumentary about fake band Spinal Tap seems so honest and serious that the slightest joke gets a huge laugh. We follow the band together with a documentary filmmaker, played by director Rob Reiner, on a tour that must make sure they will have a comeback. We see some of their shows where things go wrong, we see how they argue about the cover of their album, and we see how a girlfriend almost destroys the band.

    The movie handles all these events as serious as possible, presenting itself as a real documentary about a real band. The fact that the band members are not too bright makes it funny. Especially the scene where the lead singer talks about an amplifier that goes to eleven instead of ten and therefore produces louder sounds is hilarious. The scene where the band plays on a Stonehenge stage is a classic, very memorable.

    Writer Christopher Guest recently wrote and starred in 'Best in Show' (2000) and 'A Mighty Wind' (2003), two hilarious and terrific fake documentaries, the so-called mockumentaries, but 'This is Spinal Tap' stays the classic example. He and his co-writers, including director Reiner, have created the ultimate cult classic.
    bob the moo

    A hilarious little spoof - wit rather than clumsy stuff

    In 1982 the world's loudest band is about to undertake it's comeback tour of America to coincide with the release of the new album. The group, Spinal Tap, is accompanied by documentary filmmaker Marti DeBergi on what turns out to be a fateful chapter in the band's colourful history.

    Despite what anyone else tells you, this is easily one of the most quotable movies made and is just as funny today as it was when it was made, unless you are so out of touch with the world that it affectionately spoofs. The film is almost a tragedy so well does it chronicle the absurd collapse of the band. However, regardless of the hows and whats, the comedy is in the characters and the sharp dialogue. While most of the specific action is really funny, it is best during the backstage arguments and the candid interviews.

    The dialogue is fantastic from start to finish and is made better by a superb cast delivering absurd lines with a straight face! McKean, Guest and Shearer are the strongest of the cast have most of the best lines. The support cast is also crammed with cameos from such people as Bruno Kirby, Billy Crystal, Begley Jnr, Macnee, Paul Shaffer, Anjelica Huston and others. Reiner excels as director, writer and documentarian, the film has his hands all over it.

    Overall this is a great film, so much has been said about it that I won't go on any longer. While it is not an out and out spoof like Naked Gun, this film is wittier as the comedy comes from the dialogue and the sheer imagination of the writing!
    10zetes

    Deserves its fame

    Spinal Tap has been called one of the funniest movies ever made by many people over the years. I had always been familiar with it. I was very familiar with almost 70% of the scenes: the amplifier that goes to 11, the Stonehenge dance, the inability to find the way onstage in Cleveland. Plus, when it was first released on VHS, I had rented and loved Fear of a Black Hat, a mockumentary about a rap group which more or less rips off every scene of This Is Spinal Tap. After finally sitting down with This Is Spinal Tap, I am still a fan of Fear of a Black Hat (and I recommend it to anyone who hasn't heard of it), but it can not come close to touching the genius of the collective vision of Rob Reiner, Christopher Guest, Micheal McKean and Harry Shearer. I laughed pretty much constantly, and belly laughs, all through the film. It does kind of slow down nearer the end with the bands falling apart (i.e., the plot gets in the way of the documentary), but there was never a scene in the film that didn't have something hilarious. I have to give this film 10/10. This Is Spinal Tarp, er, um, I mean Tap is one of the funniest comedies ever made.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The actors are all competent musicians, and they're actually playing on the soundtrack.
    • Goofs
      While David and Nigel normally play guitar, they both play bass during Big Bottom, because that's what the song requires. It's a musical joke.
    • Quotes

      Nigel Tufnel: The numbers all go to eleven. Look, right across the board, eleven, eleven, eleven and...

      Marty DiBergi: Oh, I see. And most amps go up to ten?

      Nigel Tufnel: Exactly.

      Marty DiBergi: Does that mean it's louder? Is it any louder?

      Nigel Tufnel: Well, it's one louder, isn't it? It's not ten. You see, most blokes, you know, will be playing at ten. You're on ten here, all the way up, all the way up, all the way up, you're on ten on your guitar. Where can you go from there? Where?

      Marty DiBergi: I don't know.

      Nigel Tufnel: Nowhere. Exactly. What we do is, if we need that extra push over the cliff, you know what we do?

      Marty DiBergi: Put it up to eleven.

      Nigel Tufnel: Eleven. Exactly. One louder.

      Marty DiBergi: Why don't you just make ten louder and make ten be the top number and make that a little louder?

      Nigel Tufnel: [pause] These go to eleven.

    • Crazy credits
      The credits state that the band Spinal Tap is fictional, and add "And there's no Easter Bunny, either!"
    • Alternate versions
      The movie was released in 1994 on CD-ROM by the Voyager Company, a movie distribution company specialized in converting and releasing movies on CD-ROM format. The CD-ROM edition includes the movie as well as extra features. For instance, it has two audio commentaries, one of them from the three main cast members who are not in character. This audio commentary has never been released on any other medium. The CD also includes some fun basic options such as turning the volume to 11 or typing in popular lines and phrases from the movie, which the CD then automatically locates in the movie and plays the scene with the line. The bonus material also includes music videos, ten deleted scenes, the original Spinal Tap short that was made to sell the idea of the movie to potential producers, and some notes from the crew. Another rarity is a fake trailer presented by Rob Reiner himself for "Cheese Rolling," a mockumentary about Denmark's fictional traditional cheese festival, where small villages compete in cheese throwing and similar sports activities involving cheese that can get very intense.
    • Connections
      Edited into The Greatest: 100 Most Metal Moments (2004)
    • Soundtracks
      Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight
      (uncredited)

      Written by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner

      Performed by Spinal Tap

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    FAQ23

    • How long is This Is Spinal Tap?Powered by Alexa
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    • How many Spinal Tap albums are there?
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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 2, 1984 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • This is Spinal Tap
    • Filming locations
      • Six Flags Magic Mountain - 26101 Magic Mountain Parkway, Valencia, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Spinal Tap Prod.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $2,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $4,736,202
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $30,835
      • Mar 4, 1984
    • Gross worldwide
      • $4,739,391
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 22 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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    Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, R.J. Parnell, Harry Shearer, Spinal Tap, and David Kaff in This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
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