This Is Spinal Tap
It is common knowledge that rock stars or famous artists can be a bit demanding. In fact, to use t
he proper term, when a particularly subject reaches a stardom so huge that it inflates their ego to the size of a stadium, they become what is effectively known as an arsehole. The huge demands for one coloured Skittle or only the whites of Oreos to be placed in their dressing room. Or perhaps there is an epic show causing riders and technicians to work tirelessly into the night whilst they come on stage at about two hours late, very a la Guns and Roses. And let’s not mention the late night partying, the woman and the drugs. It’s all very rock and roll and no movie in the history of man has ever effectively conceived this onto screen. That is, no movie that isn’t This Is Spinal Tap, the mockumentary following fake British rock stars as they travel America.
This Is Spinal Tap is exactly that. Directed by Rob Reiner, here he poses as a journalist invited on the tour of Spinal Tap, an incredibly famous yet incredibly fake British rock band. To promote their latest album Smell The Glove, this documentary highlights the lives on the road as the journalist interviews them individually and intersperses the footage with their live highlights, the backstage antics and some really crazy events. Created by Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer and Michael McKean this movie is a hilarious portrait of fake singers and artists who have let fame and rock and roll (amongst other things) get to their heads.
I find myself at a conundrum on how to write this because 99% of my body is flailing going “you just have to watch it” with the other 1% trying to form words. This Is Spinal Tap is brilliant and hilarious. This is a movie that is now deemed culturally significant all though many would be surprised to learn that Spinal Tap is not a real band. While they may tour now as parodies, on first release people were frustrated when they learnt they weren’t real.
What is more surprising is that on first release This Is Spinal Tap only received a modest reception. Though critics hailed it as a comical masterpiece, it didn’t draw the audiences in. Only on video tape release did the movie start to build up notoriety and flocked millions of fans to watch it. This Is Spinal Tap is a rare find in a movie because not only is it bloody genius and funny, but the actors and director are credited as writers because most of it is ad-libbed. There is a four and a half version of the movie floating about because that is how much footage they have. The actors themselves have created characters and that fresh, clueless and random comedy comes out so seemingly because it is on the spot jokes and wit. It doesn’t miss a beat.
Many rock stars now including Bono and Aerosmith have claimed they didn’t find it amusing because that is exactly how band life is. In fact, bands have become so self aware that they reference Spinal Tap in case one member or one artist becomes to egotistical in their work. This Is Spinal Tap has produced a legacy and a movie full of so many one liners that after just one view, you’ll be quoting them forever.
TTFN
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