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This Is Spinal Tap

"Prepare to crank those amps up to eleven"

1984-03-02 Music 1hr 22m

"This Is Spinal Tap" shines a light on the self-contained universe of a metal band struggling to get back on the charts, including everything from its complicated history of ups and downs, gold albums, name changes and undersold concert dates, along with the full host of requisite groupies, promoters, hangers-on and historians, sessions, release events and those special behind-the-scenes moments that keep it all real.

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Storyline

"This Is Spinal Tap" shines a light on the self-contained universe of a metal band struggling to get back on the charts, including everything from its complicated history of ups and downs, gold albums, name changes and undersold concert dates, along with the full host of requisite groupies, promoters, hangers-on and historians, sessions, release events and those special behind-the-scenes moments that keep it all real.

  • Released
    1984-03-02
  • Revenue
    $4,737,539
  • Budget
    $2,500,000
  • Runtime
    1hr 22m
  • Genre
    Music, Comedy
  • Status
    Released
  • Language
    English, 日本語
  • imdb-logo
    7.9
  • Production
    Spinal Tap Prod., Embassy Films Associates, Embassy Pictures

Crew

Rob Reiner
Director
Rob Reiner
Writer
Karen Murphy
Producer
Keywords:
rock star groupie parody mockumentary rock band found footage aftercreditsstinger duringcreditsstinger amplifier music industry metal band

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Cast

Christopher Guest

Christopher Guest
Nigel Tufnel
Michael McKean

Michael McKean
David St. Hubbins
Harry Shearer

Harry Shearer
Derek Smalls
Rob Reiner

Rob Reiner
Marty DiBergi
June Chadwick

June Chadwick
Jeanine Pettibone
Bruno Kirby

Bruno Kirby
Tommy Pischedda
Ed Begley Jr.

Ed Begley Jr.
John 'Stumpy' Pepys
Fran Drescher

Fran Drescher
Bobbi Flekman
Dana Carvey

Dana Carvey
Mime Waiter
Sandy Helberg

Sandy Helberg
Angelo DiMentibelio
Billy Crystal

Billy Crystal
Morty the Mime
Paul Benedict

Paul Benedict
Tucker 'Smitty' Brown
Howard Hesseman

Howard Hesseman
Terry Ladd
Russ Kunkel

Russ Kunkel
Eric 'Stumpy Joe' Childs
Joyce Hyser

Joyce Hyser
Belinda
Paul Shaffer

Paul Shaffer
Artie Fufkin
Archie Hahn

Archie Hahn
Room Service Guy
Fred Willard

Fred Willard
Colonel on Military Base
Anjelica Huston

Anjelica Huston
Polly Deutsch
Brinke Stevens

Brinke Stevens
Girlfriend (uncredited)
Patrick Macnee

Patrick Macnee
Sir Denis Eton-Hogg
Tony Hendra

Tony Hendra
Ian Faith
R.J. Parnell

R.J. Parnell
Mick Shrimpton
David Kaff

David Kaff
Viv Savage
Danny Kortchmar

Danny Kortchmar
Ronnie Pudding
Julie Payne

Julie Payne
Mime Waitress
Zane Buzby

Zane Buzby
Rolling Stone Reporter
Paul Shortino

Paul Shortino
Duke Fame
Lara Cody

Lara Cody
Fame Groupie
Andrew J. Lederer

Andrew J. Lederer
Student Promoter
Victory Tischler-Blue

Victory Tischler-Blue
Cindy
Gloria Gifford

Gloria Gifford
Airport Security Officer
Charles Levin

Charles Levin
Disc 'n' Dat Manager
Donald Kendrick

Donald Kendrick
Background Vocalist
Wonderful Smith

Wonderful Smith
Backstage Maintenance Worker
Kimberly Stringer

Kimberly Stringer
Heavy Metal Fan
Chazz Dominguez

Chazz Dominguez
Heavy Metal Fan
Shari Hall

Shari Hall
Heavy Metal Fan
Jean Cromie

Jean Cromie
Ethereal Fan
Patrick Maher

Patrick Maher
New York M.C.
Memo Vera

Memo Vera
Bartender
Robin Menken

Robin Menken
Angelo's Associate
Jennifer Child

Jennifer Child
Limo Groupie
J.J. Barry

J.J. Barry
Rack Jobber
George McDaniel

George McDaniel
Southern Rock Promoter
Anne Churchill

Anne Churchill
Reba
Cherie Darr

Cherie Darr
Fame Groupie
Diana Duncan

Diana Duncan
'Jamboree Bop' Dancer
Gina Marie Pitrello

Gina Marie Pitrello
'Jamboree Bop' Dancer
Gina Jourard

Gina Jourard
'Jamboree Bop' Dancer (as Gina Marie Pitrello)

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Movie Reviews

Reviews for This Is Spinal Tap
reviewer avatar

A Review by Ahmetaslan27 3

Written by Ahmetaslan27 on 2023-07-29

Am I the only one getting bored or not? It's probably because I don't like that loud noise... read more

Am I the only one getting bored or not? It's probably because I don't like that loud noise

reviewer avatar

A Review by Geronimo1967 7

Written by Geronimo1967 on 2024-02-02

So the legendary British rockers "Spinal Tap" are on the comeback trail. After a dry spell in the USA, they determine to take their provocat... read more

So the legendary British rockers "Spinal Tap" are on the comeback trail. After a dry spell in the USA, they determine to take their provocative new album and their film-faking fan "Marty" (Rob Reiner) and re-establish themselves as superstars. "Marty" has access to all aspects of their activities as he makes the ultimate fly-on-the-wall documentary depicting the ups and downs, warts and all, of this band of musicians who epitomise just about everything good, bad and excessive in the industry at which this film takes an entertaining swipe. Interspersed with some decently staged rock numbers that could easily have been seen on MTV, we are exposed to the extremes of venality and avarice, some completely bonkers lyrics and their gradual realisation that the grand stadium days are maybe long gone, now. The bickering always stays on the amiable side of toxic, but squabbles about their racy album cover being banned in Walmart, their shrinking appeal narrowed now to just to stoned-out students and their own peccadilloes deliver an enjoyably authentic looking and frequently quite funnily written analysis of life on the downward side of the showbiz mountain - and it's quite scathing of those who make a living out of it with little or no talent but a solid belief in what they see in the mirror. This is British sarcasm and irony at it's cinematic best, disguised in a faux environment that even now, after forty years, is still often laugh out loud.

reviewer avatar

A Review by FilipeManuelNeto 6

Written by FilipeManuelNeto on 2024-03-05

**Interesting, remarkable for its subgenre, credible… but I didn't find it funny.** I'm not a specific admirer of mockumentaries, but I r... read more

**Interesting, remarkable for its subgenre, credible… but I didn't find it funny.** I'm not a specific admirer of mockumentaries, but I recognize their value if they're funny. The film reports on the tour of a British rock band called Spinal Tap, and shows the enormous difficulties and crazy things they carry out on and off the stage. It's supposed to be a comedy... but, to be honest, it didn't make me laugh. I recognize the value that this film had for the cinematographic subgenre it launched, and the interest that the film has for cinema students and others who deepen their knowledge of the seventh art in greater detail. For me, as I'm just a guy who watches films because he likes them, it's different: it's harder to convince me to watch this a second time because of the many technical arguments they might use. Being a comedy, it has to be funny. If it doesn't, it failed as a comedy (even considering the fact that I may not be the target audience, that would just be a sign that it's not a film for me). Although it didn't make me laugh, I recognize that Rob Reiner does an interesting job and manages to give his film enormous authenticity on all levels. I wonder what fieldwork he did to prepare for the project, whether he spoke to journalists who follow the music industry, with bands or music artists, because in fact the film captures quite well the bizarre things that can happen on a rock tour. And the work of the main actors (Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest) is equally worthy if we consider that much of what they say is improvised at that moment, not previously written. The film looks cheap and this is perhaps even intentional: the cinematography resembles a “found-footage” film, with the image shaky, poorly calibrated, full of grain at times. The sets are very good and the soundtrack, made for the film, is absolutely believable.

Read Full Review (The thoughts and opinions expressed here are solely those of the reviewer.)
A Review by Ahmetaslan27

Am I the only one getting bored or not? It's probably because I don't like that loud noise...

reviewer avatar

A Review by Ahmetaslan27 3

Written by Ahmetaslan27 on 2023-07-29

Am I the only one getting bored or not? It's probably because I don't like that loud noise...

read more
reviewer avatar

A Review by Geronimo1967 7

Written by Geronimo1967 on 2024-02-02

So the legendary British rockers "Spinal Tap" are on the comeback trail. After a dry spell in the USA, they determine to take their provocative new album and their film-faking fan "Marty" (Rob Reiner)...

read more
reviewer avatar

A Review by FilipeManuelNeto 6

Written by FilipeManuelNeto on 2024-03-05

**Interesting, remarkable for its subgenre, credible… but I didn't find it funny.** I'm not a specific admirer of mockumentaries, but I recognize their value if they're funny. The film reports on t...

read more