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This Is Spinal Tap Details

1984 DVD Certificate 15.gif
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 21,739 members

A brilliant and hilarious documentary-style satire of a has-been British heavy metal band who never really was on an absurd American comeback tour that never quite gets off the ground, THIS IS SPINAL TAP practically birthed the mockumentary style. Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer are David St. Hubbins, Nigel .. Read more

Starring Andrew Divoff, Rob Reiner, Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest
Director Rob Reiner
Genres Comedy

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This Is Spinal Tap

A brilliant and hilarious documentary-style satire of a has-been British heavy metal band who never really was on an absurd American comeback tour that never quite gets off the ground, THIS IS SPINAL TAP practically birthed the mockumentary style. Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer are David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel, and Derek Smalls, respectively--three clueless, self-absorbed men who form the nucleus of Spinal Tap, aging purveyors of overwrought songs with titles such as "Big Bottom," "Smell the Glove," and "Sex Farm." Shot in faux cinema verite-style with director Rob Reiner as fictional filmmaker Marty DiBergi, the film lampoons just about every rock & roll cliche (not to mention every rockumentary cliche) in the book as it follows these fallen rock idols from one disastrous gig to the next. Scenes of the tour's descent from desperation into total collapse are interspersed with interviews in which the band members delightfully prattle on inanely about the none-too-illustrious history and dubious vision of Spinal Tap. THIS IS SPINAL TAP is a striking and acutely hysterical directorial debut for Reiner and a deserved cult classic. Watch for an endless array of cameos by wonderful comic character actors along the way.

Starring Andrew Divoff, Rob Reiner, Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest, June Chadwick, Ed Begley Jr., Michael McKean, Ed Begley
Director Rob Reiner
Studio MGM ENTERTAINMENT
Run time DVD: 1 hr 20 mins
Blu-ray: 1 hr 24 mins
Certificate DVD Certificate 15.gif
Collections 100 must-see movies
Genres Comedy
Language English
Hearing-impaired English, German
Subtitles English, German
Released DVD: 16 Oct 2000
Blu-ray: 07 Sep 2009
Production year: 1984
Format DVD

This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

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  • Critics' reviews (6) of This Is Spinal Tap

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  • As we know, most out-takes end up on the cutting room floor because they just don't cut it. Sometimes though, there is such a surplus of outstanding material, those decisions must have... read more »

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    • Tom Charity, 
    • LOVEFiLM

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  • 27 out of 27 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    This Goes to Eleven

    Arguably one of the funniest films ever made when it came out in 1984, this stands up remarkably well considering it is now nearly 20 years old.

    A British rock group who have been together since the early sixties are now reduced to playing innuendo laced heavy metal to half empty American halls. And that's before things really start to go wrong!

    From out and out slapstick to subtle wordplay, the comedy just keeps on coming. Brilliantly observed and acted, this film manages to be hysterical and yet believeable and even moving at times. The mark of a great film is that you never want it to end and this a perfect example. It's such a fine line between stupid and clever but this is pure genius.

      • Simon Chaffer from London, England
      • Posted 11 Nov 2003 10:51

  • Most recent members' review of This Is Spinal Tap

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  • 2 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 0 stars

    Dreadful, utterly boring, was not worth the effort of putting in DVD player. It was completly pointless.

      • Hazel#3 from NAIRN
      • Posted 01 May 2004 20:29

  • News and features

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    Anvil! The Story of Anvil: Anvil and Sacha Gervasi interview

    • 18 Feb 2009

    In 1982 the demigods of Canadian rock, Anvil, release their second album Metal on Metal. Although hugely influential on their peers such as Metallica and Guns N' Roses, the record failed to break the band into the big time and they've been trying ever since. Now, over 25 years later, success has come from an unexpected direction in the form of a documentary by The Terminal writer and lifelong Anvil fan, Sacha Gervasi. Hilarious and heart-warming, it's This is Spinal Tap, but with a real band.... Read more

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Rating breakdown

21,739 Member ratings
  • 100
3,916
  • 90
2,661
  • 80
4,068
  • 70
3,230
  • 60
2,913
  • 50
1,718
  • 40
1,161
  • 30
827
  • 20
825
  • 10
420

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      A brilliant and hilarious documentary-style satire of a has-been British heavy metal band who never really was on an absurd American comeback tour that never quite gets off the ground, THIS IS SPINAL TAP practically birthed the mockumentary style. Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry ...
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      A brilliant and hilarious documentary-style satire of a has-been British heavy metal band who never really was on an absurd American comeback tour that never quite gets off the ground, THIS IS SPINAL TAP practically birthed the mockumentary style. Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry ...