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Last updated: 04 Jun 2026 at 17:33 UTC

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Review of by Mr J — 15 Mar 2011

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"It's like how much more black could this thing be, and the answer is none.".

This is Spinal Tap is one of if not THE funniest movies of all time.

It centers around a struggling British rock band that gone from playing 15,000 seat arenas to 1,500 seat venues since their last North American tour. They are being interviewed all along their tour by film maker Marty Debergi (Rob Reiner) as the worst possible scenario for each scene happens.

It has great, hilarious gags making a mockery of the 80s heavy metal scene and music in general. Being a fan of 80s metal may be one reason why I find this film so great, but I'm sure that others will enjoy the funny one liners and sticky situations that the group gets in along the way, including but not limited to, getting lost on their way to the stage and becoming a secondary act to a puppet show.

The chemistry between the actors is brilliant. They give such a realistic and hilarious (I need to find a different word) vibe while talking to each other. No matter what they are saying, it would still be funny. For example, Nigel has a piece of gum on his finger, and David tells him to put it on the table, but Nigel says he will forget it on the table. This probably sounds stupid written, but it's funny how they converse it. The realism is also great. They act as if they are in a real documentary instead of reading pre-existing lines. People thought it was a real band for this reason.

I almost forgot about the music.. If you actually take time to listen to the lyrics, you will find them to be a riot. From the song "Stonehenge" there is a lyric that says, "No one knows who they were, or, what they were doing, but their legacy remains. Not only are the lyrics funny, but the songs themselves are pretty good too. I actually took the time to learn how to play "Big Bottom" on drums. Plus, they put out three CDs. That's not too shabby for a band that came out of a mockumentary.

Overall, it's a great movie with great one liners, situations, and acting. If you have been living under a rock for the last 26 years and haven't seen it, do so.

^Thanks to any comments and thumbs ups.^.

This review of This Is Spinal Tap (1984) was written by on 15 Mar 2011.

This Is Spinal Tap has generally received very positive reviews.

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