This is Spinal Tap: Yet Another 80's Classic

"This Is Spinal Tap" is perhaps the most influential mockumentary of all time. It's also one of the best eighties films of all time because it works so hard to copy the style of eighties music, particularly hair metal and glam rock. Directed by Rob Reiner, and starring mockumentary legend Christopher Guest, it's one of the funniest films of all time as well. But much like wine, it's an acquired taste. Some people just can't get behind the format. A mockumentary is a fake documentary, usually inspired by something real. Some other examples would be, "Drop Dead Gorgeous", "Waiting For Guffman", or even the recent Jeff Goldblum attempt, "Pittsburgh".

"This Is Spinal Tap" follows the fake metal band, Spinal Tap. Although the word "fake" isn't quite the best terminology considering the fact that all three actors playing band members can actually play their instruments and wrote their own songs. So what we've got here is more of a, "Monkees" like phenomena. The movie is so popular, that the group has actually toured before. Their music is tongue-in-cheek, less of a tribute and more of a joke. But you'll be able to figure that out as you watch the film, and it should give you some really great laughs.

Outside of the ridiculous, over-the-top concerts and songs, the movie treats you to some hysterical interviews with the real life director Rob Reiner, who plays "Marty DeBergi" the fictional director. I know, it's a little confusing. Their target was 80's hair bands such as Poison, White Snake, and Motley Crue. They mock the excess of the times, the stupidity of the music, and the strange personas of the stars from that day. Outside of the sometimes improvised interviews you get phony back stories, backstage experiences, live concert footage, and quirky side-characters. Such characters are played by Fran Drescher, Paul Schaefer, Bruno Kirby, Ed Begley Jr., Dana Carvey, and even Billy Crystal.

The other band members, aside from Christopher Guest, are played by Harry Shearer and Michael McKean. The former you may know well from his years of work on, "The Simpsons". The latter you will know very well from countless appearances on television shows and in other Christopher Guest films. IMDB them both, you'll be amazed at their range of work. The all star cast of character actors is reason enough to watch this cult classic.

The best words I can think of to describe this movie are random, witty, irreverent, unique, and hysterically funny. I should warn you too, because once you watch this movie, you will find that the songs stick on your head. There's a little technique involved in watching a mockumentary and that would be repeated viewings. Some of the humor is so subtle and so quiet because of the attempt at realism that you won't catch even half of the jokes the first time through. So I highly recommend that you own this movie. As with many of the other eighties movies that I've recommended, this one is so quirky that you have to watch it for yourself to understand it. Why rent when you can own?

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