I Finally Watched: 'This is Spinal Tap'

I realized while browsing the movies on my DVR that I deleted many of the films on my “I Finally Watched” list. Grr! I watched them, but obviously did not write about them, so I need to be on the lookout for future showings to record (or just get Netflix).

The movie this week is not on my list but is something I had never seen: This is Spinal Tap.

Spinal Tap is a mock rockumentary about a fictitious heavy metal band, Spinal Tap, billed as Britain’s loudest band. Film maker Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner) follows Spinal Tap on a tour of the U.S. to support their new album, Smell the Glove, in the autumn of 1982. The band—comprised of David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer), Mick Shrimpton (Ric Parnell), and Viv Savage (David Kaff)—plays to dwindling crowds at smaller venues, endures embarrassing onstage gaffs, and feuds as their record company nixes their preferred album cover and a significant other assumes managing duties. It’s a cavalcade of follies all recorded on film and inspired by real-life events.

Spinal Tap is widely revered and considered a classic. I’m unsure if it broke new ground as a mockumentary, but it always seems to be included on lists of the best comedies and music movies. However, it won’t be making any of my lists, because it doesn’t do it for me.

Though Spinal Tap has its funny moments, it’s not hilarious. It’s uninteresting. I love the band’s album title, their poor reviews, and unfortunate history with drummers (one died in a bizarre gardening accident that authorities think is best left unsolved). The comical names are a hoot too (Smalls, Eton-Hogg, Fufkin), but the movie is mostly boring. As a mockumentary, I’m unsure if it can be a laugh-a-minute comedy, but I expected more.

One problem is that the movie may ring too true now. All the inspired stupidity and problems featured in the movie (getting lost backstage, dysfunctional equipment, and band members dying by inglorious means) are old hat now, especially because of all the revealing band biographies that have been released since. Because of that, the movie does not feel original or clever anymore. Metalocalypse blows it out of the water.

Spinal Tap is (as best as I can tell) a cross between Iron Maiden, Motörhead, and Judas Priest. The group is a useful and funny mockery of heavy metal bands at the time. However, Spinal Tap is far from loud or metal. The songs featured in the film are provocative and funny, definitely over the top, but they’re not that hard.

The film has quit a few noteworthy cameos: Fran Drescher, Billy Crystal, Dana Carvey, Paul Shaffer, Anjelica Huston, Fred Willard, and Wonderful Smith. However, the secondary star power can’t save it in my book. Spinal Tap is worth watching, but I’m not a big fan.