They've cut the cheese and made it pastel black!

Rating: 9/10 (27 December 2011)

Rob "When Harry Met Sally" Reiner made this rockumentary back in 1984 when the idea to film a fictitious band's struggle with reality (their own included) was still pretty fresh. The feat was done several times after that, but there are reasons why "Spinal Tap" still has survived them all. One of them is: It's downright hilarious, and another: The music is great. Plus: It's louder, ONE louder! Yep, that's because they have amplifiers that go to up to eleven!
Played straight, a lot of it improvised, yet definitely not entirely invented, Reiner and company go for laughs which seem to be inherent in the music business they portray: Get ready for drummer combustion, bizarre deadly gardening accidents, sleek, pastel black covers, big bottoms and grave songs, then there's Artie Fufkin from Polymer Records, serious snack problems, managing wives, Artie Fufkin, Polymer Records, guitars you better not look at, well, it's all there. Even the literally cheesy trailer. Plus Artie Fufkin. From Polymer Records - have I mentioned that one?
"Spinal Tap" is full of inside jokes and therefore repeated viewings pay off. That's why it's more than just fancy comedy, as it has its feet on the ground and knows what to spoof. And how. Classic.