Metal is NOT a fad.

Rating: 10/10 (10 December 2016)

A 'mockumentary' that affectionately spoofs the heavy rock genre, This Is Spinal Tap follows the titular group on a disastrous US tour to coincide with the release of Smell The Glove, their first album in six years.
Director Rob Reiner's film is a firm favourite amongst metal-heads, despite mocking the music scene they love so much. This is because metal fans, myself included (a proud headbanger since the mid '80s), can acknowledge the often over-the-top theatricality and absurdity of their chosen genre, and have the intelligence to laugh along with it.
And Spinal Tap is full of laughs: from Nigel the lead guitarist (Christopher Guest) proudly stating that his amp goes up to eleven, to the miniature stonehenge stage prop, to the band playing second on the bill after a puppet show, the film is full of great gags, with much of the dialogue being improvised to add to the authenticity of the documentary format.
And to make things even better, the music is very good too: I have the Spinal Tap album on vinyl and it is packed with great tunes, from the early '60s songs 'Cups and Cakes' and 'Gimme Some Money', to their hippy hit '(Listen to The) Flower People', through to their heavy rock anthems 'Hell Hole', 'Sex Farm', 'Big Bottom' and, of course, the mighty 'Stonehenge', where the little children danced beneath the haunted moon
10/10, although I would go up to 11 if IMDb allowed it.