no classic, but a fine send-up nonetheless...

Rating: 6/10 (2 February 2006)

"This is Spinal Tap" is the granddaddy of the 'mockumentary' subgenre (consisting of an admittedly small group of films), and like an elder, it has aged in ways both positive and negative. The script, by Christopher Guest ("Waiting for Guffman"; "Best in Show"), Michael McKean, Harry Shearer ("The Simpsons"), and Rob Reiner (who also directed) shows an astute knowledge of the behind-the-scenes world of rock music whilst amplifying the excesses of the lifestyle with satiric gusto. The film is awash in early-80s glamour, neon, cheesy yet catchy musical interludes, and ostentatious Van Halen hairdos. Clocking in at 83 minutes, "Spinal Tap" breezes by quickly enough, but the gags often feel too spaced-out and too subtle for their own good...while this helps the ersatz-documentary aspect, the comedy suffers a little. Despite this, "Spinal Tap" is a highly entertaining item with some wickedly funny scenes (the dwarfs dancing around a miniature mock-up of Stonehenge is priceless), and remains relevant today as a tongue-in-cheek portrait of the excesses of the music world.