In My Top10 Funniest Movies Ever Made...a brilliant and hilarious send up of the world of rock and roll....

Rating: 9/10 (18 September 2007)

THIS IS SPINAL TAP is the brilliant mock documentary that chronicles the final tour of an aging rock group. This razor sharp dig at the world of rock and roll marked the directing debut of Rob Reiner and was the genesis of a rep company that would later bring us films like WAITING FOR GUFFMAN, BEST IN SHOW, and A MIGHTY WIND. Reiner appears as Marty DiBergi, a filmmaker who has decided to document the final tour of a legendary band called Spinal Tap which coincides with the release of their latest album called "Smell the Glove." This film provides huge laughs as we see the band deal with less than stellar box office sales, lackluster public appearances, bad reviews, and some touching moments including one scene where they hear an old song of theirs on the radio while in a hotel room and hear themselves referred to as being in the "Where are they Now" file. Reiner has assembled a superb cast working at the top of their form here: Michael McKean plays David St. Hubbins,lead singer and guitarist of the group; Christopher Guest practically steals the film as Nigel Tufnel, the other lead guitarist and David's childhood friend who were the nucleus of the band. Harry Shearer garners big laughs as Derek Smalls, the group's bass player. There is one funny bit after another here including bungled hotel reservations, a guitar speaker that goes to "11", the band's inability to find the stage from their dressing room at a concert in Cleveland, and the tension that surfaces between David and Nigel when David's girlfriend Janine joins them on the tour. Solid comic support is provided by Patric Macnee, Fran Drescher, Bruno Kirby, Tony Hendra (very funny as the band's manager), and some funny cameos by Ed Begley Jr. , Billy Crystal, and Howard Hesseman. This comedy is so accurate in its depiction of the world of rock and roll that rocker Brett Michaels of Poison has been quoted as saying he finds watching this movie an uncomfortable experience. A fall-on-the-floor comedy classic that contains some moments of genuine warmth as well.