THIS IS SPINAL TAP

US, 1984, 82 minutes, Colour.
Rob Reiner, Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean?, Bruno Kirby, Ed Begley Jr.
Directed by Rob Reiner.

This is Spinal Tap is described as a rockumentary. It is an entertaining satire on the world of rock and roll, the false glamour, the gigs, the personalities, management, promotion. It has some comments on the stars, their way of life, the groupies, the effect of popularity on temporary celebrities.

The film was devised by Rob Reiner (son of Carl Reiner, from All in the Family etc.) and the costars, friends Christopher Guest and Michael McKean?. There is a lot of improvisory comedy - which generally works. Particularly effective is American stars portraying English pop stars as they were in the '60s and '70s as well as in the '80s. Reiner acts the part of the trendy director of a trendy film. Parodying such movies as Martin Scorsese's The Last Waltz with its portrait of The Band, the film uses all kinds of television methods, interviews, live action, the backstage drama etc. The methods of making the film are clever and an effective part of the parody.

The film has become something of a cult film.

1. Entertaining? Enjoyable? Cult feature?

2. Inventiveness, parody, an affection for the world of rock and roll even while spoofing it? A rockumentary? Successful aiming at targets - and hitting them?

3. The collaborative effort of Rob Reiner as director with his actors? The cast and improvisation? Their composing the songs and performing them? Rock and roll music? Satiric lyrics? Americans aping English pop stars?

4. Rob Reiner's portrait of the trendy director - manner, dress, way of speaking etc.? His intentions in photographing Spinal Tap? His memories of Spinal Tap's long career? Interviews with names and Cates? His intensity? Portraying the groups, capturing their performances. cinema verite. backstage jokes, socialising? Personal stories? the rock stars' audiences?

5. The film relying on audience familiarity with the rock world and television coverage? Accepting the basic premise and treating it seriously and comically? The blend of reality and send-up? Audience expectations and fulfilment? Deadpan style? Irony and subtlety?

6. The background of English rock groups, their touring of America from the time of the Beatles to 1980s groups? The English background, accent? Working class story, education, growing up in England etc.? The American response? The humour of Patrick Macnee portraying the head of the record company - with his British style?

7. The visuals: nuances, taking images literally, exaggerations? Highlighting the stupidity? Decor, costumes? Humour in the visuals?

8. Verbal humour: play on words, the album titles (Intravenous de Milo, The Gospel According to Spinal Tap, the humour about the glove that smelt?) The inanity of the improvising for the interviews? Tensions? The sending up of memories: the photo albums, the aping of the Beatles, the psychedelic styles or the 1960s?

9. The world of rock music: instruments, music and sound, performance, intensity, the emphasis on the physical, sexuality? The group and their image? Tough, Dunk, protest? Lifestyle, groupies etc.?

10. The commercial background: film-making, the tour, records, the record company and parties, the cancelling of the gigs, performing? The world of agents and their double-talk? The humour with the failure - nobody turning up for the autographs etc.?

11. Ian as manager, his failure? Jeannie and her take-over, the clash, Ian's leaving, her failure? The tour of Japan?

12. The taking off of the film director? The serious style of Rob Reiner communicating comedy?

13. The portrait of the group: David and Nigel and their names, their friendship and their later clash, personalities, English, philosophical outlook, way of talking, performance, relationships? The other members of the group and friendships? One-upping each other on stage, collaborating? The flashbacks to the various n-,er.pbers of their group - and the talk about their deaths? Individualised characters.

14. The phenomenon of the rock celebrity, the audience, the hype, the satire on the way of life?