A classic, scathing lampoon of every successful rock band that's ever been guilty of taking themselves too seriously. Rob Reiner directs (and plays an important supporting role) but it seems like all he really needed to do was point a camera in the right direction, then edit several hours' worth of golden improvisational delight into a concise, intelligible ninety-minute package. It's a roaring parade of nonstop laughs, some blunt and easy, others sharp and witty. Famous bits like Christopher Guest's "this one goes to eleven" have been played to death but still elicit smiles, while deeper cuts, such as the band's reaction to contemporary critics or their infamous Stonehenge performance, land as if they were brand new. And the music is great, too, not just as a cutting satire, but as a convincing love letter to the days when power rock was all the rage and flocks of buzzed, well-feathered teens would still pack a stadium to hear the loudest noise on the planet.

I am a huge fan of the improvised mockumentaries and whatever you think of "This is Spinal Tap", you must acknowledge that it laid the groundwork for future projects with many of these same people. In other words, if it hadn't been for "Spinal Tap", you never would have had "Waiting for Guffman", "Best in Show" or "A Mighty Wind"....or even mockumentaries done by entirely different casts, such as "And God Spoke".

Oddly, however, I must say that although this was a seminal film, I am not a huge fan of it. I am not saying it's a bad film--it's just that their later projects were stronger (though I must acknowledge that they never gained cult status like "Spinal Tap"). One of the biggest reasons is that I think that they honed their improvisational skills with subsequent projects (aside from "For Your Consideration"--a film that simply stank). Less of the jokes fell flat in these later films--and many in "Spinal Tap" did. It's well worth seeing...but I think that with its huge reputation I was expecting a bit too much. Worth seeing but not among the best of the genre.

Of the five or so movies of Rob Reiner's I have seen so far, all of them have ranged from very good to outstanding. This is Spinal Tap fits in the outstanding category, as it works simply brilliantly as a spoof and is one of the unsurpassed best of the genre. I love the mockumentary style in which it is filmed, and the production number is absolutely brilliant. The dialogue is absolutely hilarious, while there is real pleasure in the details especially in the intentionally crass lyrics.

Rob Reiner's direction never hits a false note, while the performances of Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer are note-perfect, while Bruno Kirby, Anjelica Huston, Billy Crystal and Ed Begley Jnr support them brilliantly. All in all, brilliantly done and a must see. 10/10 Bethany Cox