Crank it all the way to "11." A catch-phrase that has its own Wikipedia page; in fact, it was entered into the Oxford English Dictionary in 2002. It's an elegant shorthand for pushing the volume (or whatever else you're talking about) to its limit. It's but one piece of pop culture that owes its status in the zeitgeist to This is Spinal Tap.
Originally released 25 years ago, the "rockumentary/mockumentary" (being released on Blu-ray by MGM Home Entertainment July 28) follows the fictional English band Spinal Tap on its US tour in support of its new album Smell the Glove. Director Rob Reiner (also playing documentary filmmaker Marty DiBergi), sits in on sessions, interviewing and hanging out with the fictitious heavy metal band, including Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), lead singer David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), bassist Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer).
Always following the trend, from their earliest days as Mersey-Beat wannabes to psychedelic folk-rockers to the early-'80s reincarnation of the Heavy Metal headbangers, Spinal Tap circa 1983 is a group of middle-aged rockers on their last breath. DiBergi's film tracks the band's "big-splash" entry back into the concert-tour market by limousine to their final, rather humiliating, concert just before they decide call it a day.
The brilliance of the movie itself lies in its realism. Creating a broad and deep history for Spinal Tap (complete with "old" interview tapes, music videos and press conferences), the writers have hit every note authentically. Guest, McKean and Shearer (with Reiner) wrote as well as perform all the music themselves, blurring the lines between real and fictional. With only a bare-bones outline of a script and lots of a certain genius for this sort of comedy, the entire movie has an improvisational vibe and the feel of a real documentary—which, in a sense—it is.
Is Spinal Tap a real (albeit satirical) band, despite its fictional origins? The band was created for the film, which then created a real band, with real concerts, real record releases and a life of 25 years and counting, including a performance in 2007's Live Earth Concert. Quite an achievement for a "fake" rock band.
Article comments
1 - Orange450
I've never seen This is Spinal Tap. Now I can't wait until I do!
"Guest, McKean and Shearer (with Reiner) wrote as well as perform all the music themselves, blurring the lines between real and fictional. With only a bare-bones outline of a script and lots of a certain genius for this sort of comedy, the entire movie has an improvisational vibe and the feel of a real documentaryâ€"which, in a senseâ€"it is."
It's kinda embarrassing, but I have to admit that when I was given the soundtrack CD from A Mighty Wind as a gift a few years ago, I didn't initially realize that the movie was a spoof. Some of the music is truly lovely. I play a piano arrangement of A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow - it's beautiful by any standards. (And when I play it an octave higher than written, using the "folk guitar" setting on my keyboard, it honestly sounds a lot like the guitar/autoharp arrangement from the movie :-))
p.s. Preview Comment doesn't seem to work properly. It only shows the first few lines of the post, with no ability to scroll down and see the rest.
2 - Barbara S Barnett
I love Kiss at the End of the Rainbow! Their songs are great, and I'm sorry I missed McKean, Shearer and Guest when they appeared in Chicago a couple months ago. TWas on a Friday night, alas.
Their stuff is all first rate, and a lot of people, I'm sure would be totally fooled by Spinal Tap if they weren't in on the joke. It's actually #1 on Entertainment Weekly's Best Cult Movies of all List (which surprised me, because I would have been certain it was Rocky Horror)
3 - savta
Barbara - For some reason, I have been able to access you on twitter or anyone else for that matter. Is it only my problem or have others had the same experience?
4 - Barbara S Barnett
sorry, savta--only saw this just now (I've been out of town). Twitter intermittently gets weird. It seems to be OK now.