Nice effects though.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

As This Is Spinal Tap came out in 1984 I'd like to think that the guys are doing those nostalgia type tours along the lines of Herman's Hermits and Bobby Rydell. They're not quite at the stage of the nostalgia tours, in fact this Mockumentary makes it clear that these guys have not seen that their time has come and gone.A tiny select few musical performers cross generations with their appeal and these guys aren't it. Rob Reiner directs and plays a documentary film maker who accompanies the band Spinal Tap on its latest American tour where all kinds of things go wrong. Some familiar people make cameo appearances. I kind of like Patrick MacNee as their record label president and Bruno Kirby as a limousine driver who has a more realistic insight than the musicians.This Is Spinal Tap has a lot of devoted fans. I'm not one of them though I recognize the importance of the film as a prototype of a new genre. Mockumentaries are an acquired taste and if that's the taste you've acquired than this is your film.

Pros 1. This movie is full of memorable quotes like Nigels "there's such a thin line between clever and stupid" or Spinal Tap manager Ian hand-waving the band's decreasing turnout at concerts by explaining Spinal Tap's appeal is just becoming selective.2. This movie has some of the funniest visual gags I've ever seen like the disastrous Stonehenge model in danger of being squashed by a Dwarf or Derek being trapped in a pod.3. The soundtrack is phenomenal: for a fake band they sure put real effort into the songs and they're all good. 4. The Spinal Tap 3 all work well together and have great chemistry. It's no wonder the 3 have continued to work together, not just as Spinal Tap but also in Christopher Guest mockumentaries. 5. The movie has great brief appearances from people like Fran Drescher, Bruno Kirby, Billy Crystal, Howard Hesseman, Paul Benedict (Spinal Tap was released during The Jefferson's 10th and penultimate season) and Paul Schaffer (reuniting with Harry Shearer after they were SNL cast members in the Fall 1979 - Spring 1980 season).6. Best Line Derek: (after a big argument about a poorly-designed Stonehenge model caused the manager to quit the band) Can I raise a practical question at this point? Are we going to do Stonehenge tomorrow? David: No we're not f---ing going to do Stonehenge!Cons 1. I never understood the logic of the director asking David & Nigel if they're racist since they're music is usually only favored by Caucasians. That makes as much sense to me as asking the CEO of Toys R Us if he's prejudiced against adults because his company's products are popular with children.2. During the Stonehenge argument, Ian is listing all the things he does for the band and one of them is "prizing rent from the local Hebrews". I know he's upset about being nagged by the other guys but that's not an excuse for using this tired anti-semitic stereotype about Jews being obsessed with money and charging excessively high rates.3. When Janine butts in to the Stonehedge argument, Ian responds "this is a band meeting, is she now part of the band?" If the meeting is band only, why is the film crew allowed to attend?

I honestly had no idea of what to expect with THIS IS SPINAL TAP, with the exception of a couple of bits that have entered the pop culture lexicon (the Marshall amp bit, for instance). What I got was...OK, I guess? It wasn't exactly a laugh-riot, but there were a number of recurring funny bits. Still, there were too many stretches that I didn't find funny at all. Fortunately, the songs were well-written and performed. Otherwise, I would have been mostly bored. Overall, it was a mixed bag in terms of comedy, although it did have a few amusing insights into the over-the-top-ness of rock bands. Maybe it would have been funnier if I'd been born 20 years earlier.

A comedic masterpiece.A documentary producer/director, Marty DiBergi, follows the hard- rock band Spinal Tap around on their reunion tour of the US. This is the outcome: a rock documentary - a rockumentary. Through interviews of the band he covers their history and creative processes, and captures some of their behind-the-scenes interactions. He also films some of their concerts and music. There's a reason they're not that well known...One of the funniest movies ever made. A great spoof of rock music, and the music industry in general. Just about every scene and line is iconic and quotable (eg "Our amps go up to eleven", the saga of the drummers). Very relatable too, especially to anyone who follows rock music. So many scenes that remind you just how superficial, pretentious and sometimes plain stupid rock musicians can be. Cringingly close to reality at times.Brilliant beyond description. So good this movie created a genre - the mockumentary.