This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
Documentary maker Marty DiBergi (Reiner) goes on the road with
ageing heavy metal band Spinal Tap and sees them lose drummers,
purpose and all sense of self-respect.
The nucleus of Spinal Tap is David St Hubbins on vocals and
guitar, Nigel Tufnel on guitar, Derek Smalls on bass and Viv
Savage on keyboards.
Amongst the drummers who perished while in the band were; John
'Stumpy' Pepys (who died in a bizarre gardening accident); Eric
'Stumpy Joe' Childs (who choked to death on vomit - but not his
own!); Peter 'James' Bond (who spontaneously combusted on stage);
Mick Shrimpton (exploded in a puff of green smoke on stage at the
end of the comeback tour); Joe 'Mama' Besser (disappeared under
mysterious circumstances - presumed dead) and Ric Shrimpton -
Tap's 13th drummer - currently still alive.
Before settling on the name Spinal Tap, the band had already
rejected the names; The Doppel Gang, The Ravebreakers, The Silver
Service, The Bisquits, The Love Bisquits, and The Tufnel-St
Hubbins Group.
Four years in the making, Reiner's cripplingly, unerringly
funny classic has become the benchmark for spoof cinema.
Harry Shearer has said "Some musicians have said they
couldn't watch it, that it was too painful, too realistic . . .
that's the greatest compliment the movie could be paid".
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