Tonight at a glance
- Runtime
- 82 min
- Age rating
- R
- Language
- English
- Country
- United States
Why tonight?
- Under two hours — there is still an evening on the other side of it.
The story
"This Is Spinal Tap" shines a light on the self-contained universe of a metal band struggling to get back on the charts, including everything from its complicated history of ups and downs, gold albums, name changes and undersold concert dates, along with the full host of requisite groupies, promoters, hangers-on and historians, sessions, release events and those special behind-the-scenes moments that keep it all real.
- rock star
- groupie
- parody
- mockumentary
- rock band
- found footage
- aftercreditsstinger
- duringcreditsstinger
- amplifier
- music industry
The look
A few frames, chosen rather than collected.
The bill
Christopher Guest
Nigel Tufnel
Michael McKean
David St. Hubbins
Harry Shearer
Derek Smalls
Rob Reiner
Marty DiBergi
- June Chadwick — Jeanine Pettibone
- Tony Hendra — Ian Faith
- Bruno Kirby — Tommy Pischedda
- Ed Begley Jr. — John 'Stumpy' Pepys
- Paul Benedict — Tucker 'Smitty' Brown
- Zane Buzby — Rolling Stone Reporter
- Billy Crystal — Morty the Mime
- Howard Hesseman — Terry Ladd
- Patrick Macnee — Sir Denis Eton-Hogg
- Paul Shaffer — Artie Fufkin
- Fred Willard — Lt. Hookstratten
- Directed
- Rob Reiner
Production
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 · 1,688 ratings
- Studio
- Spinal Tap Prod., Embassy Films Associates, Embassy Pictures
The Collection
The complete story, in order.
1984 · You’re hereThis Is Spinal Tap
Where it starts.
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues
2025
If this stayed with you
Then these are the nearest things Cue holds — chosen for what they share with it, not for what happens to be popular.
