Interview With "This Is Spinal Tap" Director Rob Reiner

Next Best Picture Podcast

"This Is Spinal Tap" (1984), also known as "This Is Spın̈al Tap: A Rockumentary by Martin Di Bergi," is a mockumentary comedy directed by the legendary Rob Reiner in his feature debut and co-written with stars Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer, who play members of the fictional heavy metal band Spinal Tap, hilariously dubbed "one of England's loudest bands." Satirizing rock star excess and the earnest style of classic rock documentaries, the largely improvised film earned critical acclaim, modest box office returns, and later a devoted cult following that cemented its status as a landmark of the mockumentary genre and the source of the iconic phrase "Up to eleven." Selected for preservation by the Library of Congress in 2002, the film will finally get a sequel, "Spinal Tap II: The End Continues," with Reiner, Guest, McKean, and Shearer reuniting for one last concert in September 2025. Director Rob Reiner was kind enough to speak with us about his work and experience making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out The Golden 41st Anniversary 4K restoration of "This Is Spinal Tap" (with a special intro from Rob Reiner) in theaters from July 5th-7th, 2025 (get your tickets here) from Bleecker Street and will feature the first look at "Spinal Tap II: The End Continues." Thank you, and enjoy!

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