This Is Spinal Tap (Special Edition) | 
| Director: Rob Reiner
Actors: Fran Drescher, Christopher Guest, Bruno Kirby, Patrick Macnee, Michael Mckean
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.98
Buy Used: $3.00
You Save: $11.98 (80%)
New (45) Used (46) Collectible (4) from $3.00
Rating:  373 reviews
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Special Edition, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 83 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.1
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.4
MPN: D1000973D
ISBN: 6305922756
UPC: 027616852809
EAN: 9786305922759
ASIN: 6305922756
Theatrical Release Date: March 2, 1984
Release Date: September 12, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com
Director Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner) solemnly alerts us to the glory that was Spinal Tap in his introduction to this "rockumentary" about the legendary British heavy-metal group, featuring lead guitarist Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), lead singer David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), bassist Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer), and a succession of drummers whose careers were cut short by spontaneously combusting on their stool, drowning in somebody else's vomit, or otherwise perishing in untimely fashion. Under DiBergi's studious interrogation, the band and their familiars retrace the band's evolution from head-bopping Mersey Beat poseurs to head-banging metal poseurs, each change in musical direction or tonsorial chic having little effect on the surviving trio's sublime idiocy. For, as St. Hubbins (he's the "deep" one, relatively speaking) sagely observes, "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever." Happily for us, director Reiner, who developed the underlying story line with Guest and former Credibility Gap pranksters McKean and Shearer, stays squarely on the right side of the line, even as his writer-actors remain hilariously trapped on the other side. In lieu of a formal shooting script, the quartet created an extensive and detailed band history ripe with the sort of dead-pan detail that hard-core rock historians and screwball aficionados will savor on countless replays; with the three Tap members also musicians themselves, the "band" developed its stage act under the unsuspecting noses of L.A. club denizens, who accepted them as just as loud, flashy, sexist, and obvious as any other mullet-tressed, leather-garbed brigade of guitar slingers, circa 1984. The resulting footage thus manages to lob its punch lines and build its characters (including some thinly veiled character assassinations of various industry folks) with a loose, tossed-away verve rooted in the improvisational approach. This Is Spinal Tap remains the funniest, and most truthful, look at rock culture ever filmed and a personal best for all involved. --Sam Sutherland
Description
You're about to get personal with one of music history's greatest and loudest heavy metal bands, Spinal Tap! Whether or not you're a die-hard fan of the group, you'll love this detailed "rockumentary" of Engand's legendary Spinal Tap. Acclaimed commercial director Marty DiBergi takes you behind the scenes for an intimate look at a band whose time has come and gone and come again and.... Through interviews, rare footage and lots of musicincluding classic Tap tunes like "Big Bottom" and "Hell Hole"you'll get acquainted with David St. Hubbins (lead guitar), Nigel Tufnel (lead guitar), Derek Smalls (lead bass) and every drummer who ever livedand diedfor this renowned rock band. Be a part of the sights, sounds and smells of this celebrated heavy metal phenomenon. It's an experience you'll never forget.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 368 more reviews...
 CRITERION version: accept no substitute! August 11, 2008
Mobtown Rat (Baltimore, MD)
I'd give Tap eleven stars if I could. I'd rate my purchase from Amazon Marketplace (from chinaski77) that high as well. Be sure to know exactly what the seller of this rarer version is ready to give you for your money. Fortunately, I got the best deal I could have imagined. My copy looks like it's missing only the original shrinkwrap. The price I paid is not much more than the original price that Criterion lists. As superior as this version is to the "Special Edition," it's not worth being snookered into paying $100+ for it. Shop with vigilence as much as with "confidence."
Now for the movie. Nothing more to say about Spinal Tap than has already been regurgitated for almost 25 years. You either revere it or don't get it.
As for the difference between Criterion's version and the recent "Special Edition," the former includes a terrific commentary track by director Rob Reiner and his production crew, and an equally great one by actors Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Sheerer. These commentaries go a long way toward giving viewers insight into the creative process gone through to make such a complex comedy. The latter DVD release contains neither of those tracks. Instead it replaces them with one done by the actors in character: Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins and Derek Smalls commenting on "rockumentary" director Marty DiBergi's portrayal of them. The mock track did nothing special for my viewing experience.
More simply put, if Tap is on your must-have list, the Criterion Collection's release is the one to buy. Finding a rental is very difficult.
Still the Funniest Rockumentary Ever Created June 23, 2008
Bryan A. Pfleeger (Metairie, Louisiana United States)
This is Spinal Tap has the distinction of being the funniest rockumentary ever created. Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer literally become the heavy metal band that they are playing. The movie shot in verite documentary style by Rob Reiner never ceases to hit all the situations of life on the road of a touring band on its last tour. In addition there are many cameos by some of Hollywoods funniest stars.
The disc that I viewed is the MGM Special Edition and it does not disappoint. In addition to a new digital transfer of the film we get the presentation in Dolby 5.1 which adds a lot to the "heavy metal" concert footage.
The disc features an audio commentary done by the band in character, over an hour of deleted scenes, music videos, commercials, an updated interview with Rob Reiner in his Marti DeBergi persona and more.
This is one that is worth checking out.
 Intravenous de Milo May 28, 2008
Michael LaRocca (Chiang Mai, Thailand)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I've finally seen this for the first time in 2008, and I'm 44 years old, making me a contemporary of Harry Shearer or something. Wow, talk about being behind the times.
There was no way this movie could live up to the hype. No way any movie could live up to what I heard about this when it was new. And a coworker gave away the best gag in the airport, which I'm not doing because I'm not such a spud.
Anyway, I smiled a lot and chuckled a time or two. I enjoyed the music, too, which was unexpected, really. But mainly, I came away from this wishing that Spinal Tap was a real band, and that's a nice trick, don't you think?
In short, this isn't "laugh out loud funny" as I was told over and over (and over) again, but it's certainly worth watching.
 Not good May 8, 2008
Ceagh J. Bennewate
0 out of 6 found this review helpful
I ordered this and another dvd. Neither of which ever got delivered. I've tried tracking these products to no avail
If you don't laugh all the way through this movie... April 18, 2008
Ms. Felicia Davis-burden (Staines, UK)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
... you're a preserved moose.
This is a masterpiece of satire and deliciously detailed comedy. It also bulges with some of the daftest, most accurate send-ups of how terrible rock lyrics often are - and how we've all bought the records by the ton! - an outrageously OTT Nigel Tufnel guitar-solo of a film!
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