24 Amazing Publicity Photos From the Set of “This Is Spinal Tap” (1984)

This Is Spinal Tap is a 1984 American mockumentary comedy film co-written and directed by Rob Reiner (in his feature directorial debut). The film stars Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer as members of the heavy metal band Spinal Tap, who are characterized as “one of England’s loudest bands.” Reiner plays Martin “Marty” Di Bergi, a documentary filmmaker who follows them on their American tour. The film satirizes the behavior and musical pretensions of rock bands and the perceived hagiographic tendencies of rock documentaries such as The Song Remains the Same (1976) and The Last Waltz (1978), and follows the similar All You Need Is Cash (1978) by the Rutles. Most of its dialogue was improvised and dozens of hours were filmed.

Guest, McKean, and Shearer went to great lengths to make Spinal Tap look like a real heavy metal band, specifically through their flamboyant clothing and hair. The portrayal was so effective that many filmgoers thought they were watching a documentary about a real musical group. American talk show host Joe Franklin also was unaware that the band was a parody when he interviewed the actors in 1984.

The film features several running jokes, most notably the ones about the mysterious deaths of the band’s drummers, starting with John “Stumpy” Pepys (portrayed by Ed Begley, Jr.), who died in a “bizarre gardening accident.” Subsequent drummers died by aspiration and asphyxiation and, in two separate incidents, of spontaneous combustion. In one of the film’s most famous scenes, Nigel Tufnel proudly shows documentary filmmaker Marty DiBergi a custom-made guitar amplifier with knobs that can take the volume, tone, and effects settings to a maximum of 11, rather than the standard 10, whenever the band’s music needs an extra boost onstage—which inserted the phrase “up to eleven” into the public parlance. In 2002 the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary added the phrase and defined it as “up to maximum volume.”

Guest, McKean, and Shearer were experienced musicians who played their own instruments for the songs in the film. R.J. Parnell was a drummer in several bands, including the progressive rock band Atomic Rooster, and David Kaff also had a musical background. Reiner, Guest, McKean, and Shearer wrote all of the songs performed in the film, including “Sex Farm,” “Gimme Some Money,” “(Listen to the) Flower People,” and “Big Bottom.” The film also includes cameo appearances by notable American actors Billy Crystal, Anjelica Huston, Fran Drescher, and Fred Willard.

This Is Spinal Tap was released to critical acclaim, but its initial release found only modest commercial success. Its later VHS release brought it greater success and a cult following. In 2002, it was deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress, and was selected for preservation by the National Film Registry. It has been credited with “effectively” launching the mockumentary genre.

A sequel, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, directed by Reiner with Guest, McKean, and Shearer reprising their roles as members of Spinal Tap reuniting for one final concert, is set for release in September 2025.