Music Banter - View Single Post - WolfAtTheDoor's movies that he definitely should've seen before... review.

WolfAtTheDoor · 10-06-2009, 05:56 AM

This Is Spinal Tap

As a music fan, I suppose it could be seen as strange that I have only recently watched This Is Spinal Tap from beginning to end. After doing so, however, I find myself a little disappointed.

As a parody of life out on the road, This Is Spinal Tap succeeds on all accounts. It perfectly mimics the egocentric and absent-minded nature of your average rockstar, and its satirical eye gazes over everything from skin tight stage wear to a John/Yoko romance. You can see that the director has carefully thumbed through 'How To Be a Rockstar 101' and decided that he's going to include everything he possibly can.

So, the floppy-haired goons on the stage are, predictably, the butt of all the jokes. This is in no way a bad thing, as the acting all-round is superb (especially considering that Harry Shearer and Michael McKean aren't actually British), and it's a testament to their skills that the characters still remained endearing and likeable despite their idiotic nature.

The comic-timing is also very spot-on, with each of the set-pieces (stonehenge, the pods etc) being allowed enough time to flourish without ever becoming stale.

So, what was it exactly that disappointed me about This Is Spinal Tap? Well, to put it bluntly; I didn't laugh. Whilst I acknowledged that it was a witty and intelligent piece of work, it never generated the belly-rumbling guffaws that I expected it to, and because of this it didn't leave the lasting impression upon me that I expected it to.

By no means does this make it unwatchable, though. It's inability to make me laugh is probably connected to my lack of understanding of the source material, and I can imagine that for a band just starting out on the road this is a definite must-see. However, as I am not an aspiring rockstar, nor do I know any aspiring rockstars, I found myself unable to connect with the numerous jokes thrust upon me.

I'm sure many, if not all of you have at somepoint seen This Is Spinal Tap. However, if you are one of the very few that haven't, I suggest that you do so. You will almost definitely laugh more than I did.

Rating:

6 amps (turned up to 11)

10-06-2009, 05:56 AM	#9 (permalink)
WolfAtTheDoor ironing your socks Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: I'm in a rocknroll band. huh. Posts: 396	This Is Spinal Tap As a music fan, I suppose it could be seen as strange that I have only recently watched This Is Spinal Tap from beginning to end. After doing so, however, I find myself a little disappointed. As a parody of life out on the road, This Is Spinal Tap succeeds on all accounts. It perfectly mimics the egocentric and absent-minded nature of your average rockstar, and its satirical eye gazes over everything from skin tight stage wear to a John/Yoko romance. You can see that the director has carefully thumbed through 'How To Be a Rockstar 101' and decided that he's going to include everything he possibly can. So, the floppy-haired goons on the stage are, predictably, the butt of all the jokes. This is in no way a bad thing, as the acting all-round is superb (especially considering that Harry Shearer and Michael McKean aren't actually British), and it's a testament to their skills that the characters still remained endearing and likeable despite their idiotic nature. The comic-timing is also very spot-on, with each of the set-pieces (stonehenge, the pods etc) being allowed enough time to flourish without ever becoming stale. So, what was it exactly that disappointed me about This Is Spinal Tap? Well, to put it bluntly; I didn't laugh. Whilst I acknowledged that it was a witty and intelligent piece of work, it never generated the belly-rumbling guffaws that I expected it to, and because of this it didn't leave the lasting impression upon me that I expected it to. By no means does this make it unwatchable, though. It's inability to make me laugh is probably connected to my lack of understanding of the source material, and I can imagine that for a band just starting out on the road this is a definite must-see. However, as I am not an aspiring rockstar, nor do I know any aspiring rockstars, I found myself unable to connect with the numerous jokes thrust upon me. I'm sure many, if not all of you have at somepoint seen This Is Spinal Tap. However, if you are one of the very few that haven't, I suggest that you do so. You will almost definitely laugh more than I did. Rating: 6 amps (turned up to 11) __________________ *press your space face close to mine, love* Last edited by WolfAtTheDoor; 10-25-2009 at 08:09 PM.