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This Is Spinal Tap

This Is Spinal Tap

Comedy · Music · 1984

"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.

Movie details

This Is Spinal Tap

“Prepare to crank those amps up to eleven.”

1984 Comedy · Music 1h 22m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.4 / 10

Community rating

"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.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over This Is Spinal Tap?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

Wayne's World

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Rock 'n' Roll High School

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Comedy · 1979

A group of rock-music-loving students, with the help of the Ramones, take over their school to combat its newly installed oppressive administration.

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Pitch Perfect 3

Music · 2017

After the highs of winning the world championships, the Bellas find themselves split apart and discovering there aren't job prospects for making music with your mouth. But when they get the chance to reunite for an overseas USO tour, this group of awesome nerds will come together to make some music, and some questionable decisions, one last time.

A Very Jonas Christmas Movie

A Very Jonas Christmas Movie

Comedy · 2025

Kevin, Nick, and Joe Jonas face a series of escalating obstacles as they struggle to make it from London to New York in time to spend Christmas with their families.

Airheads

Airheads

Comedy · 1994

The Lone Rangers have heavy-metal dreams and a single demo tape they can't get anyone to play. The solution: Hijack an FM rock radio station and hold the deejays hostage until they agree to broadcast the band's tape.

The Rocker

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Comedy · 2008

In the 1980s, a drummer is abandoned by his band just before they become rock superstars. Twenty years later, the drummer sees his second chance at stardom arise when he is asked to perform with his teenage nephew's high school rock band.

Josie and the Pussycats

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Bill & Ted Face the Music

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Comedy · 2020

Yet to fulfill their rock and roll destiny, the stakes are higher than ever for the now middle-aged Bill and Ted who set out on a new adventure when a visitor from the future warns them that only their song can save life as we know it.

Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Rob Reiner

Written by

Rob Reiner · Christopher Guest · Michael McKean · Harry Shearer

Christopher Guest

Christopher Guest

Nigel Tufnel

Michael McKean

Michael McKean

David St. Hubbins

Harry Shearer

Harry Shearer

Derek Smalls

Rob Reiner

Rob Reiner

Marty DiBergi

June Chadwick

June Chadwick

Jeanine Pettibone

Tony Hendra

Tony Hendra

Ian Faith

Bruno Kirby

Bruno Kirby

Tommy Pischedda

Court is in session

Put This Is Spinal Tap on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.