Back in 1984, Rob Reiner teamed up with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer to revolutionize film comedy with one of Hollywood’s first mockumentaries, This is Spinal Tap. Satirically lampooning rockumentaries like Gimme Shelter and Don’t Look Back, which were very popular at the time, This is Spinal Tap captured the imaginations of fans of rock, fans of comedy, and especially fans of both rock and comedy.
The movie is the source of dozens of quotable lines and memorable gags, and it’s one of the comedy genre’s defining classics. Here are 10 interesting details from the making of This is Spinal Tap.
Most Of The Dialogue Was Improvised
A lot of mockumentaries have scripted dialogue, like The Office, but this adds a layer of Hollywood falseness to the supposed authenticity of the documentary format. Most of the dialogue in This is Spinal Tap was improvised by the actors.
Due to this, Rob Reiner, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer went to the Writers’ Guild to see if the performers could get credited for their work on the proverbial script. However, the Writers’ Guild only allowed the four of them to have writing credits on the film.
Penelope Spheeris Turned Down The Chance To Direct
Before Rob Reiner decided to direct This is Spinal Tap himself, Penelope Spheeris was offered the chance to helm the project. Spheeris was known as a director of genuine rock documentaries like The Decline of Western Civilization and its sequel, The Metal Years.
However, she turned down the Spinal Tap offer, because she didn’t want to make fun of rock music. Spheeris would later helm Wayne’s World, a parody of rock culture, and had a nightmarish time working with Mike Myers, whom she went on to describe as an unbearable diva.
Some Audience Members Thought It Was A Straight Rockumentary About A Real Band
Before Google and IMDb, it was difficult to know if you were buying a ticket to see a satire. Just as some audience members went into Monty Python and the Holy Grail expecting a straight Arthurian period piece, some audience members thought that This is Spinal Tap was a genuine documentary about a real band.
After it hit theaters, a number of fans told Rob Reiner that they’d enjoyed the movie, but that he should’ve picked a more famous band to document.
The Fun Of Filming This Is Spinal Tap Saved Tony Hendra From Depression
In his memoir, Tony Hendra detailed a suicide attempt on the night before the first day of shooting This is Spinal Tap. He said that the fun of making the movie saved him from his depression.
The Entire Movie Was Shot In Los Angeles
According to the Criterion audio commentary for This is Spinal Tap, despite the fact that the band does a lot of touring throughout the movie, the entire picture was shot in Los Angeles County. It isn’t noticeable in many scenes. However, palm trees can be spotted outside a venue that’s supposed to be in New York.
R.J. Parnell Got Cast After Sharing Stories Of His Failed Bands At His Audition
R.J. Parnell landed the role of Mick Shrimpton when he came into his audition and told the casting directors stories about all the failed bands he’d been a part of. Funnily enough, he ended up playing the drums on Toni Basil’s “Mickey,” one of the biggest hits of 1982, the year in which This is Spinal Tap is set.
A Hilarious Anecdote Inspired Christopher Guest To Create Nigel Tufnel
Christopher Guest first got the idea for the character that would become Nigel Tufnel when he was waiting for a friend in a hotel lobby and he overheard a rock band checking in. The band’s bassist only realized he’d left his bass guitar at the airport when they already arrived at the hotel.
Eventually, Guest’s Nigel character got together with Michael McKean’s David St. Hubbins character and Harry Shearer’s Derek Smalls character to start a band, whose name was originally spelled “Spynal Tap.”
In A Deleted Subplot, Every Member Of Spinal Tap Contracted Herpes
In a subplot that ended up getting deleted from This is Spinal Tap, the band slept with their one of their opening acts and they all contracted herpes from them. Despite the fact that the subplot was removed, viewers can still see that the band members have cold sores in some scenes.
Rob Reiner Was Originally Going To Play A Band Member
Originally, Rob Reiner was going to play a member of the band. However, Harry Shearer suggested that he play the fictional director instead, because he didn’t look good in spandex.
According to Reiner’s Criterion commentary, the name of his character, Marty DiBergi, is a combination of the names of four legendary filmmakers: Martin Scorsese, Brian De Palma, Steven Spielberg, and either Michelangelo Antonioni or Federico Fellini.
Many Real-Life Rock Stars Have Testified To The Movie’s Accuracy
Since the release of This is Spinal Tap, many real-life rock stars have testified to the film’s accuracy. Ozzy Osbourne was so convinced by the movie’s portrayal of life as a rock musician in the ‘80s that he didn’t laugh the first time he watched it because he didn’t realize it was a comedy.
In the documentary It Might Get Loud, U2’s guitarist the Edge said that on his first viewing of This is Spinal Tap, he cried instead of laughing because the film gave such a sharp critique of the rock industry at the time.
