From the mid-1980s to the early 1990s, director Rob Reiner went on a remarkable stretch of helming all-time classics in various genres. The streak started with his debut feature This Is Spinal Tap, a 1984 mockumentary that chronicled the titular English rock band’s United States tour. This Is Spinal Tap wasn’t a box office success when it was originally released, but it caught on with people once it hit the home media market, and now it’s considered one of the finest comedies ever made. Decades later, Reiner has reunited with stars Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer for the sequel Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, and they’ve amusingly broken down the new film.
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Speaking with ComicBook, Reiner, McKean, Guest, and Shearer all did interviews in character to talk about Spinal Tap reuniting after all these years. “We try not to change too much, but we’ve gotta be realistic,” said David St. Hubbins (McKean) when asked about the band members’ distinct hairstyles. “We’re not what we were. We’re not spring chickens … we’re lucky to have what hair we have.”
Director Marty DiBergi (Reiner) explained what drew him to the project. “I didn’t have much of a reputation to put on the line the first time. To me, it was an opportunity to establish myself as a filmmaker, which I did for a minute, when I did the sequel to Kramer vs. Kramer — Kramer vs. Kramer vs. Godzilla,” he said. “Then, my career went in the toilet. So, I was very fortunate that Spinal Tap … I didn’t reunite them, they were forced into being reunited because there was a contract that [band manager] Ian Faith’s daughter inherited and called for one more performance.”
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues Is Arriving at the Perfect Time
The original This Is Spinal Tap is one of the best works of satire out there, hilariously lampooning the behaviors of popular rock bands and the entire concept of rock documentaries. It was released during what was arguably a golden era for parody movies. In the 1980s, audiences were constantly entertained by comedies such as Airplane!, The Naked Gun, Spaceballs, and more. As time went on, these kinds of films started to go out of style, but recently, they’ve been making a comeback.
In August, The Naked Gun reboot starring Liam Neeson earned positive reviews, with many critics hailing it as a glorious return for the theatrical comedy. In addition to being well-received, the new Naked Gun was a box office success, grossing nearly $100 million worldwide against a $42 million production budget. Next year sees the release of Scary Movie 6, which will stage loving parodies of several of the current era’s best horror films. There’s definitely been a comedic void in the marketplace, so the timing couldn’t have been better for Spinal Tap II to hit theaters.
Over the last decade or so, there’s also been a wave of legacy sequels that bank on nostalgia for beloved properties. This trend isn’t relegated for just major blockbuster franchises like Star Wars or Jurassic Park; there’s also been an abundance of comedy legacy sequels looking to recapture the glory days of their respective predecessors. The Spinal Tap sequel getting off the ground now can be read as Reiner and Co.’s way of getting in on this movement. In fact, Stranger Things serving up ’80s nostalgia sparked Reiner with the idea for Spinal Tap II. It’ll be interesting to see if the sequel becomes one of the better legacy sequels.
Odds are, it will. Reiner and his cast are clearly passionate about the material, and their sense of humor hasn’t lost a step in the decades since the original. The film may not be a breakout hit at the box office this fall, but it should definitely find its audience and gain a passionate following just as its predecessor did 40 years ago.
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Image courtesy of Focus Features.
