By Even those unfamiliar with where the phrase came from (and yes, such people exist) know “It goes to 11.” This, and so many other cultural/musical/movie touchstones, were bestowed on us by the 1984 mockumentary This Is Spïnal Tap.
Should you need a refresher, This Is Spïnal Tap was directed by Rob Reiner, written by Christopher Guest & Michael McKean & Reiner & Harry Shearer, all of whom also starred in the film. Reiner played insecure documentarian Marty DiBergi, who is chronicling the latest tour of loud English metal band Spïnal Tap, whose main members are Nigel Tufnel (Guest), David St. Hubbins (McKean), and Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer). The mixture of head-banging music parody and improvised wit in depicting incredible sincerity, self-absorption, and stupidity has seldom been matched.
This Is Spïnal Tap didn’t find a huge audience on its initial theatrical release, but when it came out as a video rental (in the heyday of that phenomenon), it became a cult hit.
Now, 41 years later, the band – behind the scenes and onscreen – is back together for Spïnal Tap II: The End Continues. This is to say, Reiner is directing, the quartet wrote the script together, and everyone is back in their original roles.
The Plot Line of Spinal Tap II: The End Continues
The story is that the guys, having not spoken for 15 years, find themselves contractually obligated to do one last concert in New Orleans. This show is unlike the dodgy ones in the original Spïnal Tap, as the band in reality has a legion of screaming fans, and the movie sees no reason not to take advantage of that. Marty DiBergi is back to chronicle this reunion/one night only event, as well as the rehearsals/prep.
Celebrity Cameos in Spinal Tap II: The End Continues
There are some big-name “guest” appearances – Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John both have enough screen time to qualify as more than cameos and are both very funny (and very good sports) – and some callbacks to original characters/cast members. Bobbi Fleckman. Artie Fufkin. Reiner knows his audience.
Everybody is 41 years older and it definitely shows. Instead of sending up young proud metalheads, Spïnal Tap II has aged along with those acts that started in the ‘70s and ‘80s and are still touring, bringing the attitude of youth in performance through much more mature bodies and faces.
The music remains gloriously absurd. FutureAudiophile.com sometimes reviews retro equipment and could probably spend a year exploring what Nigel brings along with him specifically with his pedal board. The volume is loud, although it doesn’t seem as likely to threaten eardrums as it did back in ’84.
Some Final Thoughts on Spinal Tap II: The End Continues
But what’s perhaps most amazing about Spïnal Tap II: The End Continues is that what we’re experiencing as viewers does seem like a genuine continuation. Sure, the faces are lined, but when the trio are together, it’s as if they never stopped bickering. Likewise, the tone is exactly the same – it’s as if the entirety of This Is Spïnal Tap turned out to be a longer movie that went through a time machine, brought everybody into the present, and simply kept going from where they’d left off earlier.
If you loved This Is Spïnal Tap, you will very likely love Spïnal Tap II: The End Continues. This is a laugh-out-loud film that will appeal nearly any and all audiophiles regardless of age.
