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A Mighty Tap

Today a look at two very funny movies in the "musical mockumentary" genre - if such a genre exists!

This Is Spinal Tap was a 1984 "mockumentary" chronicling the musical adventures of the fictitious heavy metal band Spinal Tap. The movie, co-written and directed by Rob Reiner who also played the part of film maker/director Marti DiBergi a parody of Martin Scorcese, was hilarious. The film starred and was co-written by Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer.

Here's a hilarious send-up of a heavy metal tune called Big Bottom where, on one level the meaning is very clear and on a more subtle level the "bottom" is underlined by the fact the main band members all play bass guitars, including the bass player who playes a double base!




McKean, Guest and Shearer reunited in 2003's A Mighty Wind another mockumentary, this time around about folk music. This film was co-written and directed by Guest and starred many of the actors who had starred in Tap and in the subsequent series of "improvisational" films Waiting For Guffman and Best in Show. Here's a clip of McKean, Guest and Shearer as The Folksmen performing "Old Joe's Place":

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Anonymous said…
My hubs and I love these movies. The humor is so dry and funny.

Best In Show is my personal favorite.

Thanks for bringing these to mind!
15 May 2009 at 11:20
nonamedufus said…
Quirky: Those Christopher Guest movies are such a hoot. He gives himself a writing credit but most of the dialogue is improvised. Funny stuff. And Fred Willard and Eugene Levy are priceless!
15 May 2009 at 15:55
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