This is Spinal Tap is on...er...tap for tonight. I referenced this movie earlier when reviewing Waiting for Guffman as part of the Z to A project (I just named it that tonight, clever eh?). Those mockumentary or in this case Rockumentary type films crack me up. It is the deadpan delivery of this kind of comedy that takes itself so seriously that appeals to me. I love it. This great hair band called Spinal Tap falling from popularity and working through canceled gigs all while being recorded by a film crew. This movie has classic rock band drama as well, (not "classic rock" band drama because they are like a hard rock/metal band, but it is "classic" in the sense that bands have some drama- I felt the need to explain that) the band's frontmen have a bit of a falling out and we as the viewers of this documentary get to witness that relationship evolve. I wikipediaed this film too for some further information, I learned that many rock bands of the time said that this movie accurately described their lives and that viewers thought that Spinal Tap was an actual band. Who said you cannot learn from wikipedia?
This is Spinal Tap is also chock full of super stars, there are so many guest stars in addition to the Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer as Spinal Tap there is a little bit of Rob Reiner, Fran Dresher, Angelica Houston, Paul Schaffer, Howard Hesseman, Bruno Kirby, Billy Crystal, Fred Willard, Paul Benedict, just so many people! Interesting side note, this is the second movie in my collection with Bruno Kirby and Billy Crystal, the first was When Harry met Sally, come to think of it Rob Reiner directed that film...I wonder if all three men are friends in real life and that is how they ended up working together. Hollywood must be just as small of a world as higher ed. It makes sense though, that folks in higher ed would have lots of connections, we are the facilitators of millions of ice breakers and make a living by building relationships with others. If we did not make friends at every conference or on the shuttle from the airport, well just about anywhere, we die a little on the inside.
Spinal Tap also highlights how it the band has trouble keeping a drummer, you know because "dozens of people spontaneously combust each year, it is just not widely recorded." Or the drummer that died choking on someone else's vomit, because you cannot dust vomit for prints to determine who it belonged too. Lines like that and when they are describing a new type of music that is a "combination of Mozart and Bach called Mach," really just make me smile. This was a great movie selection for tonight. I even love in the special feature as we catch up with Marty DiBergi the man behind the creation of this rockumentary, comes back and then the members of Spinal Tap are appalled that people laugh at this movie. If you have not seen this film, I recommend it.
How can we use this movie on campus? I am not sure. That was a hard one to think of a way to program with it. There might be a little bit of roommate education in this film. Nigel and David start the film as best friends and great collaborators and they go through a falling out. You could watch this movie and see how not communicating about what is wrong with you, or letting a third party (like someone's girlfriend) get involved in your argument could ruin your roomieship. Ok, I will acknowledge that is a rotten idea but it is an idea! Mission of blog post accomplished.
No comments:
Post a Comment