This Is Spinal Tap - 35 Years Old

[Sexton Brackets Drugbust]

Given that he tends to play outlandish, larger than life characters, I love how Willard's playing it totally straight in Tap.

[samadriel]

Hey, wha' happen?!

"He went for her like she was made out of ham!"

[thraxx]

He's amazing in all the Guest films too.
A real Tour de France.

He's even better in Best In Show and the only thing I like in A Mighty Wind. And in another thread we were talking about how good he is in Review with Forrest MacNeil.

[DrGreggles]

He's even better in Best In Show

Best In (Stealing The) Show more like!

[Better Midlands]

So glad my first viewing of this was on late night TV (late 80s/early 90s) knowing nothing about it or rock music, I missed about the first 15 mins so didn't see Billy Crystal or Patrick Macnee and the mockumentry style was new, so I was totally taken in. I remember Bruno Kirby (the chaffeur) was familiar (looking on IMDB probably from Birdy & When Harry Met Sally) but it was realistic enough to take a while before I twigged - it was just too funny to be real.

[famethrowa]

I remember Bruno Kirby (the chaffeur)

Fuckin' Limmy!

[c]

I think at first the problem is that he genuinely doesn't know how to fold it - but notice how he subtly shifts the goalposts after Ian shows him how it's done.

"Yes, but if you keep folding it..."
"Why would you keep folding it?"

Team QDRPHNC

[Ferris]

How great is Fred Willard in this? All of this:

'May I start by saying how thrilled we are to have you here. We are such fans of your music. All of your records. I'm not speaking of yours personally but the whole genre of the rock and roll and all the exciting things that are happening in music today. Now let me tell you a bit about what's going on. This is our monthly at-ease weekend. It gives us a chance to kind of let down our hair, although I see you all have a head start on that. *Laughing* You guys wouldn't pass military muster, believe me. Although I shouldn't talk, my hair is getting a little shaggy too. Better not get too close to you, they'll think I'm part of the band. I'm joking of course.'

AMAZING

I can hear him doing these lines. Making me laugh.

[kalowski]

How great is Fred Willard in this? All of this:

'May I start by saying how thrilled we are to have you here. We are such fans of your music. All of your records. I'm not speaking of yours personally but the whole genre of the rock and roll and all the exciting things that are happening in music today. Now let me tell you a bit about what's going on. This is our monthly at-ease weekend. It gives us a chance to kind of let down our hair, although I see you all have a head start on that. *Laughing* You guys wouldn't pass military muster, believe me. Although I shouldn't talk, my hair is getting a little shaggy too. Better not get too close to you, they'll think I'm part of the band. I'm joking of course.'

AMAZING

"I would like to get the playing  on about 1900 hours, if that is satisfactory?"
"When will that be?"
"I make it now it is about 1830 hours."
"So that's what? about 50 hours?"
"120 hours?"

[HAVANAGILA]

Just to add to the Willard love, he appears as a replacement church organist in the third episode of new Netflix comedy I Think You Should Leave (see separate thread) and is predictably show-stealing. In fact I'd probably have missed the whole series if I hadn't seen Jason Hazeley rhapsodising over Fred's scene on Twitter.

Back on topic - haven't watched it in ages but I remember FW's in-character interview describing the fallout from the Air Force base gig as the clear standout section from The Return Of Spinal Tap.

[xxxx xxx x xxx]

It's just occurred to me that the only real-life musician referenced in the film is Elvis, there's no lazy shoving them onto mocked up bills with the Beatles or what have you. (I think the King in a musical version of "Somebody Up There Likes Me" would have been awesome, btw).

Let's not forget Four Jacks And A Jill!

[kalowski]

Right now, on Sky Arts, Paul Weller is playing a collection of his acoustic numbers with the London Philharmonic. If only he followed it with his musical about Jack the Ripper.

[DrGreggles]

A Mighty Wind contains the funniest slap in comedy history.

https://youtu.be/9nNT8DOIaiA?t=206

[famethrowa]

Right now, on Sky Arts, Paul Weller is playing a collection of his acoustic numbers with the London Philharmonic. If only he followed it with his musical about Jack the Ripper.

Saucy Jack!
you're a haughty one

[kalowski]

I've just remembered one of my favourite blink and you miss it gags.
Spinal Pap.

[famethrowa]

I've just remembered one of my favourite blink and you miss it gags.
Spinal Pap.

You are.... Spinal Tarp?

[kalowski]

Oh, no! I told them once, I told them a hundred times: put "Spinal Tap"  first and "Puppet show" last.

[drdad]

Oh, no! I told them once, I told them a hundred times: put "Spinal Tap"  first and "Puppet show" last.

We've got a big dressing room, though.

[Clive Langham]

My favourite exchange is near the end when  Nigel informs the rest of the band that "Sex Farm" is number five in Japan, and Derek asks "Spinal Tap's recording of Sex Farm?", as if "Sex Farm" is a well-loved standard with dozens of cover versions of it.

[poodlefaker]

I learned this weekend that the audiobook of Morrissey's Autobiography is read by the actor David Morrissey. Glad to see The Namesake Series is still in production.

[Jumblegraws]

Mick Shrimpton staring around with his mouth hanging open during the post-Stonehenge argument always does it for me.

[vic spanner]

My favourite exchange is near the end when  Nigel informs the rest of the band that "Sex Farm" is number five in Japan, and Derek asks "Spinal Tap's recording of Sex Farm?", as if "Sex Farm" is a well-loved standard with dozens of cover versions of it.

I think he's saying that to rebuke Nigel, who at that point isn't part of Spinal Tap, hence the emphasis on the band's name.

[Rizla]

Let's not forget Four Jacks And A Jill!

Ah yeah, but they're so obscure most people would assume they were made up, it's such a twee band name it's perfect for the scene.

I like how on "Big Bottom", because Nigel and David are both playing bass as well, Derek feels the need to use a twin-neck.

[LORD BAD VIBE]

"Well, I'm sure I'd feel much worse if I wasn't under such heavy sedation..."

[St_Eddie]

"Well, I'm sure I'd feel much worse if I wasn't under such heavy sedation..."

Hah.  I'm glad that you mentioned this quote.  For some bizarre reason it's been entering my head on and off for the last couple of weeks.  No other quotes, just that one.

[a duncandisorderly]

"Well, I'm sure I'd feel much worse if I wasn't under such heavy sedation..."

"well, I've... got two hands...."

[phantom_power]

I bought the Blu-Ray based on this thread. It's got Return Of Spinal Tap on it as well, which is a bonus. All I have watched so far is a shit talking heads documentary with Justin Lee Collins and Ricky Gervais being predictably awful and self aggrandising. There are loads of extras on it though, including the band talking about the menu in character and an interview with Reg Pressley for some reason

[poodlefaker]

The Troggs Tapes were a big influence: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Troggs_Tapes

[amateur]

God it's a good film. Decided to watch tonight after reading through this thread.

All gold, but Ian's "Forget this! Fuck the napkin!" particularly hit home.

[a duncandisorderly]

God it's a good film. Decided to watch tonight after reading through this thread.

All gold, but Ian's "Forget this! Fuck the napkin!" particularly hit home.

I used to say "fuck the napkin!" in meetings sometimes when someone or other would start on about how a project had changed course & wasn't like the original plan anymore. I'd follow up by explaining that a project is a living thing & needs to change during its life-span to accommodate external changes & so forth. "fuck the napkin!" would get their attention first.

ah, cross-posting from the M-FMH! thread about dave edmunds- here's the video I was looking for earlier in this thread where DE is looking & acting most tufnel-ish.

https://www.facebook.com/BBCArchive/videos/1973-nationwide-monmouthshire-sound-dave-edmunds/358255074772368/