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Customer Reviews of The Return of Spinal Tap

Essential viewing for any Taphead
Let me start off by saying that This is - Spinal Tap would rate among my favourite comedies, if not my favourite movies of all time. Having made it through my teenage years on a staple diet of mullet metal like Kiss, Led Zeppelin and Iron Maiden Spinal Tap was always the perfect parody of metal, particularly 70s and 80s metal at is most err eccentric.

Having said that people should not go out and hire this movie expecting a direct sequel to the original. From the looks of things, given the Bob Geldof cameo, this was a charity performance at Royal Albert Hall for BandAid or Comic Relief or something put on by Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest and Michael McKean in their Spinal Tap gimmics.

This is predominatly a live concert video of songs from the original movie as well as the "followup album" Break Like the Wind. The musicianship is excellent, particularly the lead work from Nigel / Guest and they still haven't lost their satirical edge when it comes to sending up the metal genre. Of particular note is Nigel's big solo spot where he juggles whilst playing guitar with his foot.

Interspersed with this are skits where Nigel and David return to their child hood neighbourhood and we catch up with Marti Di Bergi and where his film making career has taken him. The most priceless segments of Return of Spinal Tape are the movies revelations of what David, Derek and Nigel have been doing in between the two movies, which time wise are set 10 years apart. David receives a stipend for his work coaching a women's soccer team, Derek inherits his father's business as a telephone sanitiser and Nigel delivers more timeless lines detailing his work as an inventer and animal rights activist.

Being much more music orientated than the original people who are not fans of this genre of music will not get as much enjoyment as they did from the original and may even want to fast forward to next vignette / skit of the guys off stage. This would be a perfect companion to This is Spinal Tap if it was also made available on DVD, possibly in a boxset with the original. While not essential viewing like This Is Spinal Tap, anyone who is a fan of the first movie should not pass up the chance to watch this film.

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I liked it - apparently better than most!
After reading other reviews, I guess I'm thinking on a different plane. I loved the video. True - it should have been called "Spinal Tap Live" or something like that. However, I bought it on-line with the expectation of getting a live concert. And I wasn't dissappointed. Those guys can rock with the best of them - especially when you take into account the fact that they are actors playing musicians. These guys didn't pretend to be jamming (ala the Monkees) they were the genuine article. I actually fast fowarded through the commentaries to get on with the music. I do suggest though that before you watch it, that you get the sound track to "This is Spinal Tap" and "Break Like the Wind" and be familiar with the basic reproitore of Spinal Tap songs. Trust me - when you know all of the verses to the songs, which you don't hear in the movie, the concert means alot more, i.e. "Stonehenge", "Flower People", "All the Way Home", etc. I loved the way during "Rock and Roll Creation" that a chicken came out of the egg and then Derek Smalls came from side-stage, reminiscent of his getting stuck in the podd in the movie. Also the oversized Stonehenge monument that couldn't fit through the door. It was these subtle reminders of movie concert footage that made the live show great. Some songs were ommitted that I would liked to have heard - like "Gimme Some Money" & "Heavy Duty Rock and Roll," but all in all I was truly impressed. The final moment when the dead doves fell on the stage was perfect.

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Know what to expect
Those who loved This Is Spinal Tap generally divide into two categories: those who love heavy metal and those who hate it. If you fall into the latter, The Return of Spinal Tap is probably not for you. If, on the other hand, you watched the movie and then went out and bought the soundtrack... it's definitely worth your time. You should know, though, what to expect beforehand.

The Return of Spinal Tap is not a satire or a mockumentary like This Is Spinal Tap. It's nothing more and nothing less than Spinal Tap Live. Don't get me wrong: Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer are still funny as hell; but the brilliant commentaries carry less weight in favor of the music. And why not? The joke could never have been as funny the second time around, so instead, the three just decided to have some fun, returning to their beloved characters and living out the dream of doing a big rock concert in front of a huge crowd. Frankly, the concert segments are much funnier this time around, with the on-stage antics of the three brilliant comedians, as well as winks back to the first movie in segments like 'Rock N' Roll Creation' and 'Stonehenge'. Plus, you get to sing along to all the beloved, cheesy, brilliantly idiotic songs from the first movie, like 'Big Bottom', 'Sex Farm', 'Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight', '(Listen To The) Flower People', 'Hell Hole' and 'All The Way Home'. Also you get a bunch of great new songs like 'Bitch School', 'Break Like The Wind', 'Clam Caravan' and 'Cash On Delivery' with a rare lead vocal performance by Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer - by now, keep in mind, a Simpsons veteran).

Before you watch The Return Of Spinal Tap, you should ask yourself two questions. The first is - do I really love Spinal Tap, or did I like it just for the satire? If you really loved the first movie, you'll love seeing the beloved old characters of Smalls, St. Hubbins and Tuffnel return. The second is - would I enjoy watching a Kiss concert? If you answered both these questions with a positive reply, watch it.