Spinal Tap: Not a Score... But Still Epic (And Loud!)

Alright soundtrack nerds (like myself!), let's talk This Is Spinal Tap. Okay, obviously, it's not a score per se, but hear me out! As a dude obsessed with how music elevates a film, this movie is a goldmine of hilariously bad, yet strangely compelling, rock anthems. The songs are part of the joke, but they also are the soundtrack to Spinal Tap's disastrous comeback tour. I mean, "Stonehenge"? "Big Bottom"? Genius. Sheer, unadulterated genius! It's all so intentionally bad, it wraps back around to being brilliant satire. What really sells it for me, beyond the songs themselves, is how Rob Reiner uses the 'documentary' format. The band's reactions to everything going wrong -- from the amps only going up to 11 (duh!) to the shrinking Stonehenge prop -- are priceless. And honestly, I find myself humming "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight" way more often than is probably healthy. Nigel Tufnel's guitar collection bit is also legitimately one of the funniest things ever put on film. I love how the band's musical journey is a roller coaster of creativity, ego, and complete lack of self-awareness. It's not exactly Hans Zimmer or John Williams, but in terms of how much a film's music contributes to its overall impact and humor, "This Is Spinal Tap" is right up there. It's a mockumentary that actually gets music, even if it's poking fun at it. A perfectly executed critique of the music industry at the time, and the egos behind it. Also, I now know what a bread roll is, thanks to Jeanine. Plus, I'd argue that the band's original songs are actually pretty decent, in an 80s rock kind of way. I wish they'd release a true score version that features more of the instrumental aspects of those songs. Could you imagine? Maybe I'm alone on that, but anyway, what are your favorite Spinal Tap moments/songs? Let's discuss!