Back From The Dead (+DVD) [Digipak] - Spinal Tap

Advantages: Quite funny
Disadvantages: Those stupid hair styles annoyed me throughout

...So what can I say about This is Spinal Tap. Well you scum you've broken me I'll first give you an necessary plot summary. Let us begin The film is a spoof documentary following a ficticious rock band around on their American Tour. The band are failing after having early success and there is a lot of friction between the guitarist and the frontman's girlfriend. (Alot of Yoko Ono allusions made) The film is a satirical look at all the crapy 80s rockbands Guns'n'Roses etc. The music strangely isnt all as bad as I thought it would be and the lyrics must have been Tenacious D's inspiration. It's a greatcomedy goofy charcters and alot of jokes about contemporary bands (contemporary for the time). It's also got Hank Azaria in it from the Simpsons for any fans. He doesnt seem to get much credit for being in it as he's largely a quiet... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Very funny, loads of music references, classic quotable scenes
Disadvantages: A bit dated perhaps, limited appeal - but not as limited as some suggest

...Reality TV and fly-on-the-wall documentaries seem to be the scourge of modern times. In fact, they?re not a new phenomenon. This is the story of legendary rock band Spinal Tap. A documentary ? or ?rockumentary? if you will ? of their ill-fated US tour in 1984? ?This Is Spinal Tap? is a typical cult film. Quite well known-of I think, but perhaps not as widely watched. The band involved (the eponymous Spinal Tap) can only really be called ?mostly fictional? ? they played the songs from this film, which were released as a soundtrack, and another album. Director Marti DiBergi is hired to follow Spinal Tap ? who despite a few hits are clearly past it and commercially unsuccessful ? on a US tour. It being like a tour diary, there?s not so much of a clear plot, but the film traces their dealings with an unsupportive record company, drugs... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Intriguing, a bit different
Disadvantages: Need to suspend disbelief, some bad special effects

...effects. There is a weird green pool though that appears to be the gateway to the dead - this is full of some really strange green slime that looks fake - the sort you see thrown over contestants in children's programmes. Most of the rest of the effects are down to make-up - one of the characters, supposedly back from the dead, is drenched in white face paint - but it actually manages to look quite realistic. With regards to violence, there is very little - the film is more scary than violent. However, there are a couple of 'death hugs' which make be traumatic for some children, so of course the rating of 12 should only be a guide. The movie is filmed in the Japanese countryside, and it is truly stunning. I particularly loved the architecture - very picturesque. Some of the camera shots are a bit strange. At the beginning of the film... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful