Spinal Tap II
May 12, 2022 2:45 PM Subscribe
Set to be released in 2024, 40 years after the original 'Spinal Tap': ‘Spinal Tap II’ On Tap As Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest & Harry Shearer Back For Encore: “They’ve played Albert Hall, played Wembley Stadium, all over the country and in Europe,” Reiner said. “They haven’t spent any time together recently, and that became the premise. The idea was that Ian Faith, who was their manager, he passed away. In reality, Tony Hendra passed away. Ian’s widow inherited a contract that said Spinal Tap owed them one more concert. She was basically going to sue them if they didn’t. All these years and a lot of bad blood we’ll get into and they’re thrown back together and forced to deal with each other and play this concert.”
Spinal Tap II
Spinal Tap Eleven, surely
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 2:58 PM on May 12, 2022 [37 favorites]
Spinal Tap Eleven, surely
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 2:58 PM on May 12, 2022 [37 favorites]
Spinal Tap II: Acoustic Boogaloo
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 3:02 PM on May 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 3:02 PM on May 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
Yes! For those few who don't know, Spinal Tap itself practically is like 4 movies. So much extra footage (the cheese rolling!) that Criterion needed a double sided DVD. To give you an idea of how much extra footage and commentary exists, Wikipedia says it best:
"It included an audio commentary track with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer; a second audio commentary track with Rob Reiner, Karen Murphy, Robert Leighton and Kent Beyda; 79 minutes of deleted scenes; Spinal Tap: The Final Tour, the original twenty-minute short they shot to pitch the film; two trailers that feature Rob Reiner showing a film about cheese rolling (because "Spinal Tap" itself was still in the editing room); a TV promo, Heavy Metal Memories; and a music video for "Hell Hole"...
In 2000, MGM Home Entertainment released a special edition with more or less the same extras from the Criterion edition, plus a new audio commentary track with Guest, McKean and Shearer performing in character throughout, commenting on the film entirely in their fictional alter-egos, and often disapproving of how the film presents them; 70 minutes of deleted scenes (some of which were not on the Criterion DVD); a new short, Catching Up with Marty Di Bergi (where it is revealed that the members of Spinal Tap were very disappointed in Di Bergi for making a "hatchet job" of their film); the Heavy Metal Memories promo and six additional TV promos; music videos for "Gimme Some Money", "Listen to the Flower People" and "Big Bottom"; and segments of Spinal Tap appearing on The Joe Franklin Show ..."
This will most likely have every celebrity still alive in it, though the original cast is so iconic none of them need to do the movie or have cameos. Given how brilliantly done the extras footage is I'm not too worried about this becoming a sellout.
posted by geoff. at 3:02 PM on May 12, 2022 [14 favorites]
"It included an audio commentary track with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer; a second audio commentary track with Rob Reiner, Karen Murphy, Robert Leighton and Kent Beyda; 79 minutes of deleted scenes; Spinal Tap: The Final Tour, the original twenty-minute short they shot to pitch the film; two trailers that feature Rob Reiner showing a film about cheese rolling (because "Spinal Tap" itself was still in the editing room); a TV promo, Heavy Metal Memories; and a music video for "Hell Hole"...
In 2000, MGM Home Entertainment released a special edition with more or less the same extras from the Criterion edition, plus a new audio commentary track with Guest, McKean and Shearer performing in character throughout, commenting on the film entirely in their fictional alter-egos, and often disapproving of how the film presents them; 70 minutes of deleted scenes (some of which were not on the Criterion DVD); a new short, Catching Up with Marty Di Bergi (where it is revealed that the members of Spinal Tap were very disappointed in Di Bergi for making a "hatchet job" of their film); the Heavy Metal Memories promo and six additional TV promos; music videos for "Gimme Some Money", "Listen to the Flower People" and "Big Bottom"; and segments of Spinal Tap appearing on The Joe Franklin Show ..."
This will most likely have every celebrity still alive in it, though the original cast is so iconic none of them need to do the movie or have cameos. Given how brilliantly done the extras footage is I'm not too worried about this becoming a sellout.
posted by geoff. at 3:02 PM on May 12, 2022 [14 favorites]
yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
posted by phunniemee at 3:05 PM on May 12, 2022
posted by phunniemee at 3:05 PM on May 12, 2022
2009 interview, Back from the Dead, "We do improv too, it is just very intentional."
posted by geoff. at 3:15 PM on May 12, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by geoff. at 3:15 PM on May 12, 2022 [4 favorites]
Will it be in Dobbly Atmos though?
posted by motty at 3:30 PM on May 12, 2022 [7 favorites]
posted by motty at 3:30 PM on May 12, 2022 [7 favorites]
To this day I think the segment in the film where they're trying to find their way on to the stage is one of the best metaphors for contemporary existence.
posted by kmkrebs at 3:34 PM on May 12, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by kmkrebs at 3:34 PM on May 12, 2022 [4 favorites]
A few years ago we popped in that 2000 edition DVD, and WOW that revised in-character commentary track is the funniest thing evah! The snark and resentment is pure. Nigel losing his train of thought and mumbling on about completely random stuff is just perfect.
(Their new kick at the can, well, don't let me stop you. Run it up the flagpole and see who salutes.)
posted by ovvl at 3:38 PM on May 12, 2022 [6 favorites]
(Their new kick at the can, well, don't let me stop you. Run it up the flagpole and see who salutes.)
posted by ovvl at 3:38 PM on May 12, 2022 [6 favorites]
It's like, how much more black could it be? And the answer is None. None more black.
posted by biogeo at 3:45 PM on May 12, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by biogeo at 3:45 PM on May 12, 2022 [6 favorites]
To this day I think the segment in the film where they're trying to find their way on to the stage yt is one of the best metaphors for contemporary existence.
And even more true for performers, and not just as metaphor. Recently on Facebook (I know, I know) I spotted some photos of myself onstage in the late eighties on a page about the music scene of that era in my hometown. I joined the Facebook group and found the admin was a guy whom I cannot recall at all, but we must have crossed paths 30+ years ago -- we were both bassists in bands that shared the same bill a half-dozen times or so.
We were chatting about long-gone venues and half-forgotten shows. He mentioned a now-demolished theatre which we both recalled from our shows there as having a labyrinthine backstage. He mentioned the lengthy walk to get to the stage.
I responded, "Hello, Cleveland! Hello, Cleveland!!!"
He wrote back, "Exactly."
posted by ricochet biscuit at 4:13 PM on May 12, 2022 [5 favorites]
And even more true for performers, and not just as metaphor. Recently on Facebook (I know, I know) I spotted some photos of myself onstage in the late eighties on a page about the music scene of that era in my hometown. I joined the Facebook group and found the admin was a guy whom I cannot recall at all, but we must have crossed paths 30+ years ago -- we were both bassists in bands that shared the same bill a half-dozen times or so.
We were chatting about long-gone venues and half-forgotten shows. He mentioned a now-demolished theatre which we both recalled from our shows there as having a labyrinthine backstage. He mentioned the lengthy walk to get to the stage.
I responded, "Hello, Cleveland! Hello, Cleveland!!!"
He wrote back, "Exactly."
posted by ricochet biscuit at 4:13 PM on May 12, 2022 [5 favorites]
40 years.
Talk about too much fucking perspective.
posted by howfar at 4:14 PM on May 12, 2022 [8 favorites]
Talk about too much fucking perspective.
posted by howfar at 4:14 PM on May 12, 2022 [8 favorites]
I am pleased to learn that the band continues to fill a much-needed gap in pop music.
posted by adamrice at 4:26 PM on May 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by adamrice at 4:26 PM on May 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
STONEHEnge!
posted by chavenet at 4:36 PM on May 12, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by chavenet at 4:36 PM on May 12, 2022 [3 favorites]
Say yes to the excess.
posted by kirkaracha at 4:45 PM on May 12, 2022
posted by kirkaracha at 4:45 PM on May 12, 2022
To this day I think the segment in the film where they're trying to find their way on to the stage yt is one of the best metaphors for contemporary existence.
In the article Marty DiBergi says "they get stoned and can’t find the stage, that happened to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers."
Which reminds me, I saw Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers play once, and their stage lights went out about 10 minutes into the show. So they just kept rocking in the dark. Hardcore!
Stevie Nicks performed a couple of songs with them, which technically means I've been in the dark with Stevie Nicks.
posted by kirkaracha at 4:49 PM on May 12, 2022 [7 favorites]
In the article Marty DiBergi says "they get stoned and can’t find the stage, that happened to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers."
Which reminds me, I saw Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers play once, and their stage lights went out about 10 minutes into the show. So they just kept rocking in the dark. Hardcore!
Stevie Nicks performed a couple of songs with them, which technically means I've been in the dark with Stevie Nicks.
posted by kirkaracha at 4:49 PM on May 12, 2022 [7 favorites]
The USS Ooral Sea is preparing to set sail once again!
posted by NoThisIsPatrick at 5:01 PM on May 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by NoThisIsPatrick at 5:01 PM on May 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
In 2000, MGM Home Entertainment released a special edition with more or less the same extras from the Criterion edition, plus a new audio commentary track with Guest, McKean and Shearer performing in character throughout, commenting on the film entirely in their fictional alter-egos, and often disapproving of how the film presents them
People ask me why I still have a DVD player and DVDs. This is literally one of the reasons. No other director’s commentary may be truly necessary, but this one was seminal.
posted by Mchelly at 5:04 PM on May 12, 2022 [7 favorites]
People ask me why I still have a DVD player and DVDs. This is literally one of the reasons. No other director’s commentary may be truly necessary, but this one was seminal.
posted by Mchelly at 5:04 PM on May 12, 2022 [7 favorites]
...I'll allow it...but you better be going somewhere with this, Counselor!
posted by Naberius at 5:38 PM on May 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Naberius at 5:38 PM on May 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
Only one thing could make this even better, and it's if Bob Odenkirk does a cameo where he insists that David St. Hubbins is actually from Cicero, Illinois, and that's not his real name or accent.
posted by Halloween Jack at 5:43 PM on May 12, 2022 [9 favorites]
posted by Halloween Jack at 5:43 PM on May 12, 2022 [9 favorites]
all I'm saying is, we never saw the body
posted by Halloween Jack at 5:44 PM on May 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Halloween Jack at 5:44 PM on May 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
I'm absolutely certain I don't have it anymore (maybe it's burned onto a disk someplace?) but there is like a 6.5 hour work cut of Spinal Tap that I have seen. It isn't polished, but it is Spinal Tap that is 6.5 hours long. It utterly blows out anything of any of those other extras, which I haven't seen. They were probably extracted from that work cut or from others of the likely hundreds of hours of other footage they filmed.
posted by hippybear at 7:03 PM on May 12, 2022 [7 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 7:03 PM on May 12, 2022 [7 favorites]
One of my own favorite SPINAL TAP stories isn't even about SPINAL TAP.
In the liner notes for the PRINCESS BRIDE soundtrack, there's first a lengthy story from Rob Reiner, followed by a short couple lines from Mark Knopfler (who composed said soundtrack). Rob's story is about Rob reaching out to Mark, and asking him to do the soundtrack for PRINCESS BRIDE, and Mark saying he'd do it - but only if Rob featured the hat he wore as Martin Di Bergi somewhere in the film. Rob fearfully agreed - he really wanted the music - but then had to go to great lengths to track the hat down, send for it, rescue it from a couple of near-loss fates, and then finally had to find a place for it; he ends the story saying that he settled on hanging it on the Grandson's bedpost, where you can see it in a couple scenes. And hooray, that's how we now have this wonderful music by Mark Knopfler for this film.
Mark Knopfler's liner notes follow, and are something like: "Dear Rob: I loved this movie, thank you so much for asking me to do the music. And - I was only kidding about the hat."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:27 PM on May 12, 2022 [42 favorites]
In the liner notes for the PRINCESS BRIDE soundtrack, there's first a lengthy story from Rob Reiner, followed by a short couple lines from Mark Knopfler (who composed said soundtrack). Rob's story is about Rob reaching out to Mark, and asking him to do the soundtrack for PRINCESS BRIDE, and Mark saying he'd do it - but only if Rob featured the hat he wore as Martin Di Bergi somewhere in the film. Rob fearfully agreed - he really wanted the music - but then had to go to great lengths to track the hat down, send for it, rescue it from a couple of near-loss fates, and then finally had to find a place for it; he ends the story saying that he settled on hanging it on the Grandson's bedpost, where you can see it in a couple scenes. And hooray, that's how we now have this wonderful music by Mark Knopfler for this film.
Mark Knopfler's liner notes follow, and are something like: "Dear Rob: I loved this movie, thank you so much for asking me to do the music. And - I was only kidding about the hat."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:27 PM on May 12, 2022 [42 favorites]
As a high school English teacher, I found an excuse to show This is Spinal Tap to about to at least thirty classes (that would be close to a thousand students). Most of them had never seen it. Trying to present it as a way to distinguish parody from satire was a stupid lesson plan, though...the film is usually both at once.
posted by kozad at 7:55 PM on May 12, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by kozad at 7:55 PM on May 12, 2022 [6 favorites]
Certainly using Spinal Tap (and subsequent movies by the same team) as examples of the "Yes, and..." method of improvising, and how that can develop a scene would be valid. That's not English class, but it's what I think of most with these movies.
posted by hippybear at 8:01 PM on May 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by hippybear at 8:01 PM on May 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
examples of the "Yes, and..." method of improvising
That's the only kind of improvising anyone ever talks about. I wanna see more "but, no..." improvising.
posted by straight at 8:29 PM on May 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
That's the only kind of improvising anyone ever talks about. I wanna see more "but, no..." improvising.
posted by straight at 8:29 PM on May 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
I’m half-glad Tommy Pischedda (RIP) isn’t alive to see this. He’d be so mad!
posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 10:51 PM on May 12, 2022
posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 10:51 PM on May 12, 2022
A few years ago we popped in that 2000 edition DVD, and WOW that revised in-character commentary track is the funniest thing evah!
Maybe 15 years or so ago, back when Shopper's Drug Mart had such a thing as a DVD bargain bin, I found a copy of it in one for $9.99, and was absolutely delighted to discover that commentary track. It's so good!
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 11:07 PM on May 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
Maybe 15 years or so ago, back when Shopper's Drug Mart had such a thing as a DVD bargain bin, I found a copy of it in one for $9.99, and was absolutely delighted to discover that commentary track. It's so good!
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 11:07 PM on May 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
People ask me why I still have a DVD player and DVDs. This is literally one of the reasons.
There are a few good reasons to keep DVDs around. Also the fantastic commentary track on Blood Simple.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 4:09 AM on May 13, 2022 [2 favorites]
There are a few good reasons to keep DVDs around. Also the fantastic commentary track on Blood Simple.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 4:09 AM on May 13, 2022 [2 favorites]
Ha that Monty Python clip is the other example I always cite when I’m defending my defunct technology!
Back to Spinal Tap, when my son was young and would ask/complain why we had to stand in long security lines at the airport, I used to say they had to scan everyone in case we had zucchinis or armadillos in our trousers, until my husband made me stop. I still think it though.
posted by Mchelly at 4:43 AM on May 13, 2022 [6 favorites]
Back to Spinal Tap, when my son was young and would ask/complain why we had to stand in long security lines at the airport, I used to say they had to scan everyone in case we had zucchinis or armadillos in our trousers, until my husband made me stop. I still think it though.
posted by Mchelly at 4:43 AM on May 13, 2022 [6 favorites]
I'm absolutely certain I don't have it anymore (maybe it's burned onto a disk someplace?) but there is like a 6.5 hour work cut of Spinal Tap that I have seen. It isn't polished, but it is Spinal Tap that is 6.5 hours long.
A 4.5 hour Spinal Tap work print in the form of a 4.7GB .iso DVD image file can be retrieved by pasting the info hash value dd5795a42b920447c2a5d8acdd51d7a8d6304063 into the URL box of a reliable BitTorrent client.
posted by flabdablet at 6:33 AM on May 13, 2022 [5 favorites]
A 4.5 hour Spinal Tap work print in the form of a 4.7GB .iso DVD image file can be retrieved by pasting the info hash value dd5795a42b920447c2a5d8acdd51d7a8d6304063 into the URL box of a reliable BitTorrent client.
posted by flabdablet at 6:33 AM on May 13, 2022 [5 favorites]
Ooh! And I just found this, from Pirate Bay user Trumad:
posted by flabdablet at 7:50 AM on May 13, 2022 [4 favorites]
Probably the most complete Spinal Tap collection ever created. This edition comprises:Its BitTorrent info hash is 1f1c11f194154da8805768256508242e8584bc30.
The movie, in 1080p with all subtitles and commentaries from various blu-ray and DVD releases
All "Up to 11 Edition" extras
All Criterion Edition extras
Extras found online (4 hour workprint, Live Earth performance, Return of Spinal Tap, and other items of assorted interest)
This collection includes both the in-character and out of character commentaries by the actors, as well as other commentaries with Rob Reiner & the film's editors. These have never all been packaged together before, and the Criterion commentaries only exist on DVD, so it's nice to be able to enjoy those with the movie in 1080p. I spent quite some time syncing up some of the PAL DVD commentaries with the NTSC blu-ray video, and some of the commentaries may be slightly out of sync as a result. Not by much - it doesn't affect my enjoyment - but you may be more of a perfectionist than I. The commentaries I synced are AAC & FLAC files stored in the MKV, so you should be able to fix it if so inclined. The Criterion commentaries are also included as separate MP3s.
The Workprint is supplied as a full DVD in a .iso file, which is how its been distributed online thus far. I didn't think it appropriate to convert it to x264. The quality is quite low and another conversion would not do it any good, or reduce the file-size by much (given the amount of noise x264 would have to deal with). The full Live Earth performance is taken from Youtube, but I believe a better quality version may be out there somewhere.
The Return of Spinal Tap "sequel" of sorts is included as a DVD extra in the up to 11 edition, but I have also included a VHSrip I found online. That version has an extra hour of footage, and I am unsure why the two are so different.
posted by flabdablet at 7:50 AM on May 13, 2022 [4 favorites]
Metafilter: Where the children dance to the pipes of Pan
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 8:13 AM on May 13, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 8:13 AM on May 13, 2022 [5 favorites]
There's an outtake of Bruno Kirby's character drunk and in his underwear singing a Frank Sinatra song, and then begging Martin DeBergi (Rob Reiner) not to include it in the movie because it will make him look bad, and DeBergi promises that he won't put it in the final cut. And he didn't!
posted by Furnace of Doubt at 11:48 AM on May 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Furnace of Doubt at 11:48 AM on May 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
I don't think I've been this ready for anything in my entire life.
posted by blurker at 7:01 PM on May 13, 2022
posted by blurker at 7:01 PM on May 13, 2022
I don't think I've been this ready for anything in my entire life.
I mean, not since Puppet Show, at least.
posted by chimpsonfilm at 9:55 AM on May 15, 2022
I mean, not since Puppet Show, at least.
posted by chimpsonfilm at 9:55 AM on May 15, 2022
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