I saw Spinal Tap II: The End Continues with a contingent of committed fans who attended an IMAX showing of the movie followed by a Q&A conducted by the movie's principals in character.
I can't think of a better way to have experienced this long-delayed sequel to a 1984 comedy that has acquired cult status. Steeped in nostalgia, the movie finds the band reuniting for a concert they're obligated by contract to perform. A ridiculous contrivance? Of course, but this is Spinal Tap.
Despite abundant references -- musical and otherwise -- to the first movie, it's unlikely that the uninitiated will revel in Tap’s mixture of idiocy, improvisation, and rock delivered by director Rob Reiner and his principal cohorts (Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer).
McKean, Guest, and Shearer are gifted improvisational artists. Watching them work has its own rewards. Reiner, who fills the role of straight man, reprises his portrayal of Marty DiBergi, the documentarian who initially followed “England’s loudest rock band” on its disastrous US tour.
For the record, Guest plays guitarist Nigel Tufnel; Shearer appears as bassist Derek Smalls; and McKean portrays band frontman David St. Hubbins. The names point to the presumptions and self-consciousness of a bygone British heavy-metal era and stand as small satirical gems.
To spice things up, Reiner adds celebrity cameos from Paul McCartney and Elton John. John, by the way, finds himself at the center of the movie's grand finale, delivering a rousing version of the band's signature tune, Stonehenge, and participating in a smashing, if expected, sight gag.
The original signaled the onset of a comedy trend, a proliferation of "mockumentaries" that still hasn't entirely faded. Guest, by the way, became an undisputed master of the form with comedies such as Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and Waiting for Guffman.
The Tap sequel might be best appreciated for its comic details. Separated by time, geographical distance, and bad feelings, each band member is living a new life. Smalls has found post-rock meaning running a glue museum. Tufnel operates a combination cheese and guitar shop, and McKean makes occasional appearances with a mariachi band.
Among the additional celebrities making drop-in appearances are Questlove, Metallica's Lars Ulrich, and Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Drummer Valerie Franco plays Didi Crockett, the latest in a long line of ill-fated Tap drummers.
Chris Addison adds bite as tour promoter Simon Howler. A font of bad ideas, Howler suggests a merchandising gimmick called Tap Water and wonders whether greater impact might be achieved if one of the band members drops dead on stage.
Tap’s music is presented more seriously than the lyrics might suggest in songs such as Big Bottoms and Listen to the Flower People.
Spinal Tap perfectly met its moment in 1984. The same can’t be said of this sequel. Showy glitz can seem out of whack in a Spinal Tap movie. A rift between St. Hubbins and Tufnel feels too familiar. And IMAX for a Spinal Tap movie? Really.*
Still, the sequel offers enough laughs to justify its existence, even if it's a bit shocking to see the long-haired versions of this group as men in their 70s. Shearer is 81.
Age becomes part of the movie's reason for existing. Sags and wrinkles create a contrast between reality and memory. These guys show the mileage of the 40 years since the original was released, but they're still ticking. Good for them -- and for us, as well.
Stay for the end credits, interviews that include some of the movie’s best improvisation.
*The movie is available in standard formats, as well.
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