This Is Spinal Tap at 40: the note-perfect rock satire still goes up to 11
Christopher Guest and Rob Reiner made a 1984 classic that ingeniously straddles the ‘fine line between stupid and clever’
January 2024
The seven best films to watch on TV this week
Bottoms to The Founder: the seven best films to watch on TV this week
The Emmy-winning Ayo Edebiri stars in the best comedy of last year, and Michael Keaton plays Ray Kroc – the man who turned McDonald’s into a megabrand
November 2023
Paul McCartney and Elton John to appear in Spinal Tap sequel
Director of the beloved mock-rock-doc confirms filming will start on a sequel next year, with most of the original cast and a few new big names to feature
September 2023
The reader interview
Spinal Tap’s Derek Smalls: ‘I’d like to collaborate with Mozart. I know chords he’s never used’
The reader interview
Post your questions for Spın̈al Tap bassist Derek Smalls
May 2022
Top Gun: Maverick and the unstoppable rise of the ‘legacy sequel’
With Avatar and Spinal Tap films on the way, does the flurry of belated follow-ups typify Hollywood’s aversion to risk?
This is Spinal Tap sequel in the works with original team attached
Director Rob Reiner is bringing back the cast of the much-loved rock mockumentary for a follow-up set to be released in 2024
Spinal Tap drummer Ric Parnell dies aged 70
Parnell, who played Mick Shrimpton in This Is Spinal Tap, also performed in bands including Horse, Atomic Rooster, Nova and Stars
October 2020
Harry Shearer: 'To say Trump is "beyond satire" is an admission of defeat'
He went from Spinal Tap to The Simpsons. Now, with his album The Many Moods of Donald Trump, the comic takes aim at America’s ‘encyclopedia salesman’ president
May 2020
Fred Willard obituary
American comedy actor who found his niche in mockumentaries such as Best in Show and Modern Family
May 2019
Live Aid to Sonic Death Monkey – the best gigs at the movies
As the Queen and Elton John biopics prove, great concert performances are at the heart of the best films about music. Here are 15 of the finest
April 2019
This Is Spinal Tap at 35: the faux-rockers reunite at Tribeca film festival
Director Rob Reiner and the stars of the cult mockumentary came together for a special event reminiscing about their comedy that wasn’t always quite so loved
February 2017
Spinal Tap creators aim to 'go to 11' with $400m lawsuit
Harry Shearer joined by fellow band members and director Rob Reiner in claim Vivendi has not fully shared profits
December 2016
The 50 funniest films… chosen by comedians
From the canonical to the controversial, and in no particular order, we asked 10 standups to pick 50 movies that make them giggle. They made some surprising choices…
October 2016
This is Spinal Tap star sues Vivendi for $125m in profits row
Harry Shearer alleges parent company of Universal Music and StudioCanal withheld millions of dollars in profits owed to creators of rock mockumentary
September 2015
Readers recommend
Readers recommend: songs about dogs
Wild wolves to whippets, fleet foxes to patient pointers, fluffy, ferocious or faithful, give your canon of canine songs a walk - it’s time they had their day
May 2015
Life Moves Pretty Fast review – a funny, absorbing study of 80s Hollywood
Harry Shearer, voice of Ned Flanders and Mr Burns, set to leave The Simpsons
September 2014
The 10 best ...
The 10 best quotable films
… to mark the return of Withnail and I to the big screen. By Kathryn Bromwich
March 2014
As the Palaces Burn review – from Spinal Tap to courtroom drama
A would-be rockumentary changes tack in gripping fashion when Lamb of God's singer stands trial for manslaughter, writes Mark Kermode
