This Is Spinal Tap - The Criterion Collection 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

As I was previously faced with this conundrum of reviewing the unreviewable classic comedy with Monty Python and the Holy Grail, I’m once again in that position with Marty DiBergi’s This is Spinal Tap. How do you rank the story of three of Britain’s hardest, dim-witted metal stars, Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbuns, and Derek Smalls, against the melodious talents, of say a 1960s folk group like The Folksmen’s Alan Barrows, Jerry Palter, and Mark Shubb? You can’t. You simply can not compare the raw authenticity of “Big Bottoms” against the pale whimsy of “Old Joe’s Place.” It can’t be done. But I’m gonna try my best. 

Hopefully, most of you out there got that opening gag intro without too much confusion. But yes, similar to watching Holy Grail and giving that film an honest and unbiased opinion of a favorite film; it’s damned difficult to do the same for This is Spinal Tap. I love this movie. I wasn’t a Metal fan growing up, but I knew kids who were. Through simple osmosis, I absorbed my share of Ozzy, Lemmy, and Ian, enough that by the time I sat down for This is Spinal Tap, I was in on the joke. And this film is one big 82-minute gag, and it kills me every time I see it. I’ve been watching this movie for around thirty years, with countless viewings, and every time I laugh as if it were my first viewing. 

There’s something special about a mocumentary when it’s done well. At the heart of the game, This is Spinal Tap is a spoof of the Metal and Rock scene as aging musicians struggle to remain relevant while resisting any sort of change or reinvention. Without the obvious humor, the film could play as a dramatic view of talent in decline. Committing to the bit as if it’s 100% serious is the key. There’s no campy humor. Nothing is forced. The jokes don’t punch down at Metal fans and musicians. The spoof is as much homage and appreciation as it is a send-up. It helps that Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer are actually capable enough musicians that they can pull off the songs and the on-stage hijinks with authenticity. Completing this little charade is director Rob Reiner’s Marty DiBergi going full Scorsese à la The Last Waltz. 

There were great mockumentaries before This is Spinal Tap, and there have been great ones after. Christopher Guest made three of the best himself, but This Is Spinal Tap is the benchmark. This film is the high hurdle to leap for if you’re going to make a spoof documentary. Many have tried, few succeed. Now, as soon as this review goes live, I’m off to the theater for Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. 

Vital Disc Stats: The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray 
In ancient times, decades before the dawn of 4K UHD, lived a strange boutique physical media label… the Criterion Collection. After many years away, This is Spinal Tap comes home to the Criterion Collection for a four-disc 4K UHD + Blu-ray digipak release complete with spine number 12. A BD100 disc is reserved for the 4K (even though they used less than 70 for the actual film), a Region A BD50 for the 1080p, and another Region A BD50 disc for the bonus features. Included is a 28-page booklet of essays and restoration info designed to look like a Metal mag from the mid-80s. The art on the disc look like level knobs, and they do go up to 11. The discs load to Criteron’s standard animated main menu system. 

In line with some other excellent 16mm-sourced 4K transfers out there, This is Spinal Tap makes great use of the format. This 2160p Dolby Vision transfer was reportedly supervised and approved by Reiner and was sourced from the original 16mm negative and a 35mm blow-up interpositive. Now, this film has had almost as many disc releases as the band has had drummers over the years, and really no two are alike. Now we have a new 4K restoration, and I have to say this is probably the best it’s ever looked. Given the 16mm source, I was pleased to see such clean details for facial features, wild hair, crazy makeup, and the outlandish outfits. That 18-inch Stonehenge looked pretty damned terrific on stage! 

Film grain is apparent and normal for a 16mm feature. Present, but not overly noisy or too intrusive. The image as a whole is a little darker than some past editions, but at the same time, past releases could look intensely bright, so this feels more of a middle-ground approach. For some of the outdoor interviews or some of the brightly lit hotel rooms, I didn’t spot any issues of being "too dark" or "too bright." The Dolby Vision grade offers nice color highlights, letting the primaries pop nicely, especially for the concert sequences. Skin tones are natural and human without appearing peached or overly pinked. Black levels are also in good standing, showcasing nice shadows and deep blacks. Again, those concert sequences are terrific. All around, I’m extraordinarily happy with this restoration and transfer!

On the audio side, we have two tracks to choose from: an LPCM 2.0 track or the DTS-HD MA 5.1 track that’s made the rounds before. The restoration notes are hazy about the origin of the audio, only mentioning “The 5.1 Dolby surround soundtrack was created from the original 35mm magnetic stems.” I'm not sure what that implies for the 2.0 track, if it’s from the original recordings or otherwise. Regardless, both tracks are great. The LPCM 2.0 track is more front/center focused (for obvious reasons) and comes in a bit louder, with the interview segments and softer dialog bits a bit stronger. The 5.1 mix is still a beast; it might seem a little softer for those “real life” day-to-day moments for the band, but it really kicks in the pants for the concert scenes in a way the 2.0 just doesn’t deliver. So it’s something of a split hair for how you may want to enjoy the film. I would rate the 2.0 as the best overall, as it strikes a better balance between the varying sequences. However, I love the full surround spread of the 5.1 version. Truly, you can’t go wrong with either track, so it’ll all boil down to personal preference.

Full marks to Criterion for stuffing this bonus features package like a foil-wrapped cucumber. Filling up the 4K and 1080p discs are three glorious commentaries, two of which haven’t been heard from since Criterion’s initial LaserDisc and DVD releases, so it’s fantastic to have those two back alongside the hilarious “character” commentary from 2001. Of the new material, Patton Oswalt and Rob Reiner have a great conversation that’s as whipsmart funny as it is informative. After that, we have the familiar assortment of axed scenes and extensions with a full course of promotional materials and a trailer for the sequel.

4K UHD/Blu-ray Discs

• 1994 Audio Commentary featuring Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer
• 1994 Audio Commentary featuring Rob Reiner, Karen Murphy, Robert Leighton, and Kent Beyda
• 2001 Audio Commentary featuring Derek Smalls, David St. Hubbins, and Nigel Tufnel

Bonus Blu-ray Disc 

• NEW Rob Reiner with Patton Oswalt (HD 30:16)
• The Cutting Room Floor (HD 1:38:10)
• Spinal Tap: The Final Tour (SD 20:45)
• The Return of Spinal Tap (SD 10:02)
• Back from the Dead Interviews (HD 56:26)
• Promotional Materials (HD/SD 33:24) 
• Cheese Rolling Promo
• Cheese Rolling Theatrical Trailer
• Theatrical Trailer 
• TV Spots
• Heavy Metal Memories Commercial
• Hell Hole Music Video
• Gimme Some Money
• The Thamesmen Press Conference 
• (Listen To The) Flower People Music Video
• Big Bottom Music Video 
• Spinal Tap on the Joe Franklin Show
• Catching Up with Mary DiBergi 
• Spinal Tap II: The End Continues Trailer (HD 2:18)

Needless to say, This is Spinal Tap goes all the way to 11. The film is one of the funniest films, celebrating a forty-year legacy of hilarity. Now with the sequel on the horizon, the Criterion Collection does its part by delivering this classic mockumentary to physical media in all its 4K UHD glory. On top of the film being just as funny as ever, fully restored, it looks terrific given the 16mm faux-documentary stylings. The Dolby Vision transfer rocks as hard as the two excellent audio options. Completing this edition is the full slate of long-lost archival commentaries and bonus materials alongside a new and very entertaining sitdown with Rob Reiner and Patton Oswalt. It’s one of my favorite films ever, and Criterion went the distance for this edition. Must Own