MovieEmbassy Pictures

This Is Spinal Tap

Run1984-present

Publisher

Embassy Pictures

Type

Movie

Reference

IMDb

Rob Reiner directed this foundational mockumentary about a fictional British heavy metal band, with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer improvising the majority of the dialogue and their characters' interactions. This Is Spinal Tap established the template for the mockumentary format in American cinema and demonstrated that full-length improvised narrative film was commercially viable.

How to Reference This Page

APA

The Improv Archive. (2026). This Is Spinal Tap. Retrieved April 10, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/media/this-is-spinal-tap

Chicago

The Improv Archive. "This Is Spinal Tap." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/media/this-is-spinal-tap.

MLA

The Improv Archive. "This Is Spinal Tap." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/media/this-is-spinal-tap. Accessed April 10, 2026.

The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.