Please write one paragraph (make it something you'd be proud of, please), and discuss how This Is Spinal Tap contributed to television shows today. Think about shows like The Office. Extra credit to anyone who adds their favorite Tap lyrics.
The effects of “This is Spinal Tap” are very clearly evident in television today. First of all, the very idea of a “mockumentary” type idea is one of the most popular type of show today, seen in “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation” for example. The similarity to life, but with added comedic effect, draws a lot of crowds. Also, the comedic timing in Spinal Tap is used in all such mockumentaries, where line spacing and character responses are much more realistically paced, and don’t always hit just right, as opposed to the idea that a scripted production will have very quick, very witty responses all the time. The eccentricity of the band members of Spinal Tap have also set a precedent for having at least one such eccentric type character in mockumentaries, these characters being the main driving force in the comic appeal. Also, these men set the idea that, with the added “realism” of these mockumentaries, the characters present have a very distinct “lack” of acting skill, reflecting again that the productions are meant to reflect real life. Another aspect of the mockumentary set here is the use of the mockumentary to provide a satirical review of popular events or media, in this case the band is making fun of the excess of the life of musicians. Another thing that isn't inherently noticed is the fact that, though these types of media are indeed comedies, they don’t use a laugh track to signal that something is funny, as the type of comedy is more relatable and realistic, so it’s easier than having to discern than the wit of the quips in other media. Lastly, something about the film gave me the impression that many of the band’s lines during interactions were at least somewhat improvised, a fact that I think makes the dialogue that much more natural and funny. I know for a fact that The Office uses the same tactic with Michael Scott and Dwight Schrute, two of the show’s most eccentric, and funniest, characters.
We're back from the dead climbing from the coffin we don't come here often or so it is said
We're back from the grave recovered from our coma more body than aroma it's life that we crave.
Watch our hearts pump as we go back into action (GO!) giving satisfaction and getting some too hear our blood roar as we roll a lucky seven from hell or from heaven, we're past but we're due (but we're due but we're due but we're due)
We're back from the dead putting up resitance clinging to existence and ready for bed
We're out of the shroud an end to the becalming reversing the embalming And back with our crowd
Nothing's more fun than flipping off the reaper (NO!) [From: http://www.elyrics.net] we're back on our beeper heading straight for the top it's not so hard to avoid a mid-death crisis no coffee, no spices, but rock 'till you drop ('til you drop, 'til you drop, til you drop)
We're back and we're glad nothing ever stops us We're our own synopsis and here to be had
We're back from the dead and this time we're not stopping we've brought some corn for popping and we're banging your head
Better off dead, still better off living (YEAH!) the gift keeps on giving and it's taking no more no time like the past, no rhyme like the present The first shall be last, and we're slamming death's door (-ming death's door, -ming death's door, -ming death's door)
I really like their song back from the dead. idk lol
While watching “This is Spinal Tap”, I noticed several qualities that are present in mockumentaries today that help to convey the realistic but comedic feel. The cinematography is the main element that visually fools the viewer into believing the fake events. For the majority of the film, the shots are filmed without the use of a tripod, creating a more natural and shaking appearance. The handheld camera steadily follows the characters as they go about their business. This style is widely used in real documentaries, because the cinematographer doesn’t usually have time to set up the tripod for filming events that they could only capture once (it depends on the situation). Within mockumentaries, this technique helps to prevent the events from looking staged, where the actors would get into position for a new shot and have their lines memorized. Although TV mockumentaries such as “The Office” and “Modern Family” do not have improvised scenes, the acting is somewhat similar to that of “This is Spinal Tap”. They both involve very interesting and unusual characters that are believable because of how well the actors play them (they don’t look like they’re acting). Mockumentaries like these are filled with awkward pauses that we experience everyday. Also, “This is Spinal Tap” includes cut away scenes where the characters make comments on events that happened previously. This is important because we get to hear things from the characters do not express during the normal story scenes. A lot of shows do this as well.
My favorite Spinal Tap song is Gimme Some Money: Stop wasting my time You know what I want You know what I need Or maybe you don't
Do I have to come right flat out and tell you everything? Gimme some money, gimme some money
I'm nobody's fool I'm nobody's clown I'm treating you cool I'm putting you down
But baby I don't intend to leave empty handed Gimme some money, gimme some money Oh yeah! Go Nigel, Go!
Gimme some money, gimme some money Gimme some money, gimme some money
Don't get me wrong (Gimme some money, gimme some money) Try getting me right (Gimme some money, gimme some money) Your face is OK But your purse is too tight (Gimme some money, gimme some money) I'm looking for pound notes, loose change, bad checks, anything Gimme some money, gimme some money
Gimme some money, gimme some money Gimme some money, gimme some money Gimme some money, gimme some money Gimme some money, gimme some money Gimme some money, gimme some money
Spinal Tap had a major influence on many of the comically-influenced television shows and mockumentaries of today. The elements presented in Spinal Tap gives it a very documentary-like feel, making it seem a lot more like real life, while at the same time incorporating humorous dialogue in order to add that 'parody' feel to it. Most importantly, the mockumnetary was used to elaborate on events at the time, and it was apparent that in 1984 the lives of rockstars were taken as jokes. Mockumentaries typically used an unscripted type of acting, which was apparent in Spinal Tap, to keep that sense of reality in the dialogue and movements of the characters, and the movie itself is portrayed as a historical document, which is apparent in the use of dates, times, and references to historical events. Today, many television shows have been influenced by the mockumentary style, such as The Office and Modern Family, which also incorporate that unscripted type of acting and the seemingly amateur use of shot composition.
My favorite Spinal Tap song is 'America': We came like babies From our home across the sea to see America And the people opened up their arms To welcome us, to America
We came like children From a far and distant land to see America And the golden sun of freedom Filtered down to us, in America
And the people stood and stared Loved us more than we had dared to, in America
Super highways here and there Pretty womens everywhere Brady Bunch and Smokey Bear Buildings reaching to the sky Afro-Sheen and apple pie PTA and FBI
Jumbo jet begins to rise A joyful nation waves its bye-byes
Each religion, race, and creed Gets exactly what they need God bless Johnny Appleseed
Watching “This is Spinal Tap” was a very eye opening experience for me. I had never heard of the idea of a “mockumentary” or what it is comprised of, or that there are examples of mockumentaries in the world today. For the most part, I believe that the main focus of a mockumentary is the cinematography, because, like most documentaries, cinematographers are in control of what the viewers see. In this case, mockumentaries are used to show “real” events with some comedic relief attached. The camera is always static and handheld, which makes any film more realistic. They never miss a moment of the bands life, even the personal moments like the argument after the terrible performance or Derrick Smalls (played by Harry Shearer) getting caught with a cucumber in his pants. This style of documentary making is very evident today, with television series like “The Office” and “Always Sunny in Philadelphia”. These shows look more professional than “This is Spinal Tap” because they are not improvised shots, but serve the same purpose. They depict something that can be a real life event and add a bit of comedy in the mix, which makes it almost relatable to the viewer’s life. This draws their attention and that’s why mockumentaries are such a popular thing, although most people wouldn’t know they are watching one.
For those of you who havent seen "Always Sunny in Philadelphia", here's a link http://www.couchtuner.eu/watch-its-always-sunny-in-philadelphia-online-free/ P.S. It's illegal I think O.o
The style of This is Spinal Tap has transcended decades of new development and have even inspired modern television shows. The film, described as a "mocumentary", is supposed to present the idea of an actual band in actual situations, however with a bit of an edge, be it humor, general ridiculousness, or the like. Some of the most successful modern TV shows follow this pattern. A few examples of this (beyond The Office) are Parks and Recreation and Modern Family. In both of these comedies, we follow around several main characters and their actions, much like Spinal Tap. However, these actions are broken by interviews with the characters so we gain more of an individual understanding of their thoughts, etc... related to the action. This is especially helpful not only for the element of character development, but also to add to the humor of something - actions are funny, and things people say in those actions can be too, but the real humor in the interview-style "mockumentary" comes when we are one-on-one with the characters themselves. The only primary difference between the style in Spinal Tap and the TV shows aforementioned is that in Spinal Tap we are introduced to who is behind the camera, whereas in Parks and Rec and Modern Family, we are not completely sure who the characters are speaking to/with.
Favorite song: Little girl, it's a great big world But there's only one of me You can't touch 'cause I cost too much But tonight I'm gonna rock ya (Tonight I'm gonna rock ya) Yeah, tonight I'm gonna rock ya (Tonight I'm gonna rock ya) Tonight!
You're sweet but you're just four feet And you still got your baby teeth You're too young and I'm too well hung But tonight I'm gonna rock ya (Tonight I'm gonna rock ya) Yeah, tonight I'm gonna rock ya (Tonight I'm gonna rock ya) Tonight, whoa yeah!
You're hot, you take all we've got Not a dry seat in the house Next day, we'll be on our way But tonight we're gonna rock ya (Tonight we're gonna rock ya) Yeah, tonight we're gonna rock ya (Tonight we're gonna rock ya) Tonight!
Little girl, it's a great big world But there's only one of... Me!
This is Spinal Tap is an extremely funny documentary, or mockumentary rather, that explores the life of the average rock and roll artists of the 1980’s in a way that has affected the way that many comedies or comedic tv shows have been filmed today. The style that Rob Reiner uses to create this “mockumentary” has been mimicked by ty producers and directors in order to create television shows that are designed to look like documentary films, however being fictions designed to be funny. Similarities between the show The Office and This is Spinal Tap can be seen in the way they control the cinematography and the sound of the film. With the camera a lot of the time being handheld, maybe slightly out of focus, and not a lot of unnatural lighting situations make the story that we see within the frame seem all that much more real, because it mirrors the way that directors of direct cinema documentaries would film a documentary. Also in both, they have very little distracting music, diegetic of non-diegetic, or other distracting diegetic sounds when they want to add emphasis on what the characters are saying, usually being a funny comment that is designed to humor the viewer. The bluntness of having the scene seem so natural and not simply “actors acting real” usually makes whatever funny line is said stand out more and has us connect with the jokes a lot more, being able to imagine maybe something hilarious as the famous “but this one goes to 11” stand out even more in our lines than maybe any other normal joke told onscreen. This is how this “mockumentary” style of filming has affected tv shows in our modern day, and below are my favorite Spinal Tap lyrics.
We are the children who grew too fast We are the dust of a future past We raise our voices in the night Crying to heaven And will our voices be heard Or will they Break Like The Wind
We are the footprints across the sands We are the thumb on a stranger's hand We made a promise in the night Swearing to heaven Is this a promise we keep [ From: http://www.elyrics.net] Or one we Break Like The Wind
We are the guests who have stayed too long We are the end of the endless song We send our hearts into the night Soaring to heaven And will out hearts still beat on Or will they Break Like The Wind Break Like The Wind Break Like The Wind Break Like The Wind Break Break Break Break Like The Wind
This is Spinal Tap was the first really prolific example of a “mockumentary.” While making the film, I don’t know if the filmmakers knew how influence the style of their project would be. An entire genre has been amassed of this style of creating a fictional film or TV show to look and feel like a documentary. It is a whole new way to construct a narrative. The success of this style is in that the ideas presented are juxtaposed with the way they are presented, as if they are the truth. In more dramatic works proposing certain ideas as real could bring up hard hitting questions. In many cases, this format allows for added comedy - writers can make lines, jokes, and personalities ridiculous, while at the same time set as “reality”. The prospect that the ridiculous things could be real is what really creates the comedy. Some of the wildly popular TV comedy mockumentaries have been Parks and Recreation, Reno 911, The Office, and Ja’mie: Private School Girl. This genre also adds another level of depth, there is a sense of deception, and people like that.
Lyrics: The bigger the cushion, the sweeter the pushin That's what I said The looser the waistband, the deeper the quicksand Or so I have read
My baby fits me like a flesh tuxedo I like to sink her with my pink torpedo
Big bottom, big bottom Talk about bum cakes, my girl's got 'em Big bottom, drive me out of my mind How could I leave this behind?
In television, comedies are an all time favorite or the TV audience: realities, mockumentaries, late night shows, and all the other forms of comedy (like Big Bang, Modern Family, and Saturday Night Live). What I believe to be a big contributor to the modern day society of comedy is the originator of the “mockumentary”, Spinal Tap. The story line sounds ordinary enough, a famous band from Britain on an American tour. However, the plot, characters and events that pop up in this film are what make this an out of this world creation. The aspect that pops out the most in this film, are the characters and their stupidity. Many lines and memories were taken away and are still used to this day. The most known line is “these go to eleven” where Nigel Tufnel explains the importance of having an eleven on a speaker where normally the volume goes all the way up to 10. Then there was the stonehenge accident, where with all of the bands stupidity put together, they had mistaken a foot for an inch and had received a mini stonehenge along with a bunch of stonehenge munchkins. Lastly there was the alien egg accident, Where all of the band members protrude from alien egg type eggs however the base player gets stuck for the whole performance and then finally gets out in the end. The Office is the best known for working off of this idea of a “mockumentary”, where the plot presents the characters as to know they are in a documentary while presenting that to the viewers. While this happens, they make fun of an idea of a documentary with events like making out with the sound guy from The Office, or actually having the director act as the director in the film in Spinal Tap. Thus creating a glorious form of comedy! In ancient times... Hundreds of years before the dawn of history Lived a strange race of people... the Druids
No one knows who they were or what they were doing But their legacy remains Hewn into the living rock... Of Stonehenge
Stonehenge! Where the demons dwell Where the banshees live and they do live well Stonehenge! Where a man's a man And the children dance to the Pipes of Pan
Hey!
Stonehenge! 'Tis a magic place Where the moon doth rise with a dragon's face Stonehenge! Where the virgins lie And the prayers of devils fill the midnight sky
And you my love, won't you take my hand? We'll go back in time to that mystic land Where the dew drops cry and the cats meow I will take you there, I will show you how
Oh!
And oh how they danced The little children of Stonehenge Beneath the haunted moon For fear that daybreak might come too soon
And where are they now? The little children of Stonehenge And what would they say to us? If we were here... tonight
This is Spinal Tap, by having the cast acknowledge the cameras as if it were a documentary, opened a whole new sub-genre of comedy. Since Spinal Tap there has been many different 'mockumentaries' on tv- like "The Office," "Modern Family," Parks and Recreation," and even some dramas like "House of Cards." Having the cast acknowledge the cameras adds a sense of reality and verisimilitude to the narrative. While some aspects of the film are completely unrealistic, like the interview in the beginning where the band says that the "gardening accident" was deemed "better left unsolved" by the authorities. Or the incident when the drummer was claimed to have spontaneously exploded, requiring his replacement to be adopted into the band; this movie makes the awkward encounters (when reading the review which asks "why didn't God rest on the day he created Spinal Tap?") a lot more awkward feeling for the audience, the visual comic relief (the bassist getting stuck in his tube") more comic, and the touching moments (when Ian forgives Nigel and allows him to play on stage) and more touching, all because it's presumed to have actually happened. Favorite [moment]: I had a lot, but my favorite had to be when Nigel is being interviewed about his guitars and he refuses to let the cameraman see his "prize" guitar
Nigel Tufnel: Look... still has the old tag on, never even played it. Marty DiBergi: [points his finger] You've never played...? Nigel Tufnel: Don't touch it! Marty DiBergi: We'll I wasn't going to touch it, I was just pointing at it. Nigel Tufnel: Well... don't point! It can't be played. Marty DiBergi: Don't point, okay. Can I look at it? Nigel Tufnel: No. no. That's it, you've seen enough of that one.
This is Spinal Tap is one of the first films of its kind, taking documentary filmmaking styles and using it to make fun of the band Spinal Tap, rather than inform the public about them. This "mockumentary" filmmaking style has contributed to television shows and comedies alike. For example, The Office. That tv show is meant to be documentary style about a bunch of characters in a work place setting. It is taking actors, portraying them as real people, and making fun of what an office work setting really is. Fake documentaries like this are entertaining for the viewer because they take situations that people can relate to, and put comical spins of them. For example, work annoyances, such as the copier breaking down or lazy coworkers. This is Spinal Tap takes a rock band that fans would love and shows all of the ridiculous things that happens when out on tour. This style of comedy is entertaining to the viewer because it is somewhat relatable and not as commonly used as other comedic filmmaking techniques may be.
We're back from the dead and this time we're not stopping we've brought some corn for popping and we're banging your head
Better off dead, still better off living (YEAH!) the gift keeps on giving and it's taking no more no time like the past, no rhyme like the present The first shall be last, and we're slamming death's door (-ming death's door, -ming death's door, -ming death's door)
The effects of “This is Spinal Tap” are very clearly evident in television today. First of all, the very idea of a “mockumentary” type idea is one of the most popular type of show today, seen in “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation” for example. The similarity to life, but with added comedic effect, draws a lot of crowds. Also, the comedic timing in Spinal Tap is used in all such mockumentaries, where line spacing and character responses are much more realistically paced, and don’t always hit just right, as opposed to the idea that a scripted production will have very quick, very witty responses all the time. The eccentricity of the band members of Spinal Tap have also set a precedent for having at least one such eccentric type character in mockumentaries, these characters being the main driving force in the comic appeal. Also, these men set the idea that, with the added “realism” of these mockumentaries, the characters present have a very distinct “lack” of acting skill, reflecting again that the productions are meant to reflect real life. Another aspect of the mockumentary set here is the use of the mockumentary to provide a satirical review of popular events or media, in this case the band is making fun of the excess of the life of musicians. Another thing that isn't inherently noticed is the fact that, though these types of media are indeed comedies, they don’t use a laugh track to signal that something is funny, as the type of comedy is more relatable and realistic, so it’s easier than having to discern than the wit of the quips in other media. Lastly, something about the film gave me the impression that many of the band’s lines during interactions were at least somewhat improvised, a fact that I think makes the dialogue that much more natural and funny. I know for a fact that The Office uses the same tactic with Michael Scott and Dwight Schrute, two of the show’s most eccentric, and funniest, characters.
ReplyDeleteWe're back from the dead
Deleteclimbing from the coffin
we don't come here often
or so it is said
We're back from the grave
recovered from our coma
more body than aroma
it's life that we crave.
Watch our hearts pump as we go back into action (GO!)
giving satisfaction and getting some too
hear our blood roar as we roll a lucky seven
from hell or from heaven, we're past but we're due
(but we're due but we're due but we're due)
We're back from the dead
putting up resitance
clinging to existence
and ready for bed
We're out of the shroud
an end to the becalming
reversing the embalming
And back with our crowd
Nothing's more fun than flipping off the reaper (NO!)
[From: http://www.elyrics.net]
we're back on our beeper heading straight for the top
it's not so hard to avoid a mid-death crisis
no coffee, no spices, but rock 'till you drop
('til you drop, 'til you drop, til you drop)
We're back and we're glad
nothing ever stops us
We're our own synopsis
and here to be had
We're back from the dead
and this time we're not stopping
we've brought some corn for popping
and we're banging your head
Better off dead, still better off living (YEAH!)
the gift keeps on giving and it's taking no more
no time like the past, no rhyme like the present
The first shall be last, and we're slamming death's door
(-ming death's door, -ming death's door, -ming death's door)
I really like their song back from the dead. idk lol
While watching “This is Spinal Tap”, I noticed several qualities that are present in mockumentaries today that help to convey the realistic but comedic feel. The cinematography is the main element that visually fools the viewer into believing the fake events. For the majority of the film, the shots are filmed without the use of a tripod, creating a more natural and shaking appearance. The handheld camera steadily follows the characters as they go about their business. This style is widely used in real documentaries, because the cinematographer doesn’t usually have time to set up the tripod for filming events that they could only capture once (it depends on the situation). Within mockumentaries, this technique helps to prevent the events from looking staged, where the actors would get into position for a new shot and have their lines memorized. Although TV mockumentaries such as “The Office” and “Modern Family” do not have improvised scenes, the acting is somewhat similar to that of “This is Spinal Tap”. They both involve very interesting and unusual characters that are believable because of how well the actors play them (they don’t look like they’re acting). Mockumentaries like these are filled with awkward pauses that we experience everyday. Also, “This is Spinal Tap” includes cut away scenes where the characters make comments on events that happened previously. This is important because we get to hear things from the characters do not express during the normal story scenes. A lot of shows do this as well.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Spinal Tap song is Gimme Some Money:
Stop wasting my time
You know what I want
You know what I need
Or maybe you don't
Do I have to come right flat out and tell you everything?
Gimme some money, gimme some money
I'm nobody's fool
I'm nobody's clown
I'm treating you cool
I'm putting you down
But baby I don't intend to leave empty handed
Gimme some money, gimme some money
Oh yeah! Go Nigel, Go!
Gimme some money, gimme some money
Gimme some money, gimme some money
Don't get me wrong (Gimme some money, gimme some money)
Try getting me right (Gimme some money, gimme some money)
Your face is OK
But your purse is too tight (Gimme some money, gimme some money)
I'm looking for pound notes, loose change, bad checks, anything
Gimme some money, gimme some money
Gimme some money, gimme some money
Gimme some money, gimme some money
Gimme some money, gimme some money
Gimme some money, gimme some money
Gimme some money, gimme some money
Spinal Tap had a major influence on many of the comically-influenced television shows and mockumentaries of today. The elements presented in Spinal Tap gives it a very documentary-like feel, making it seem a lot more like real life, while at the same time incorporating humorous dialogue in order to add that 'parody' feel to it. Most importantly, the mockumnetary was used to elaborate on events at the time, and it was apparent that in 1984 the lives of rockstars were taken as jokes. Mockumentaries typically used an unscripted type of acting, which was apparent in Spinal Tap, to keep that sense of reality in the dialogue and movements of the characters, and the movie itself is portrayed as a historical document, which is apparent in the use of dates, times, and references to historical events. Today, many television shows have been influenced by the mockumentary style, such as The Office and Modern Family, which also incorporate that unscripted type of acting and the seemingly amateur use of shot composition.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Spinal Tap song is 'America':
We came like babies
From our home across the sea to see America
And the people opened up their arms
To welcome us, to America
We came like children
From a far and distant land to see America
And the golden sun of freedom
Filtered down to us, in America
And the people stood and stared
Loved us more than we had dared to, in America
Super highways here and there
Pretty womens everywhere
Brady Bunch and Smokey Bear
Buildings reaching to the sky
Afro-Sheen and apple pie
PTA and FBI
Jumbo jet begins to rise
A joyful nation waves its bye-byes
Each religion, race, and creed
Gets exactly what they need
God bless Johnny Appleseed
Hey!
Watching “This is Spinal Tap” was a very eye opening experience for me. I had never heard of the idea of a “mockumentary” or what it is comprised of, or that there are examples of mockumentaries in the world today. For the most part, I believe that the main focus of a mockumentary is the cinematography, because, like most documentaries, cinematographers are in control of what the viewers see. In this case, mockumentaries are used to show “real” events with some comedic relief attached. The camera is always static and handheld, which makes any film more realistic. They never miss a moment of the bands life, even the personal moments like the argument after the terrible performance or Derrick Smalls (played by Harry Shearer) getting caught with a cucumber in his pants. This style of documentary making is very evident today, with television series like “The Office” and “Always Sunny in Philadelphia”. These shows look more professional than “This is Spinal Tap” because they are not improvised shots, but serve the same purpose. They depict something that can be a real life event and add a bit of comedy in the mix, which makes it almost relatable to the viewer’s life. This draws their attention and that’s why mockumentaries are such a popular thing, although most people wouldn’t know they are watching one.
ReplyDeleteFor those of you who havent seen "Always Sunny in Philadelphia", here's a link http://www.couchtuner.eu/watch-its-always-sunny-in-philadelphia-online-free/
DeleteP.S. It's illegal I think O.o
Favorite Quote: "But this one goes to 11.."
The style of This is Spinal Tap has transcended decades of new development and have even inspired modern television shows. The film, described as a "mocumentary", is supposed to present the idea of an actual band in actual situations, however with a bit of an edge, be it humor, general ridiculousness, or the like. Some of the most successful modern TV shows follow this pattern. A few examples of this (beyond The Office) are Parks and Recreation and Modern Family. In both of these comedies, we follow around several main characters and their actions, much like Spinal Tap. However, these actions are broken by interviews with the characters so we gain more of an individual understanding of their thoughts, etc... related to the action. This is especially helpful not only for the element of character development, but also to add to the humor of something - actions are funny, and things people say in those actions can be too, but the real humor in the interview-style "mockumentary" comes when we are one-on-one with the characters themselves. The only primary difference between the style in Spinal Tap and the TV shows aforementioned is that in Spinal Tap we are introduced to who is behind the camera, whereas in Parks and Rec and Modern Family, we are not completely sure who the characters are speaking to/with.
ReplyDeleteFavorite song:
DeleteLittle girl, it's a great big world
But there's only one of me
You can't touch 'cause I cost too much
But tonight I'm gonna rock ya (Tonight I'm gonna rock ya)
Yeah, tonight I'm gonna rock ya (Tonight I'm gonna rock ya)
Tonight!
You're sweet but you're just four feet
And you still got your baby teeth
You're too young and I'm too well hung
But tonight I'm gonna rock ya (Tonight I'm gonna rock ya)
Yeah, tonight I'm gonna rock ya (Tonight I'm gonna rock ya)
Tonight, whoa yeah!
You're hot, you take all we've got
Not a dry seat in the house
Next day, we'll be on our way
But tonight we're gonna rock ya (Tonight we're gonna rock ya)
Yeah, tonight we're gonna rock ya (Tonight we're gonna rock ya)
Tonight!
Little girl, it's a great big world
But there's only one of... Me!
This is Spinal Tap is an extremely funny documentary, or mockumentary rather, that explores the life of the average rock and roll artists of the 1980’s in a way that has affected the way that many comedies or comedic tv shows have been filmed today. The style that Rob Reiner uses to create this “mockumentary” has been mimicked by ty producers and directors in order to create television shows that are designed to look like documentary films, however being fictions designed to be funny. Similarities between the show The Office and This is Spinal Tap can be seen in the way they control the cinematography and the sound of the film. With the camera a lot of the time being handheld, maybe slightly out of focus, and not a lot of unnatural lighting situations make the story that we see within the frame seem all that much more real, because it mirrors the way that directors of direct cinema documentaries would film a documentary. Also in both, they have very little distracting music, diegetic of non-diegetic, or other distracting diegetic sounds when they want to add emphasis on what the characters are saying, usually being a funny comment that is designed to humor the viewer. The bluntness of having the scene seem so natural and not simply “actors acting real” usually makes whatever funny line is said stand out more and has us connect with the jokes a lot more, being able to imagine maybe something hilarious as the famous “but this one goes to 11” stand out even more in our lines than maybe any other normal joke told onscreen. This is how this “mockumentary” style of filming has affected tv shows in our modern day, and below are my favorite Spinal Tap lyrics.
ReplyDeleteWe are the children who grew too fast
We are the dust of a future past
We raise our voices in the night
Crying to heaven
And will our voices be heard
Or will they Break Like The Wind
We are the footprints across the sands
We are the thumb on a stranger's hand
We made a promise in the night
Swearing to heaven
Is this a promise we keep
[ From: http://www.elyrics.net]
Or one we Break Like The Wind
We are the guests who have stayed too long
We are the end of the endless song
We send our hearts into the night
Soaring to heaven
And will out hearts still beat on
Or will they Break Like The Wind
Break Like The Wind
Break Like The Wind
Break Like The Wind
Break Break Break
Break Like The Wind
This is Spinal Tap was the first really prolific example of a “mockumentary.” While making the film, I don’t know if the filmmakers knew how influence the style of their project would be. An entire genre has been amassed of this style of creating a fictional film or TV show to look and feel like a documentary. It is a whole new way to construct a narrative. The success of this style is in that the ideas presented are juxtaposed with the way they are presented, as if they are the truth. In more dramatic works proposing certain ideas as real could bring up hard hitting questions. In many cases, this format allows for added comedy - writers can make lines, jokes, and personalities ridiculous, while at the same time set as “reality”. The prospect that the ridiculous things could be real is what really creates the comedy. Some of the wildly popular TV comedy mockumentaries have been Parks and Recreation, Reno 911, The Office, and Ja’mie: Private School Girl. This genre also adds another level of depth, there is a sense of deception, and people like that.
ReplyDeleteLyrics:
The bigger the cushion, the sweeter the pushin
That's what I said
The looser the waistband, the deeper the quicksand
Or so I have read
My baby fits me like a flesh tuxedo
I like to sink her with my pink torpedo
Big bottom, big bottom
Talk about bum cakes, my girl's got 'em
Big bottom, drive me out of my mind
How could I leave this behind?
In television, comedies are an all time favorite or the TV audience: realities, mockumentaries, late night shows, and all the other forms of comedy (like Big Bang, Modern Family, and Saturday Night Live). What I believe to be a big contributor to the modern day society of comedy is the originator of the “mockumentary”, Spinal Tap. The story line sounds ordinary enough, a famous band from Britain on an American tour. However, the plot, characters and events that pop up in this film are what make this an out of this world creation.
ReplyDeleteThe aspect that pops out the most in this film, are the characters and their stupidity. Many lines and memories were taken away and are still used to this day. The most known line is “these go to eleven” where Nigel Tufnel explains the importance of having an eleven on a speaker where normally the volume goes all the way up to 10. Then there was the stonehenge accident, where with all of the bands stupidity put together, they had mistaken a foot for an inch and had received a mini stonehenge along with a bunch of stonehenge munchkins. Lastly there was the alien egg accident, Where all of the band members protrude from alien egg type eggs however the base player gets stuck for the whole performance and then finally gets out in the end.
The Office is the best known for working off of this idea of a “mockumentary”, where the plot presents the characters as to know they are in a documentary while presenting that to the viewers. While this happens, they make fun of an idea of a documentary with events like making out with the sound guy from The Office, or actually having the director act as the director in the film in Spinal Tap. Thus creating a glorious form of comedy!
In ancient times...
Hundreds of years before the dawn of history
Lived a strange race of people... the Druids
No one knows who they were or what they were doing
But their legacy remains
Hewn into the living rock... Of Stonehenge
Stonehenge! Where the demons dwell
Where the banshees live and they do live well
Stonehenge! Where a man's a man
And the children dance to the Pipes of Pan
Hey!
Stonehenge! 'Tis a magic place
Where the moon doth rise with a dragon's face
Stonehenge! Where the virgins lie
And the prayers of devils fill the midnight sky
And you my love, won't you take my hand?
We'll go back in time to that mystic land
Where the dew drops cry and the cats meow
I will take you there, I will show you how
Oh!
And oh how they danced
The little children of Stonehenge
Beneath the haunted moon
For fear that daybreak might come too soon
And where are they now?
The little children of Stonehenge
And what would they say to us?
If we were here... tonight
This is Spinal Tap, by having the cast acknowledge the cameras as if it were a documentary, opened a whole new sub-genre of comedy. Since Spinal Tap there has been many different 'mockumentaries' on tv- like "The Office," "Modern Family," Parks and Recreation," and even some dramas like "House of Cards." Having the cast acknowledge the cameras adds a sense of reality and verisimilitude to the narrative. While some aspects of the film are completely unrealistic, like the interview in the beginning where the band says that the "gardening accident" was deemed "better left unsolved" by the authorities. Or the incident when the drummer was claimed to have spontaneously exploded, requiring his replacement to be adopted into the band; this movie makes the awkward encounters (when reading the review which asks "why didn't God rest on the day he created Spinal Tap?") a lot more awkward feeling for the audience, the visual comic relief (the bassist getting stuck in his tube") more comic, and the touching moments (when Ian forgives Nigel and allows him to play on stage) and more touching, all because it's presumed to have actually happened.
ReplyDeleteFavorite [moment]: I had a lot, but my favorite had to be when Nigel is being interviewed about his guitars and he refuses to let the cameraman see his "prize" guitar
Nigel Tufnel: Look... still has the old tag on, never even played it.
Marty DiBergi: [points his finger] You've never played...?
Nigel Tufnel: Don't touch it!
Marty DiBergi: We'll I wasn't going to touch it, I was just pointing at it.
Nigel Tufnel: Well... don't point! It can't be played.
Marty DiBergi: Don't point, okay. Can I look at it?
Nigel Tufnel: No. no. That's it, you've seen enough of that one.
This is Spinal Tap is one of the first films of its kind, taking documentary filmmaking styles and using it to make fun of the band Spinal Tap, rather than inform the public about them. This "mockumentary" filmmaking style has contributed to television shows and comedies alike. For example, The Office. That tv show is meant to be documentary style about a bunch of characters in a work place setting. It is taking actors, portraying them as real people, and making fun of what an office work setting really is. Fake documentaries like this are entertaining for the viewer because they take situations that people can relate to, and put comical spins of them. For example, work annoyances, such as the copier breaking down or lazy coworkers. This is Spinal Tap takes a rock band that fans would love and shows all of the ridiculous things that happens when out on tour. This style of comedy is entertaining to the viewer because it is somewhat relatable and not as commonly used as other comedic filmmaking techniques may be.
ReplyDeleteWe're back from the dead
and this time we're not stopping
we've brought some corn for popping
and we're banging your head
Better off dead, still better off living (YEAH!)
the gift keeps on giving and it's taking no more
no time like the past, no rhyme like the present
The first shall be last, and we're slamming death's door
(-ming death's door, -ming death's door, -ming death's door)