This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
Music, Comedy • 1h 22m
Overview
"This Is Spinal Tap" shines a light on the self-contained universe of a metal band struggling to get back on the charts, including everything from its complicated history of ups and downs, gold albums, name changes and undersold concert dates, along with the full host of requisite groupies, promoters, hangers-on and historians, sessions, release events and those special behind-the-scenes moments that keep it all real.
Director: Rob Reiner
Cast: Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner, June Chadwick, Bruno Kirby, Ed Begley Jr., Fran Drescher, Dana Carvey, Sandy Helberg, Billy Crystal, Paul Benedict, Howard Hesseman, Russ Kunkel, Joyce Hyser, Paul Shaffer, Archie Hahn, Fred Willard, Anjelica Huston, Brinke Stevens, Patrick Macnee, Tony Hendra, R.J. Parnell, David Kaff, Danny Kortchmar, Julie Payne, Zane Buzby, Paul Shortino, Lara Cody, Andrew J. Lederer, Victory Tischler-Blue, Gloria Gifford, Charles Levin, Donald Kendrick, Wonderful Smith, Kimberly Stringer, Chazz Dominguez, Shari Hall, Jean Cromie, Patrick Maher, Memo Vera, Robin Menken, Jennifer Child, J.J. Barry, George McDaniel, Anne Churchill, Cherie Darr, Diana Duncan, Gina Marie Pitrello, Gina Jourard
Director: Nicholas Ray
Director: Nicholas Ray
Director: Peter Weir
Director: Peter Weir
Director: Bob Clark
Director: Bob Clark
Director: Ridley Scott
Capelight 4K Blu-ray has better encode than Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Director: Ridley Scott
Capelight 4K Blu-ray has better encode than Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Director: Charlie Chaplin
1936 version: Image Entertainment DVD
1954 version: Criterion Blu-ray
Cut info: https://www.nitrateville.com/viewtopic.php?t=31209
1936 version: Image Entertainment DVD
Director: Charlie Chaplin
1936 version: Image Entertainment DVD
1954 version: Criterion Blu-ray
Cut info: https://www.nitrateville.com/viewtopic.php?t=31209
1936 version: Image Entertainment DVD
Director: Michael Curtiz
Director: Michael Curtiz
Director: Haskell Wexler
Criterion Blu-ray is slightly better than MoC Blu-ray: while both are from a 4K restoration approved by director, MoC is more sharpened but gamma is flatter see caps
Paramount DVD and potentially Paramount LaserDisc see blah-ray
Criterion and MoC Blu-ray has the same audio, and additional (destructive) hiss reduction was applied, and one segment was made significantly louder.
Also, every home video release except the 1982 Paramount VHS cassette replaces Wild Man Fischer's 'Merry-Go-Round' in the roller derby scene with a version of 'Sweet Georgia Brown' by Brother Bones. Two very different songs, and one must assume that the tone of the scene has changed considerably
Director: Haskell Wexler
Criterion Blu-ray is slightly better than MoC Blu-ray: while both are from a 4K restoration approved by director, MoC is more sharpened but gamma is flatter see caps
Paramount DVD and potentially Paramount LaserDisc see blah-ray
Criterion and MoC Blu-ray has the same audio, and additional (destructive) hiss reduction was applied, and one segment was made significantly louder.
Also, every home video release except the 1982 Paramount VHS cassette replaces Wild Man Fischer's 'Merry-Go-Round' in the roller derby scene with a version of 'Sweet Georgia Brown' by Brother Bones. Two very different songs, and one must assume that the tone of the scene has changed considerably
Director: Martin Scorsese
2024 Second Sight 4K Blu-ray
2024 Second Sight 4K Blu-ray
Director: Martin Scorsese
2024 Second Sight 4K Blu-ray
2024 Second Sight 4K Blu-ray
Director: Rob Reiner
Director: Rob Reiner
Director: Rob Reiner
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or German Capelight 4K Blu-Ray?
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or German Capelight 4K Blu-Ray?
Shout! Factory Blu-ray has exclusive extras the Kino Lorber/Capelight release doesn't
Director: Rob Reiner
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or German Capelight 4K Blu-Ray?
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or German Capelight 4K Blu-Ray?
Shout! Factory Blu-ray has exclusive extras the Kino Lorber/Capelight release doesn't
Director: Rob Reiner
Sony 2023 Steelbook 4K Blu-ray
Sony 2023 Steelbook 4K Blu-ray added Dolby Vision and more extras
The DVD has an isolated score track
Director: Rob Reiner
Sony 2023 Steelbook 4K Blu-ray
Sony 2023 Steelbook 4K Blu-ray added Dolby Vision and more extras
The DVD has an isolated score track
Director: Rob Reiner
Turbine Germany 4K Blu-ray has a few exclusive extras
Director: Rob Reiner
Turbine Germany 4K Blu-ray has a few exclusive extras
Director: Rob Reiner
Director: Rob Reiner
Director: David Lynch
Criterion 4K Blu-ray is closer to the original DVDs than the 2015 Criterion release, not sure about whether the StudioCanal 4K is like the Criterion 4K/original DVD
Criterion 4K Blu-ray has FEL Dolby Vision, StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray has MEL
Director: David Lynch
Criterion 4K Blu-ray is closer to the original DVDs than the 2015 Criterion release, not sure about whether the StudioCanal 4K is like the Criterion 4K/original DVD
Criterion 4K Blu-ray has FEL Dolby Vision, StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray has MEL
Director: Jean Vigo
Director: Jean Vigo
Director: Chen Kaige
Director: Chen Kaige
Director: Luis Buñuel
StudioCanal 50th Anniversary Blu-ray
StudioCanal 50th Anniversary Blu-ray uses a newer 4k scan than Criterion Blu-ray or older StudioCanal Blu-ray see https://caps-a-holic.com/c_list.php?c=4373
Director: Luis Buñuel
StudioCanal 50th Anniversary Blu-ray
StudioCanal 50th Anniversary Blu-ray uses a newer 4k scan than Criterion Blu-ray or older StudioCanal Blu-ray see https://caps-a-holic.com/c_list.php?c=4373
Director: Robert Altman
Director: Robert Altman
Director: František Vláčil
Director: František Vláčil
Criterion Blu-ray Mono, both tracks on the Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray are badly remixed.
Criterion Blu-ray Mono, both tracks on the Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray are badly remixed.
Director: Robert Bresson
Director: Robert Bresson
Edit History
10/11/2025
Best Audio Release
From
1998 Criterion DVD Stereo https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/2025/09/this-is-spinal-tap-1984.html
To
1998 Criterion DVD Stereo
From
1998 Criterion DVD Stereo https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/2025/09/this-is-spinal-tap-1984.html
To
1998 Criterion DVD Stereo
blah-ray
Added
https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/2025/09/this-is-spinal-tap-1984.html
Added
https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/2025/09/this-is-spinal-tap-1984.html
10/4/2025
Best Audio Release
From
To
1998 Criterion DVD Stereo https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/2025/09/this-is-spinal-tap-1984.html
From
To
1998 Criterion DVD Stereo https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/2025/09/this-is-spinal-tap-1984.html
9/18/2025
Best English-Friendly Release
From
New resto, only old BD https://www.reddit.com/r/criterion/s/QiPtEJ3MTo
To
Criterion 4K
From
New resto, only old BD https://www.reddit.com/r/criterion/s/QiPtEJ3MTo
To
Criterion 4K
Best Video Release
From
New resto, only old BD https://www.reddit.com/r/criterion/s/QiPtEJ3MTo
To
From
New resto, only old BD https://www.reddit.com/r/criterion/s/QiPtEJ3MTo
To
9/18/2025
Format
From
1080p Blu-ray
To
UHD Blu-ray
From
1080p Blu-ray
To
UHD Blu-ray
