3. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
To understand the true genius of This is Spinal Tap, you first have to understand the insanity of the rock scene in the ’70s and ’80s. A mockumentary satirizing the sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle of metal musicians, This is Spinal Tap perfectly parodied any number of real musical acts. Directed by Rob Reiner, This is Spinal Tap stars Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, and Michael McKean as the fictional members of England’s self-proclaimed “loudest rock band”.
This is Spinal Tap delivers a wealth of quotable moments and stone-faced comedy. It’s a parody through and through, but it almost feels real: its characters feel at once ridiculous and entirely plausible. The spoof is so accurate that it actually blurs the line between fiction and reality.
What makes This is Spinal Tap all the more impressive is that much of it was reportedly improvised. With so much comedic talent both in front of and behind the camera, it’s difficult to argue that This is Spinal Tap is a stellar example of a spoof movie. It remains one of the greatest parody films ever made, and is still proudly quoted to this day.