Nov. 10, 2025
A Rock 'n' Roll Resurrection: Exploring the Hilarious Depths of 'Spinal Tap II'
In this episode of *Movies First*, Chris and Jessica explore the highly anticipated reunion of the legendary rock band *Spinal Tap* in their latest film, *Spinal Tap: Back to the Stage*. After a staggering 40 years, the iconic band returns, but not without the trademark dark humor that fans have come to love, particularly the infamous curse surrounding their drummers.
Listeners will be drawn into the hilarity as the hosts discuss how the characters have evolved over time. Nigel Tufnell, once a symbol of rock excess, now finds himself running a cheese and guitar shop, while David St. Hubbins has taken a surprising turn into producing music for True Crime podcasts. The absurdity of their new reality is both comical and poignant, reflecting the passage of time in the music industry.
The episode dives into the film's clever narrative, which revolves around an inherited contract that forces the band to perform one last show. With legendary musicians like Paul McCartney and Elton John making guest appearances, the hosts marvel at how these icons contribute to the film's satirical take on aging in rock and roll.
Chris and Jessica highlight the introduction of Dede Crockett, the new drummer, who not only bridges the generational gap but also faces the peril of the infamous drummer curse. The conversation touches on the film's ability to satirize not just rock and roll but the broader concept of aging, with new characters like Hope Faith and Simon Howler adding layers of music industry drama.
As they reflect on the commitment to absurdity that defined the original film, the hosts appreciate how the sequel maintains the mockumentary style while exploring contemporary themes. With a score of 7 out of 10, *Spinal Tap: Back to the Stage* emerges as a clever homage to the beloved classic, offering both nostalgia and fresh commentary on the evolving landscape of music.
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To access the Movies First reviews archive visit our website at www.bitesz.com/podcast/movies-first
This episode includes AI-generated content.
WEBVTT
0
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.520
Chris: Here's something that'll make you feel.
1
00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:04.800
Spinal Tap, the band that famously turned
2
00:00:04.800 --> 00:00:07.200
their amps up to 11, is getting back together
3
00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:10.080
after 40 years, and their new drummer might
4
00:00:10.080 --> 00:00:11.120
not survive the experience.
5
00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:13.840
Jessica: That's such a perfect example of how this
6
00:00:13.840 --> 00:00:15.760
franchise keeps its dark humor going.
7
00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:19.080
I mean, the running gag about their drummers
8
00:00:19.080 --> 00:00:21.320
mysteriously dying has become legendary at
9
00:00:21.320 --> 00:00:21.840
this point.
10
00:00:22.720 --> 00:00:24.200
Chris: Well, you know what's really fascinating
11
00:00:24.200 --> 00:00:26.120
about this sequel? They've completely
12
00:00:26.120 --> 00:00:28.700
embraced the passage of time. Nigel
13
00:00:28.700 --> 00:00:31.300
Tufnell, once the epitome of rock excess, now
14
00:00:31.300 --> 00:00:33.100
runs a cheese and guitar shop with his
15
00:00:33.100 --> 00:00:35.540
girlfriend. I mean, can you imagine him
16
00:00:35.540 --> 00:00:38.260
describing artisanal cheese with the same
17
00:00:38.260 --> 00:00:40.620
intensity he once used for his guitar solos?
18
00:00:41.020 --> 00:00:43.820
Jessica: Oh, uh, my goodness. And David St.
19
00:00:43.820 --> 00:00:46.140
Hubbins is producing music for True Crime
20
00:00:46.140 --> 00:00:49.100
podcasts and phone hold systems. Talk
21
00:00:49.100 --> 00:00:50.300
about a fall from grace.
22
00:00:51.340 --> 00:00:53.540
Chris: The whole thing starts because of this
23
00:00:53.540 --> 00:00:56.280
inherited contract that requires them to do
24
00:00:56.280 --> 00:00:59.000
one more show. Like, who even
25
00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:01.920
writes a contract like that? But here's what
26
00:01:01.920 --> 00:01:04.760
makes it brilliant. They've got actual rock
27
00:01:04.760 --> 00:01:06.840
legends Paul McCartney and Elton John
28
00:01:07.400 --> 00:01:09.640
showing up to participate in the madness.
29
00:01:10.360 --> 00:01:13.040
Jessica: Hmm. That's actually pretty incredible when
30
00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:15.640
you think about it. These are musicians who
31
00:01:15.640 --> 00:01:17.360
probably lived through some of the exact
32
00:01:17.360 --> 00:01:19.560
things the original movie was satirizing.
33
00:01:20.450 --> 00:01:22.730
Chris: And let's talk about their new drummer, Dede
34
00:01:22.730 --> 00:01:25.490
Crockett. You know, bringing in this young
35
00:01:25.490 --> 00:01:27.770
character is such a smart way to bridge the
36
00:01:27.770 --> 00:01:30.450
generational gap, though apparently she ends
37
00:01:30.450 --> 00:01:32.310
up fighting for her life at some point. So,
38
00:01:32.310 --> 00:01:34.770
uh, maybe the drummer curse is still going
39
00:01:34.770 --> 00:01:35.090
strong.
40
00:01:35.810 --> 00:01:37.890
Jessica: Well, that's what I find so fascinating about
41
00:01:37.890 --> 00:01:39.770
this whole project. They're not just
42
00:01:39.770 --> 00:01:42.410
rehashing old jokes, they're finding new ways
43
00:01:42.410 --> 00:01:44.890
to build on them. Like, how do you think
44
00:01:44.890 --> 00:01:46.770
they're going to handle the actual concert?
45
00:01:47.810 --> 00:01:49.810
Chris: Given that the review mentions the whole band
46
00:01:49.810 --> 00:01:52.290
ends up hospitalized, I'm guessing it goes
47
00:01:52.290 --> 00:01:54.010
about as well as their Stonehenge
48
00:01:54.010 --> 00:01:56.370
performance. But you know what's really
49
00:01:56.370 --> 00:01:58.730
clever about this sequel? They're not just
50
00:01:58.730 --> 00:02:00.970
making fun of rock and roll anymore. They're
51
00:02:00.970 --> 00:02:03.410
satirizing the whole concept of aging in the
52
00:02:03.410 --> 00:02:03.970
music industry.
53
00:02:04.930 --> 00:02:07.330
Jessica: That's exactly right. Between streaming
54
00:02:07.330 --> 00:02:09.810
services, reunion tours, and the nostalgia
55
00:02:09.810 --> 00:02:12.010
circuit, there's so much new territory for
56
00:02:12.010 --> 00:02:12.850
them to explore.
57
00:02:13.780 --> 00:02:16.580
Chris: And Rob Reiner coming back as Marty D. Burgey
58
00:02:16.660 --> 00:02:19.300
adds this perfect layer of authenticity.
59
00:02:20.020 --> 00:02:22.900
This was his directorial debut in 1984,
60
00:02:23.380 --> 00:02:25.780
and now here he is, still following these
61
00:02:25.780 --> 00:02:28.220
guys around with a camera. It's like the
62
00:02:28.220 --> 00:02:30.820
documentary filmmaker has aged right along
63
00:02:30.820 --> 00:02:31.540
with the band.
64
00:02:32.340 --> 00:02:34.220
Jessica: So what you're saying is that the passage of
65
00:02:34.220 --> 00:02:36.140
time has actually become part of the story
66
00:02:36.140 --> 00:02:38.540
itself. That's pretty meta when you think
67
00:02:38.540 --> 00:02:38.980
about it.
68
00:02:40.140 --> 00:02:42.540
Chris: Exactly. And they've added these great new
69
00:02:42.540 --> 00:02:44.620
characters like Hope Faith, the daughter of
70
00:02:44.620 --> 00:02:46.660
their original manager, and this concert
71
00:02:46.660 --> 00:02:49.460
promoter, Simon Howler. Their attention
72
00:02:49.460 --> 00:02:51.740
apparently adds this whole new layer of music
73
00:02:51.740 --> 00:02:53.580
industry drama to the mix.
74
00:02:53.900 --> 00:02:56.420
Jessica: You know what really gets me? Derek
75
00:02:56.420 --> 00:02:58.780
Smalls is now a curator at a Glu museum.
76
00:02:59.340 --> 00:03:01.860
Like of all the possible second careers for a
77
00:03:01.860 --> 00:03:02.780
rock bassist.
78
00:03:03.580 --> 00:03:06.220
Chris: And David's ex wife Janine, becoming a nun.
79
00:03:07.150 --> 00:03:09.270
It's like they sat down and thought, what's
80
00:03:09.270 --> 00:03:11.310
the most unexpected direction we could take
81
00:03:11.310 --> 00:03:14.030
these characters? But somehow it all
82
00:03:14.030 --> 00:03:16.110
works because they play it completely
83
00:03:16.110 --> 00:03:16.590
straight.
84
00:03:17.230 --> 00:03:19.110
Jessica: That commitment to the absurd is what made
85
00:03:19.110 --> 00:03:21.870
the original so special. They m never winked
86
00:03:21.870 --> 00:03:23.150
at the camera. They just let the
87
00:03:23.150 --> 00:03:24.750
ridiculousness speak for itself.
88
00:03:25.550 --> 00:03:27.830
Chris: Speaking of commitment, they've got quite a
89
00:03:27.830 --> 00:03:30.390
celebrity roster this time around. Beyond
90
00:03:30.390 --> 00:03:32.710
McCartney and Elton, they've managed to rope
91
00:03:32.710 --> 00:03:35.680
in Fran Drescher and Garth Brooks. It's
92
00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:37.480
like they're creating this perfect mix of
93
00:03:37.480 --> 00:03:39.520
rock history and modern entertainment.
94
00:03:40.160 --> 00:03:41.840
Jessica: That's such a smart observation about
95
00:03:41.840 --> 00:03:44.440
bridging different eras of entertainment. It
96
00:03:44.440 --> 00:03:46.440
m really shows how influential the original
97
00:03:46.440 --> 00:03:47.120
film was.
98
00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:50.040
Chris: You know what's really remarkable? According
99
00:03:50.040 --> 00:03:51.920
to the review, you don't even need to have
100
00:03:51.920 --> 00:03:53.920
seen the original to appreciate this one.
101
00:03:54.560 --> 00:03:56.600
Though I have to say, knowing about their
102
00:03:56.600 --> 00:03:58.840
previous misadventures probably makes it even
103
00:03:58.840 --> 00:03:59.120
better.
104
00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:01.920
Jessica: Well, that's quite an achievement for any
105
00:04:01.920 --> 00:04:04.520
sequel, let alone one coming four decades
106
00:04:04.520 --> 00:04:05.360
after the original.
107
00:04:06.500 --> 00:04:09.260
Chris: Maybe 40 years is exactly the right amount of
108
00:04:09.260 --> 00:04:12.140
time to wait. These guys have had decades
109
00:04:12.140 --> 00:04:14.980
to observe how rock stars age, how fame
110
00:04:14.980 --> 00:04:17.700
fades, how the music industry changes.
111
00:04:18.340 --> 00:04:20.260
It's like they've gained this whole new
112
00:04:20.260 --> 00:04:22.019
perspective on what they were originally
113
00:04:22.019 --> 00:04:22.820
satirizing.
114
00:04:23.220 --> 00:04:24.860
Jessica: And from what we're hearing, they've managed
115
00:04:24.860 --> 00:04:26.300
to keep all the elements that made the
116
00:04:26.300 --> 00:04:29.260
original work. The sight gags, the
117
00:04:29.260 --> 00:04:31.940
one liners, the mockumentary style,
118
00:04:32.730 --> 00:04:35.010
while adding these new layers about aging and
119
00:04:35.010 --> 00:04:35.530
relevance.
120
00:04:36.090 --> 00:04:37.850
Chris: In the end, it sounds like they've created
121
00:04:37.850 --> 00:04:40.490
something that's both a loving tribute to the
122
00:04:40.490 --> 00:04:43.330
original and its own unique commentary on
123
00:04:43.330 --> 00:04:46.050
the modern music industry. Though I still
124
00:04:46.050 --> 00:04:47.530
wouldn't want to be their drummer.
125
00:04:47.690 --> 00:04:50.410
Jessica: That's probably wise. Being Spinal Tap's
126
00:04:50.410 --> 00:04:52.250
drummer seems about as safe as being a stunt
127
00:04:52.250 --> 00:04:54.770
double in an action movie. We're giving it a
128
00:04:54.770 --> 00:04:55.930
score of 7 out of 10.
0
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.520
Chris: Here's something that'll make you feel.
1
00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:04.800
Spinal Tap, the band that famously turned
2
00:00:04.800 --> 00:00:07.200
their amps up to 11, is getting back together
3
00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:10.080
after 40 years, and their new drummer might
4
00:00:10.080 --> 00:00:11.120
not survive the experience.
5
00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:13.840
Jessica: That's such a perfect example of how this
6
00:00:13.840 --> 00:00:15.760
franchise keeps its dark humor going.
7
00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:19.080
I mean, the running gag about their drummers
8
00:00:19.080 --> 00:00:21.320
mysteriously dying has become legendary at
9
00:00:21.320 --> 00:00:21.840
this point.
10
00:00:22.720 --> 00:00:24.200
Chris: Well, you know what's really fascinating
11
00:00:24.200 --> 00:00:26.120
about this sequel? They've completely
12
00:00:26.120 --> 00:00:28.700
embraced the passage of time. Nigel
13
00:00:28.700 --> 00:00:31.300
Tufnell, once the epitome of rock excess, now
14
00:00:31.300 --> 00:00:33.100
runs a cheese and guitar shop with his
15
00:00:33.100 --> 00:00:35.540
girlfriend. I mean, can you imagine him
16
00:00:35.540 --> 00:00:38.260
describing artisanal cheese with the same
17
00:00:38.260 --> 00:00:40.620
intensity he once used for his guitar solos?
18
00:00:41.020 --> 00:00:43.820
Jessica: Oh, uh, my goodness. And David St.
19
00:00:43.820 --> 00:00:46.140
Hubbins is producing music for True Crime
20
00:00:46.140 --> 00:00:49.100
podcasts and phone hold systems. Talk
21
00:00:49.100 --> 00:00:50.300
about a fall from grace.
22
00:00:51.340 --> 00:00:53.540
Chris: The whole thing starts because of this
23
00:00:53.540 --> 00:00:56.280
inherited contract that requires them to do
24
00:00:56.280 --> 00:00:59.000
one more show. Like, who even
25
00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:01.920
writes a contract like that? But here's what
26
00:01:01.920 --> 00:01:04.760
makes it brilliant. They've got actual rock
27
00:01:04.760 --> 00:01:06.840
legends Paul McCartney and Elton John
28
00:01:07.400 --> 00:01:09.640
showing up to participate in the madness.
29
00:01:10.360 --> 00:01:13.040
Jessica: Hmm. That's actually pretty incredible when
30
00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:15.640
you think about it. These are musicians who
31
00:01:15.640 --> 00:01:17.360
probably lived through some of the exact
32
00:01:17.360 --> 00:01:19.560
things the original movie was satirizing.
33
00:01:20.450 --> 00:01:22.730
Chris: And let's talk about their new drummer, Dede
34
00:01:22.730 --> 00:01:25.490
Crockett. You know, bringing in this young
35
00:01:25.490 --> 00:01:27.770
character is such a smart way to bridge the
36
00:01:27.770 --> 00:01:30.450
generational gap, though apparently she ends
37
00:01:30.450 --> 00:01:32.310
up fighting for her life at some point. So,
38
00:01:32.310 --> 00:01:34.770
uh, maybe the drummer curse is still going
39
00:01:34.770 --> 00:01:35.090
strong.
40
00:01:35.810 --> 00:01:37.890
Jessica: Well, that's what I find so fascinating about
41
00:01:37.890 --> 00:01:39.770
this whole project. They're not just
42
00:01:39.770 --> 00:01:42.410
rehashing old jokes, they're finding new ways
43
00:01:42.410 --> 00:01:44.890
to build on them. Like, how do you think
44
00:01:44.890 --> 00:01:46.770
they're going to handle the actual concert?
45
00:01:47.810 --> 00:01:49.810
Chris: Given that the review mentions the whole band
46
00:01:49.810 --> 00:01:52.290
ends up hospitalized, I'm guessing it goes
47
00:01:52.290 --> 00:01:54.010
about as well as their Stonehenge
48
00:01:54.010 --> 00:01:56.370
performance. But you know what's really
49
00:01:56.370 --> 00:01:58.730
clever about this sequel? They're not just
50
00:01:58.730 --> 00:02:00.970
making fun of rock and roll anymore. They're
51
00:02:00.970 --> 00:02:03.410
satirizing the whole concept of aging in the
52
00:02:03.410 --> 00:02:03.970
music industry.
53
00:02:04.930 --> 00:02:07.330
Jessica: That's exactly right. Between streaming
54
00:02:07.330 --> 00:02:09.810
services, reunion tours, and the nostalgia
55
00:02:09.810 --> 00:02:12.010
circuit, there's so much new territory for
56
00:02:12.010 --> 00:02:12.850
them to explore.
57
00:02:13.780 --> 00:02:16.580
Chris: And Rob Reiner coming back as Marty D. Burgey
58
00:02:16.660 --> 00:02:19.300
adds this perfect layer of authenticity.
59
00:02:20.020 --> 00:02:22.900
This was his directorial debut in 1984,
60
00:02:23.380 --> 00:02:25.780
and now here he is, still following these
61
00:02:25.780 --> 00:02:28.220
guys around with a camera. It's like the
62
00:02:28.220 --> 00:02:30.820
documentary filmmaker has aged right along
63
00:02:30.820 --> 00:02:31.540
with the band.
64
00:02:32.340 --> 00:02:34.220
Jessica: So what you're saying is that the passage of
65
00:02:34.220 --> 00:02:36.140
time has actually become part of the story
66
00:02:36.140 --> 00:02:38.540
itself. That's pretty meta when you think
67
00:02:38.540 --> 00:02:38.980
about it.
68
00:02:40.140 --> 00:02:42.540
Chris: Exactly. And they've added these great new
69
00:02:42.540 --> 00:02:44.620
characters like Hope Faith, the daughter of
70
00:02:44.620 --> 00:02:46.660
their original manager, and this concert
71
00:02:46.660 --> 00:02:49.460
promoter, Simon Howler. Their attention
72
00:02:49.460 --> 00:02:51.740
apparently adds this whole new layer of music
73
00:02:51.740 --> 00:02:53.580
industry drama to the mix.
74
00:02:53.900 --> 00:02:56.420
Jessica: You know what really gets me? Derek
75
00:02:56.420 --> 00:02:58.780
Smalls is now a curator at a Glu museum.
76
00:02:59.340 --> 00:03:01.860
Like of all the possible second careers for a
77
00:03:01.860 --> 00:03:02.780
rock bassist.
78
00:03:03.580 --> 00:03:06.220
Chris: And David's ex wife Janine, becoming a nun.
79
00:03:07.150 --> 00:03:09.270
It's like they sat down and thought, what's
80
00:03:09.270 --> 00:03:11.310
the most unexpected direction we could take
81
00:03:11.310 --> 00:03:14.030
these characters? But somehow it all
82
00:03:14.030 --> 00:03:16.110
works because they play it completely
83
00:03:16.110 --> 00:03:16.590
straight.
84
00:03:17.230 --> 00:03:19.110
Jessica: That commitment to the absurd is what made
85
00:03:19.110 --> 00:03:21.870
the original so special. They m never winked
86
00:03:21.870 --> 00:03:23.150
at the camera. They just let the
87
00:03:23.150 --> 00:03:24.750
ridiculousness speak for itself.
88
00:03:25.550 --> 00:03:27.830
Chris: Speaking of commitment, they've got quite a
89
00:03:27.830 --> 00:03:30.390
celebrity roster this time around. Beyond
90
00:03:30.390 --> 00:03:32.710
McCartney and Elton, they've managed to rope
91
00:03:32.710 --> 00:03:35.680
in Fran Drescher and Garth Brooks. It's
92
00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:37.480
like they're creating this perfect mix of
93
00:03:37.480 --> 00:03:39.520
rock history and modern entertainment.
94
00:03:40.160 --> 00:03:41.840
Jessica: That's such a smart observation about
95
00:03:41.840 --> 00:03:44.440
bridging different eras of entertainment. It
96
00:03:44.440 --> 00:03:46.440
m really shows how influential the original
97
00:03:46.440 --> 00:03:47.120
film was.
98
00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:50.040
Chris: You know what's really remarkable? According
99
00:03:50.040 --> 00:03:51.920
to the review, you don't even need to have
100
00:03:51.920 --> 00:03:53.920
seen the original to appreciate this one.
101
00:03:54.560 --> 00:03:56.600
Though I have to say, knowing about their
102
00:03:56.600 --> 00:03:58.840
previous misadventures probably makes it even
103
00:03:58.840 --> 00:03:59.120
better.
104
00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:01.920
Jessica: Well, that's quite an achievement for any
105
00:04:01.920 --> 00:04:04.520
sequel, let alone one coming four decades
106
00:04:04.520 --> 00:04:05.360
after the original.
107
00:04:06.500 --> 00:04:09.260
Chris: Maybe 40 years is exactly the right amount of
108
00:04:09.260 --> 00:04:12.140
time to wait. These guys have had decades
109
00:04:12.140 --> 00:04:14.980
to observe how rock stars age, how fame
110
00:04:14.980 --> 00:04:17.700
fades, how the music industry changes.
111
00:04:18.340 --> 00:04:20.260
It's like they've gained this whole new
112
00:04:20.260 --> 00:04:22.019
perspective on what they were originally
113
00:04:22.019 --> 00:04:22.820
satirizing.
114
00:04:23.220 --> 00:04:24.860
Jessica: And from what we're hearing, they've managed
115
00:04:24.860 --> 00:04:26.300
to keep all the elements that made the
116
00:04:26.300 --> 00:04:29.260
original work. The sight gags, the
117
00:04:29.260 --> 00:04:31.940
one liners, the mockumentary style,
118
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while adding these new layers about aging and
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relevance.
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Chris: In the end, it sounds like they've created
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something that's both a loving tribute to the
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original and its own unique commentary on
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the modern music industry. Though I still
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wouldn't want to be their drummer.
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Jessica: That's probably wise. Being Spinal Tap's
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drummer seems about as safe as being a stunt
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double in an action movie. We're giving it a
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score of 7 out of 10.
