A Fine Line between Stupid and Clever: The Story of Spinal Tap

(Paperback, Export/Airside)

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For the first time, director Rob Reiner and co-creatorsChristopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer provide the full behind-the-scenes story of the making of the groundbreaking mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap and its upcoming sequel.

Since its original release in 1984, This Is Spinal Tap has evolved from a beloved cult film into a cinematic landmark: an all-time comedy classic that pioneered an entire genre: the mockumentary. Now, director Rob Reiner and his co-writers and co-stars, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer, tell the complete story of the movie and its fictitious bandhow they met, how Spinal Tap came to be, and how their low-budget indie film took on a life of its own. Years after the movie first came out, the Library of Congress selected This Is Spinal Tap for inclusion in the National Film Registry and Tap went on to play the Royal Albert Hall, Wembley Stadium, and to over 100,000 fans at Glastonbury.

Reiner, Guest, McKean and Shearer provide the backstories to the movies famous lines among them 'Hello, Cleveland!,' 'None more black,' 'You cant dust for vomit' and 'These go to eleven' and to such Tap anthems as 'Big Bottom' and 'Stonehenge'. Featuring never-before-seen photographs, band memorabilia and personal reminiscences of their enduring creative partnership, A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever will delight Tap-heads of all ages just as the long-awaited Spinal Tap sequel is hitting theatres.

BUT WAIT, THERES MORE! A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever also comes with a bonus memoir by Reiners directorial alter ego, Marty DiBergi, in which he interviews Tap band members Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins and Derek Smalls about their musical journey and their drummers who paid the ultimate sacrifice to the rock gods.

Author Bio

Rob Reiner, a two-time Emmy winning actor for his role in the landmark television series,All in the Family, is also the acclaimed director ofThis Is Spinal Tap,Stand By Me,The Princess Bride,When Harry Met Sally,Misery,A Few Good Men,The American President,Ghosts of Mississippi, andThe Bucket List. He recently directed the Emmy nominateddocumentaryAlbert Brooks: Defending my Life, and the sequel toThis Is Spinal Tap. As adedicated political activist, he spearheaded a tobacco tax initiative in California to fund earlychildhood development and chaired the state commission to oversee its implementation.In 2008, he cofounded The American Foundation For Equal Rights, which paved theway for marriage equality nationwide. Christopher Guest is a director, actor, and musician. His films includeThis is Spinal Tap,The Princess Bride,The Big Picture,Waiting for Guffman,Best in Show,A Mighty Wind,For Your Consideration, andMascots. For the National Lampoon his albums includeRadio Dinner,Gold Turkey,Goodbye Pop,Thats Not Funny Thats Sick, andLemmings. He has appeared as a cast member onSaturday Night Live with Howard Coselland the otherSaturday Night Live. He has one Emmy, one Grammy, and one Grand Clio award. He is a recipient of an honorary doctorate from The Berklee College of Music. Michael McKean has been in the show business a long time. Hes worked on Broadway inHairspray, The Pajama Game, The Homecoming, Superior Donuts, The Best Man, All the Way,andThe Little Foxes.His TV credits are voluminous:Laverne & Shirley, Saturday Night Live, Better Call Saul(Emmy nomination),Good Omens,Breeders,Grace and Frankie,The Diplomat,and many more.Apart from the obvious, his films includeYoung Doctors in Love,Used Cars, Clue, Light of Day,The Brady Bunch Movie, True Crime,etc. McKean and his wife, the actress Annette OToole, shared an Oscar nomination for their song A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow, from the Christopher Guest filmA Mighty Wind.McKean, Guest, and Eugene Levy won a Grammy for the title song. He lives in Los Angeles and New York. Known to millions for his voices onThe Simpsons, Harry Sheareris an actor, author, director, musician, broadcaster, humorist, and voiceover artist. His films includeThis Is Spinal Tap,The Mighty Wind,For Your Consideration,The Fisher King, andThe Truman Showand, as a writer and director,The Big UneasyandTeddy Bears Picnic. His TV appearances includeThe Jack Benny Program,Saturday Night Live, andNixons the One. His long running radio programLe Showrecently became part of The Library of Congress archives. He also has a musical,Here Comes J Edgar; a novel,Not Enough Indians,and five albums of satirical songs to his name.